To what extent are both major parties ideologically distinct?

This is a nice question merely comparing the similarities and differences between the Republican Party and Democrats, and evaluating whether or not both parties are completely ideologically distinct. The likely argument should be that both parties are ideologically distinct given the increase in polarisation in recent years with both parties moving further away from the centre ground, the Democrats are an established liberal party while the Republicans are a socially and fiscally conservative party.

Not ideologically distinct (Not polarised)	Ideologically distinct (polarised)
FOREIGN POLICY. Under the Obama administration American foreign policy remains ultimately unchanged and just like with his predecessor Republican president, America continues to play this role of a world policeman under the Democrat President. During Obama’s first term there was a surge in troops in Afghanistan, being increased by around 80% in total. Recently we’ve also witnessed the US getting involved in the Ukraine crisis, again illustrating this world policeman role. Obama got involved in the 2011 Libya attacks. There is a lot of agreement between the GOP and Democrats on what to do in the middle east with ISIS running around bombing stuff à Obama has began intensifying efforts in terms of airstrikes against ISIS, the number of people killed using drone strikes under the Obama administration exceeds 2,400 à even sent in some ground troop for special operations against ISIS. Both parties are working together in the fight against the Islamic State and also in recent events there has been a lot of evidence of bipartisanship from both parties in the passage of the USA Freedom Act, curtailing certain provisions of the PATRIOT Act which enable the NSA to spy on American citizens phone records. This bipartisanship was evident from the newer generation of GOP Senators and House members who were elected following 9/11 and have sided with the Democrats in opposing the renewal of certain provisions of the Patriot Act.	Unlike their traditionally hawkish counterparts, the Democrats have in fact adopted a very different stance towards foreign policy in recent years à less interventionist and focusing directly on multilateralism in the form of diplomacy instead as illustrated by diplomatic efforts between John Kerry and key Russian figures on the Ukraine crisis and in 2013 peace negotiations regarding the Syria civil war between Kerry and Bashar al-Assad. While the Democrats have favoured multilateralism the Republicans have been criticising the Democrats efforts on foreign policy consistently e.g. saying that Democrats foreign policy has been a ‘disaster for America’ because Obama initially downplayed the threat of ISIS and his response to the threat was slow. Republicans like Rick Santorum want to deploy 10,000 American troops and similarly Scott Walker and Rick Perry also favour some form of combat missions on the ground. The Democrats have indeed been more ‘dovish’ on foreign policy and the Republican party seems dominated by neo-conservative values, which have reinforced hawkish sentiments within the party.
BIG GOVERNMENT+ECONOMY. Over the past few decades both parties have become increasingly ideologically similar in terms of the whole principle of ‘big government’, which was particularly seen from Bush’s stance towards Federalism. Bush campaigned as a ‘compassionate conservative’ whereby America witnessed the expansion of the federal government. The most notable measure by Bush was the No Child Left Behind Act – which was a bipartisan measure between the GOP and Democrats – the package of measures established national criteria for school performance, national rules for testing were established, etc and was the biggest expansion of federal influence in education since the 60s (this was seen at the time as the govt taking away the role of states in education) à this was known as coercive federalism. Under Bush federal spending increased from a total of $1.62 trillion to $.179 trillion by 2007. He also made expansions to Medicare, signing a $534 billion prescription drug benefit known as Medicare Part D, which was also continued by the Democrats with Obamacare. This expansion of federal government is very similar to Democrat ideology, highlighting the similarities between the Democrats and Republicans. Blue Dog Democrats in the GOP have been active in recent years, they’re fiscal conservative wing of the Democratic party and align themselves with the Republicans on economic policy and played an instrumental role blocking the public option.	Both parties are without a doubt ideologically distinct in the area of the scope of federal government with regards to healthcare reform and overall ‘big government’. The days of compassionate conservatism from the Bush era are over and with the emergence of the Tea Party which has acted as a polarising force within the GOP, the Republican party have moved further to the right and are now more fiscally conservative than ever and the Tea Party are forcing Republicans to toe a specific policy line in which they’re refusing all compromises with the Democrats which was best illustrated by the issue of Obamacare. While the Democrats support Obamacare, which would essentially expand the scope of federal government by giving them more control over the healthcare ‘system’ (if you can call it that) and taking it away from the states. The Republicans on the other hand, have sought to oppose Obamacare at all costs as seen by the fact that in 2010 every