The Major Political Parties: Republicans vs Democrats
| Issues | Republicans | Democrats |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | Wants to decrease federal government spending in order to decrease inflation. | Believe supply chain issues and price gauging is a contributing factor to rising inflation, not just government policies. |
| Foreign Policy | Believe that China is America's greatest threat. | Support aiding efforts in Israel and Ukraine; Believe that Russia and China are America's greatest threat. |
| Abortion | Believes that abortion policies should be left to the decision of the States; Majority of Republicans are Pro-Life. | Believe that abortion should be legalized federally; Majority of Democrats are Pro-Choice. |
| Immigration | Believe that immigration policies allow dangerous drugs to flow into the U.S. and want increased border security. | Support immigration policies and resist Rebublican's efforts to increase border security. |
| Climate | Do not believe that climate change ia a priority issue, favor market solutions over regulation and do not support clean-energy tax credits. | Favor both regulation and market forces to combat climate change; Established clean-energy tax credits. |
| Gun Control | Believe in up-holding the 2nd Ammendment right to bear arms and that restricting access to firearms is not the answer. | Want universal background checks and support the banning of some assault weapons; Want to increase gun control. |
| Education | Believe that student loan forgiveness will add to the National debt and further fuel price rises. | Want to forgive student loan debt. |
| LGBTQ+ Rights | Support "Don't Say Gay" laws and anti-trans legislation. | Supports and wants to uphold the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. |
*DISCLAIMER: This is a generalized representation of what issues the members of the Democratic and Republican Parties typically support and are against. This means that a member of each respective party may not be in support of all of their Party's stances on certain issues. Being registered with a specific Party is not an all-or-nothing type of situation. You can still support a Party, or even multiple Parties, without agreeing with all of its policies and stances on certain issues.
The Independent Party
You may encounter in some Presidential Elections that some Candidates run as Independents. This means that they are not associated with either of the major Political Parties in America. Voters who choose to vote Independent are typically Republican-leaning, Democrat-leaning, or do not lean to any specific Party at all. Independents who are leaning towards a particular political party have similar views on current political issues to those that are affiliated with that Party. However, there are some issues where Independent leaners and Partisans may view differently. If you are interested in knowing more about the Independent Party, click here for an article on U.S. Political Independents from Pew Research Center.
How to Decide Who to Vote For
The decision for who to vote for is tough, but important one. Many people choose the candidate that they vote for based on if they share any values or identify with them, like any of their potential policies, or even just because they like them as a person. Remember that your vote is entirely your own, so don’t just go along with who your friends or family are voting for. Make sure to stay up to date with the current news and remember that your vote counts and matters, so the decision that you make is important. Don’t make any hasty decisions, and don’t listen to everything you hear on social media. Always make sure to check your facts!
If you’re still not sure who you should vote for, Voter Guides are a helpful tool that provide background information on the candidates and ballot measures. They list who you can vote for and offer details on each candidate’s experience and goals. They also explain ballot measures, which are specific questions or issues that you can approve or reject.
