Who are the Republicans?

* Historically

- the only successful third party in US politics

-> fought Whigs and Democrats

- rose to prominence after the Whig party self-destructed

- anti-slavery in the late 1850s, early 1860s

-> Lincoln the first Republican President In 1860

- party associated with business and financial interests

-> a nearly purely Northern party

- also had a strong African-American following due to Lincoln

- used to be isolationist

-> opposed involvement in both World Wars

-> used to support protectionist trade policy to protect US business

-> this has changed since Cold War/Super-power status

- used to be pro-strong federal government

-> post-Civil War Republican governments used federal power

* General beliefs (Ideology?)

- free market conservatism

-> government should spend little and tax less

=> Reagan was a great tax-cutter, Bush II followed, candidates push issue

=> government shouldn’t provide social services

+> people should work hard, no government safety net

+> privatize social security

-> government should cut regulation and oversight of biz

=> FDA and other regulatory agencies tie down biz growth

-> goal is slow steady growth with minimum inflation

=> great news for banks

=> slow growth does not necessarily create jobs

=> workers standards improve in the long-term

-> unconcerned with redistributing wealth

=> the richer the rich get, the more wealth can “trickle down” to the poor

-> big on equal opportunity to succeed, uninterested in equal outcome

=> strongly opposed to affirmative action programs for women or minorities

- pro-business

-> cuts in regulation help profits, growth

-> business’ rights to succeed valued over workers’ rights to high wages and strike, anti-

union

=> against the minimum wage

-> often guilty of obscure biz tax cuts

-> bends over backwards to support international trade

=> NAFTA and WTO to strengthen US biz, even if some workers suffer

-> “The business of America is business”

=> the logic is that average Americans lives will improve as biz and economy improve

- socially conservative

-> anti-ERA and old-school feminism

=> extreme women’s rights undermine the family

-> anti-gay rights

=> gays undermine the family and “traditional values”

=> Changing in some states and amongst some Republican politicians

-> pro-religion (increasingly)

=> traditional strength of American culture (idealized)

=> large number of religious conservative have abandoned the Democrats and are pushing

the Republicans to be more socially conservative

-> pro-family

=> their definition is man, woman, 2.3kids, dog, property

=> anything else is dangerous

+> V.P. Quayle attacked single moms

+> very harsh attacks on gay and lesbian parenting

-> anti-abortion

=> increasingly hard-core on this issue

=> if they don’t stick to it, poorer religious conservatives might as well vote Democratic

- federalist

-> a new tack since Democrats captured and used federal government to create “Welfare

State”

-> states’ rights a way to undermine federal government size and need to tax

- supports a big military

-> fixated on maintaining super-power status

-> a key strength over Democrats during the Cold War

+> Republicans were strong against Communism

- anti-gun control

-> opposes the Brady Bill (waiting limits)

-> opposed any hand gun restrictions

* Stereotype of Republicans (groups who LEAN Republican)

- the wealthy

-> business and low taxes are their concerns

- Whites and wealthy Asians

-> anti-affirmative action

- businesses and banks

-> they contribute stupendous amounts to cash to keep America’s business business

-> low inflation keeps up the value of loans

-> free trade keeps profits up and wages down

- Christian fundamentalists (the Religious Right)

-> social conservatism and anti-abortion stance please them

- men

-> anti-affirmative action (in terms of women)

-> military and tradition roles issues please them

-> no so concerned with the social safety net