single House Republican voted against it – Obamacare according to them is an infringement on states rights and reinforces this whole rhetoric of ‘government creep’. The most convincing evidence that the two parties are ideologically distinct come from the 2013 government shutdown which illustrated how polarised both parties have become – the GOP opposed proposed tax hikes in order to further fund Obamacare, which eventually led to a government shutdown. Moreover, Democrats passed an economic stimulus package in 2009, which was opposed by the GOP. President Reagan established the Republican Party as a fiscally conservative party and the Tea Party have enforced such sentiments as illustrated by the recent passage of the 2015 budget, introducing $5.3 trillion in cuts which will make it easier to repeal Obamacare. Blue Dogs have declined in recent years with only 14 House members remaining.
IMMIGRATION. One area of immigration reform which both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on is the issue of border control and security. Many Republicans believe that the border needs tighter control and security to prevent more illegal from getting in and the Democrats seem to also agree, e.g. Obama worked with Congress in 2010 to expand spending on border security by a total of $17 billion. Moreover, after the 2012 presidential election it turned out that 75% of Latinos voted for Obama – a significantly low portion (in contrast to Obama) voted for Romney, probably because of his tough stance on immigration reform, which alienated many voters. Since then, the Latino Vote is becoming increasingly important (atm its around 54m, making Hispanics the largest minority group) and therefore GOP are becoming more supportive of immigration reform. Marco Rubio, a hopeful 2016 presidential candidate, is one Republican who has supported a path to citizenship in the past. Moreover, there have been bipartisan measures between Democrats and Republicans in passing reform such as the Gang of 8 Bill (which failed, was led by Marco Rubio and Chuck Schumer). Republicans for Immigration Reform is a Super PAC aims to push forward comprehensive reform agenda in the GOP. Jeb Bush has also admitted that the GOP can’t deport 11m so its time they embraced immigration reform, accusing the GOP of ‘bending with the wind’ on immigration	Both parties and without a doubt ideologically distinct on immigration policy as seen in recent years. The Democrats are more lenient on immigration reform, seeking to introduce comprehensive immigration reform because it is the ‘common sense’ thing to do as deporting 11 million illegal immigrants is unrealistic. Obama has working towards making illegal immigrants feel more free so they can ‘come out of the shadows’ as seen from Obama’s executive order which has sought to help 5 million illegal immigrants. Moreover, more Democratic attempts have been seen from the introduction of DACA, which allows individuals who came before 2007 and before they were 16 years old to stay in the US. The Republicans on the other hand have adopted a tough stance on immigration reform and have tried to resist all Democrat attempts at passing immigration reform, such as filibustering the DREAM Act in 2010 and were outraged at Obama’s executive order which they viewed as being the actions of a king or an emperor (John Boehner) and some were so outraged they said Obama’s actions were illegal (‘executive overreach’), the GOP also attempted to scrap the executive order by refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year. The Republicans see comprehensive immigration reform as a way of rewarding people, by granting amnesty, who have committed a crime by illegal entering the US and so have opposed any form of a path to citizenship. In the Republican dominated state of Texas, a federal court has recently refused to allow Obama’s executive order to take effect immediately – putting it on hold instead. GOP dominated states have adopted tough anti-immigration measures like Arizona SB 1070
SOCIAL POLICY. With the legal tide on gay marriage in the US changing (legal in 36 states) and gay marriage becoming an increasingly accepted thing across the world and in the US and failures endured by social conservatives such as Hollingsworth v. Perry and in US v. Windsor, the GOP is struggling seriously with adapting to the changing shift. GOP are afraid of alienating young voters (who tend to support gay marriage) but are also afraid of alienating its core evangelical Christian base (who oppose gay marriage) but some have come out in support such as Jeb Bush. Democrat inability to pass gun control = GOPish? + Bill Clinton Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell	Just like with economic policy, Reagan also established the GOP as a socially conservative party during the 1980s while since around the 1960s the Democrats have been established as a liberal party. So, both parties remain completely ideologically distinct parties. The Obama administration in recent years been promoting more liberal causes and introduced liberalizing legislation. For instance, the Democrats continued to support gay marriage and have expanded gay rights through the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, undoing Clinton’s policy. The Republicans on the other hand continue to firmly oppose immigration reform as seen from the ongoing Obergefell v. Hodges case in which key Republican figures have spoken out against gay marriage such as Marco Rubio who thinks its ridiculous to assume that gay marriage is protected in the constitution.

