Are you a Democrat? The modern day “Donkey Party” is as eclectic as it is all-inclusive, with viewpoints ranging from the moderate to the liberal to the radical. This is, after all the party of both liberals (think Jimmy Carter) and rock-ribbed moderates (like Bill Clinton). But there are several key Democrat tenets that remain true most always, and if you believe in these principles, you may indeed wish to join the Democratic Party.
An important thing to note is how the Democrats have changed. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who bravely entered the U.S. into World War II against Hitler, may have been a fairly economically liberal president, what with his New Deal policies that expanded government at a rapid rate. Yet FDR appointed his Vice President, Harry Truman, with the intent that Truman was “right of center,” or a conservative by today’s standards. After the social upheaval of the 1960’s, however, social liberals became a considerable number among the Democratic Party.
What this means to you today is that the Democrats are, in general, a much more tolerant party than the Republicans. In fact, this is the first tenet of the Democratic Party: that they embrace differing viewpoints, and a wider range of opinion than the Republicans do. If you want to become a Democrat, you will likely feel just as at home with radical environmental causes as you would with a moderate economic outlook.
Another mainstay of the Democratic party is the general belief in more government. FDR’s New Deal policies helped Americans get back on their feet after the stock market crash; similar social policies today, such as Welfare Assistance, allow a “social safety net” against crime and unemployment. Most Democrats would expand government to help the poor as much as possible.
Many Democrats believe in taxing big business to a greater extent. The polar opposite of the Republicans’ “hands off” approach, Democrats have traditionally supported organized labor and the reallocation of resources from business to government. If you believe that workers should be allowed to organize and form unions freely, and that businesses should pay more taxes to support a bigger government, you will be much more at home as a Democrat than as a Republican.
A traditional Democratic strategy is to limit the powers of the federal military. Although not every Donkey Party member votes to cut the military at every pass, most Democrats have a history of reducing military spending to some degree. This also goes along with the Party philosophy of less American intervention overseas; if you feel that the U.S. military, in general, should stay out of Europe and the Middle East, then you would clearly feel more comfortable among Democrats, who often support a large wing of protectionists. Protectionists want America to mind their own business, and not meddle in the affairs of other countries and regions.
Democrats have long agitated for some form of National Health Care. Although despised by free market advocates and most conservative economists, Democrats always have a large cadre of party members who support a socialized health care system, perhaps similar to the one currently utilized by Canada. Taking in the cost of providing health care and seeing expenses spiraling out of control, some Democrats would nationalize the health care system, and give government the control over administration of the same. If you believe that all Americans should get the same level of health care coverage, regardless of status or finances, you would definitely find a welcome home among Democrats.
Although not exclusively the case at all times, two “push-button” (or vital) issues are solid indicators of potential party affiliation. Your personal feelings about gun rights and abortion rights, respectively, are indicative of whether you will feel at home among Democrats.
Traditionally, Democrats have supported gun control. This means limiting the individual’s ability to purchase guns through things like Federal background checks and delay laws. Some Democrats have gone so far as to seek gun bans altogether, particularly with respect to handguns. The general rule here is that if you wish any type of limitation on the ownership of guns, you will be much more at home amongst Democrats, as the Republican Party has long frowned on any type of these firearms controls.
Democrats are also a pro-choice, or pro-abortion, party, by and large. In general, Democrats support a woman’s right to choose; if you feel that Roe vs. Wade, which allows for legal abortions, should remain the law of the land, you will feel comfortable in the company of most Democrats.
You should choose a political party not based on one or two criteria, of course, but rather on the majority of your beliefs. If an inclusive philosophy, bigger government, taxation of business, support of organized labor, socialized health care, anti-gun policies, and pro-choice legislation are generally your thing, then you must at least examine the modern-day Democratic Party. You may find yourself a permanent political home!