Who votes Republican and Democrat

Katie Shapiro

Which demographic groups support the Republican and Democrat parties, and what attitudes and values do they share? 

Exit poll analysis reveals the key demographic groups from which the Republicans and Democrats gain support. The Democrats, for example, win a significant majority of votes from ethnic minorities and those who earn less than $50,000 and do not attend church. This article seeks to explain social and political values which are shared within and across these demographic groups to illustrate the attitudes of a ‘typical Democrat’ or ‘typical Republican’. Clearly, not every Republican or Democrat will share exactly the same beliefs as everyone else in their party. However, they are likely to hold a number of the values which characterise the party of their affiliation.

Tax, wealth distribution and the role of government

Voters earning less than the approximate median income in the USA of $50,000 tend to vote Democrat while those earning over this threshold are typically Republican voters. This helps to explain the parties’ different approaches regarding taxation and the role of government. Republicans believe in more limited government and lower taxation while Democrats believe in a bigger role for government and emphasise economic equality as a goal.

Interestingly, a Gallup poll in October 2014 showed that the economy was a priority issue for both Democrats and Republicans. However, 75% of Democrats ranked the question of income and wealth distribution as ‘very or extremely important’ (compared to 54% of Republicans) while 82% of Republicans cited the federal budget deficit as ‘very or extremely important’ (compared to 63% of Democrats). These perspectives help us to understand the opposition within the Republican Party to Obamacare and the impasse on the federal budget in 2013.

Immigration

Democrat voters are more likely to favour a legal path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the USA. In a Pew Research Center survey in February 2013, 43% of Republicans stated that better border security was a top priority (compared to 14% of Democrats) while 32% of Democrats felt that creating a legal path to citizenship was a key concern (compared to 11% of Republicans).

The Hispanic vote tends strongly towards the Democrats (71% of this group voted for Obama in 2012), but the support is not as consistent as the black vote (93% supported Obama in 2012) and displays significant variations of opinion. For example, interestingly, there are divisions on the question of immigration reform among Hispanics. While 41% of Hispanics believe that creating a legal path to citizenship should be a priority (compared to 21% of whites), a significant number of Hispanics also agree with the need for increased border security (49% said that this was as important as creating a legal path to citizenship).

Social and moral values

Republicans tend to share more socially conservative beliefs on the questions of gay marriage, abortion and the legalisation of marijuana. This can be explained by the demographics of their support. Of white evangelical Protestants, 79% voted for Romney, while only 20% backed Obama. Religiously unaffiliated voters and Jewish voters backed Obama in 2012 (70% and 69%, respectively).

Gay marriage

Overall public opinion in the USA has evolved dramatically since the ban of single-sex marriage in ten states in 2004: according to a CBS/CNN poll in September 2014, 54% of Americans are now positive towards gay marriage. However, there are clear divides on this question between Republican and Democrat voters. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 39% of Republicans or those leaning towards the Republican Party support single-sex marriage (compared to 69% of Democrats). Nevertheless, the issue provokes generational divides: 61% of Republicans and Republican leaners under 30 years favour same-sex marriage while just 27% of Republicans aged over 50 years are in favour.

Abortion

One of the main differentiators between Republican and Democrat voters is the issue of abortion, with Republicans likely to take a right-to-life position and Democrats tending towards a pro-choice standpoint. A Gallup poll in May 2014 found that 59% of Democrats felt that abortion was ‘morally acceptable’ compared to 28% of Republicans.

Marijuana

The legalisation of marijuana in states such as Colorado reflects a wider acceptance of the legalisation of marijuana in recent years across both parties. However, Republicans continue to be less supportive of this policy: a poll in April 2013 found that 37% of Republicans supported legalisation compared to 59% of Democrats.

Gun control and background checks

Republicans generally prioritise the right to own guns over the need for gun control. According to a Pew Research Center poll taken in the wake of the shootings in the school in Newtown in December 2012, 69% of Republicans said that protecting gun rights was more important than gun control, while a similar number of Democrats (72%) said gun control was most important. It is worth noting, however, that a large majority of voters in both parties back a federal law introducing background checks prior to the sale of guns. A CBS poll in June 2014 found that 98% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans supported such legislation.

The environment

Republicans and Democrats also have very different views on the urgency of climate change. When asked in 2013 whether climate change was a ‘major threat’, only 25% of Republican voters agreed, compared to 65% of Democrats. Among those Republicans who aligned themselves with the Tea Party movement, the level of scepticism was even higher, with only 10% viewing the issue as a key concern.

Conclusion

As this article outlines, there are clear areas of policy division between ‘typical’ Republican and Democrat voters. Nevertheless, we should avoid oversimplifying the differences between the two sets of voters. It should be noted, for example, that a significant number of Republicans do not view moral issues as being of high importance in determining their party allegiance.

An interesting typology outlined by the Pew Research Center labels different ideological groups within each party. For example, within the Republican Party it identifies Business Conservatives and Steadfast Conservatives. While the former group prioritises small government, the latter group focuses on moral issues — 74% of Steadfast Conservatives agree with the statement that ‘Homosexuality should be discouraged by society’, compared with 31% of Business Conservatives.

Within the Democrat Party, significant divisions are also noted. The so-called Solid Liberal (socially progressive) wing may make up the backbone of Democrat support. However, the survey identifies another important (albeit smaller) constituent within the party, the Faith and Family group, which believes that a belief in God is necessary to have ‘moral and good values’.

Katie Shapiro teaches politics at Highgate School.

Has comprehensive immigration reform been a failure?

Has Obama failed at immigration reform? (essay plan)

The last time an essay question on immigration came up was in January 2013 and it's very likely it will come up this year given the fact that immigration reform has been in the news a lot lately and is still considered a hot topic in US politics, especially after Obama's executive order on immigration reform in November 2014. This is just a rough plan of some ideas you can include in your essay.

Failure	Not a failure	Conclusion
DEPORTED-IN-CHIEF. The press dubbed Obama as the deporter-in chief as the number of deportations under Obama exceeds that of his predecessor, by 2014 he had already deported 2 million illegals. The Obama administration seemed to have focused too much on deportations and not enough on passing bills on comprehensive immigration reform as they had initially pledged in 2008.	The deporter-in-chief is not accurate, given the fact that Obama once said that he is deporting “felons, not families” so his high number of deportations are justified and the deportation of criminals is a crucial aspect of comprehensive immigration reform for which Obama has been successful in as further illustrated by his work with Congress increase in spending on border protection, exceeding $17 billion in 2010.	However, this still continues to illustrate the Obama administrations failure given that although border spending rose, a bill failed to appear in Congress proposing reforming the immigration system. These may be good achievements but it’s not what he was hoping to achieve.
STATE LAWS. To emphasise the Obama administrations failure at immigration reform states have taken matters into their own hands. Some have gradually achieved what Obama failed to do, such as the California Dream Act (2011), which granted access to private colleges, scholarships and state schools to illegal immigrants and was primarily introduced because of Obama’s failure to implement the DREAM Act. Others have exploited Obama’s failure by passing some of the strictest anti-immigration bills most notably Arizona SB 1070 and Alabama HB 56 (‘reasonable suspicion’)	States have indeed resorted to passing their own laws, however, the defeat of the DREAM Act was not a consequence of Obama’s own failure but a consequence of an obstructionist Congress dominated by the GOP who have sought to oppose Democrat attempts at immigration reform. Also, Obama and the Justice Department have worked closely to strike down sections of Arizona’s law in US v. Arizona (2012), so attempts have been made at immigration reform.	However, only minor sections (3, 5(C) and 6) of Arizona’s state law have actually been struck down, large portions of it still remain intact and the fact the law remains is living proof that Obama has ultimately failed at living up to his key pledge of creating a fairer and more sensible immigration system.
WASTED 2 YEARS. During the first two years of the Obama administration Congress was a Democratic stronghold and comprehensive immigration bills were very likely. However, Obama decided to prioritise other issues such as a stimulus package and healthcare reform instead – this Obama acknowledged saying during his campaign for 2nd term “took up a huge amount of time in the first year”. This can be seen as a wasted opportunity and since then, no major attempts at reform have been made.	Although the Obama administration realised they had wasted time they did eventually introduce some extensive reforms, most notably Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012, which allowed immigrants who arrived before 2007 & their 16th birthday to be exempt from deportations.	DACA, although not a failure, is not a revolutionary reform and not as ‘comprehensive’ as Obama had initially been anticipating on – an estimated 1.7m illegal immigrants are eligible to its provisions, however, only 500k have actually benefited from it, thus illustrating it’s shortcomings.
GANG OF 8 & EXECUTIVE ORDER. The Gang of 8 Bill was introduced in 2013 and seemed like a brilliant bipartisanship bill proposing a path to citizenship. The bill passed the Senate but failed in the House. This was a bill that put immigration reform back on the legislative agenda; however, the Obama administration had failed to capitalize on its success in the House and failed to endorse it enough which eventually led to its downfall. Focused too much on gun control such as the Manchin-Toomey bill which was being debated around the same time.	However, the Gang of 8 bill was not Obama’s final attempt at immigration reform given the fact he passed an executive order following the 2014 midterm elections. The executive order will help 11 million illegal immigrants from deportation and is arguably, one of Obama’s most decisive actions towards achieving immigration reform, bringing millions ‘out of the shadows’ & ‘with our without Congress.’	Critics have pointed out that the executive order has given an impression of panic among the Obama administration knowing there’s two years remaining and not much has been achieved. The executive order arguably demonstrates Obama has failed sine he has had to resort to presidential action as all other attempts have failed and even the EO isn’t as ‘comprehensive’ as had been anticipated nor will it last, next President can override it.
OBAMA ADMITS IT. Even President Obama himself has acknowledged that his inability to implement his key pledge of a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants is his own failure, saying that he was naïve for believing that the GOP (who were initially in favour of reform) would walk away from working with him on immigration reform. (During 2012 presidential campaign)	However, there is still to 2016 in which Obama still has time to enact change within the immigration system. The GOP have previously been very obstructionist towards immigration reform (DREA Act, Gang of 8) but have begun to realise its political significance and many have become more lenient on immigration reform. After 2012 the Republicans realised they cant win without reaching out to minority voters (only 27% Hispanics voted Romney) – commentators suggest GOP Pres can’t win 2016 without sensible immigration reform – Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush favour a path to citizenship, so there’s still some hope for close cooperation between Obama and GOP Congress.	Congress is dominated by the GOP and arguably, a conclusion on Obama’s immigration reform legacy can now be drawn considering the fact that it is unlikely he will pass anything through an increasingly polarised Congress.