democratic party vs. republican party on the issues…in their own words!
TRANSCRIPT
Democratic PartyVs.
Republican Party On the issues…In Their own
words!
AbortionCampaign FinanceMinimum WageUnionsDeath PenaltyGays in the MilitaryEducationStudent Loans
Energy
EnvironmentClimate ChangeGay MarriageGun ControlHealthcareImmigrationTaxes
ABORTION
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformAbortion
The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make
decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.
[p.18]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformAbortion
We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth
Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund
organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. We
oppose the FDA approval of Mifeprex, formerly known as RU-486, and similar drugs....[p.34]
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CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformCAMPAIGN FINANCE
Our opponents have applauded the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.... In stark contrast, we
believe we must take immediate action to curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests on our
political institutions. [p.12]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformCAMPAIGN FINANCE
[W]e support repeal of the remaining sections of McCain-Feingold, support either raising or repealing contribution limits,
and oppose passage of the DISCLOSE Act or any similar legislation designed to vitiate the Supreme Court’s recent
decisions protecting political speech in Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Election Commission and Citizens United v. Federal
Election Commission. [p.19]
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Minimum Wage
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformMinimum Wage
We will raise the minimum wage, and index it to inflation. [p.10]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformMinimum Wage
No official platform listed in the 2012 Publication on this issue.
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Unions
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformUnions
Democrats believe that the right to organize and collectively bargain is a fundamental American value.
[p.9]We will continue to vigorously oppose “Right to Work” and “paycheck protection” efforts, and so-called “Save
our Secret Ballot” measures whenever they are proposed. [p.10]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformUnions
We demand an end to the Project Labor Agreements; and we call for repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act.... [p.8]
We support the right of States to enact Right-to-Work laws.... [p.8]
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Death Penalty
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformDeath Penalty
We believe that the death penalty must not be arbitrary. DNA testing should be used in all appropriate circumstances, [and] defendants should have effective
assistance of counsel.... [p.20]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformDeath Penalty
Courts should have the option of imposing the death penalty in capital murder cases. [p.37]
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Gays in the Military
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformGays in the Military
The President’s record, from ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in full cooperation with our military leadership... reflects Democrats’ belief that all Americans deserve
the same chance to... serve their country.... [p.17]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformGays in the Military
We will enforce and defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the Armed Forces.... [p.43]
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Education
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformEducation
We are committed to ensuring that every child in America has access to a world-class public education
so we can out-educate the world and make sure America has the world’s highest proportion of college
graduates by 2020. [p.5]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformEducation
We support... block grants and the repeal of numerous federal regulations which interfere with State and local control of public
schools. [p.36]
[W]e support the English First approach... [p.36]
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Student Loans
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformStudent Loans
[W]e doubled our investment in Pell Grant scholarships and created the American Opportunity
Tax Credit worth up to $10,000 over four years of college, and we’re creating avenues for students to
manage their federal student loans so that their payments can be only 10 percent of what they make
each month. [p.5]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformStudent Loans
The federal government should not be in the business of originating student loans; however, it should serve as an
insurance guarantor for the private sector as they offer loans to students. [p.37]
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Energy
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformEnergy
[support]…innovation to reach [the] goal of generating 80 percent of our electricity from clean energy sources
by 2035. Democrats support making America the world’s leader in building a clean energy economy by
extending clean energy incentives.... [p.7]Democrats will fight to cut tax subsidies for Big Oil
while promoting job growth in the clean energy sector.... [p.7]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformEnergy
We will end the EPA’s war on coal.... Further, we oppose any and all cap and trade legislation. [p.16]
We will respect the States’ proven ability to regulate the use of hydraulic fracturing, continue development of oil and gas
resources in places like the Bakken formation and Marcellus Shale, and review the environmental laws that often thwart
new energy exploration and production
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Environment
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformEnvironment
Democrats are committed to balancing environmental protection with development, and that means
preserving sensitive public lands from exploration, like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pacific West Coast,
Gulf of Maine, and other irreplaceable national landscapes. [p.7]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformEnvironment
We support opening the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for energy exploration and development and ending the current
Administration’s moratorium on permitting; opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for
exploration and production of oil and natural gas; and allowing for more oil and natural gas exploration on federally owned and
controlled land. [p.16]
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Climate Change
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformClimate Change
We affirm the science of climate change, commit to significantly reducing the pollution that causes climate
change.... [p.20]Democrats pledge to continue showing international
leadership on climate change, working toward an agreement to set emission limits in unison with other
emerging powers. [p.21]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformClimate Change
We also call on Congress to take quick action to prohibit the EPA from moving forward with new greenhouse gas regulations....
[p.19]
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Gay Marriage
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformGay Marriage
We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples. We also support the freedom of
churches and religious entities to decide how to administer marriage as a religious sacrament without
government interference.[p.18]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformGay Marriage
We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
[p.10]
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Gun Control
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformGun Control
[W]e will preserve Americans’ Second Amendment right to own and use firearms. We believe that the
right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. [p.18]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformGun Control
We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers and oppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun
owners. We oppose legislation that is intended to restrict our Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or
magazines or otherwise restoring the ill considered Clinton gun ban. [p.13]
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Healthcare
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformHealthcare
We believe accessible, affordable, high quality health care is part of the American promise, that Americans should have the security that comes with good health care, and that no one should go broke because they
get sick. [p.3]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformHealthcare
Congressional Republicans are committed to its [the Affordable Care Act's] repeal. [p.32]
No healthcare professional or organization should ever be required to perform, provide for, withhold, or refer for a
medical service against their conscience. [p.34]
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Immigration
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party PlatformImmigration
[T]he country urgently needs comprehensive immigration reform that brings undocumented
immigrants out of the shadows and requires them to get right with the law, learn English, and pay taxes in
order to get on a path to earn citizenship. [p.13]
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2012 Republican Party PlatformImmigration
[W]e oppose any form of amnesty.... [p.25]The pending Department of Justice lawsuits against Arizona,
Alabama, South Carolina, and Utah must be dismissed immediately. The double-layered fencing on the border that was enacted by Congress in 2006, but never completed, must finally
be built. [p.26][F]ederal funding should be denied to sanctuary cities that
violate federal law... and federal funding should be denied to universities that provide instate tuition rates to illegal aliens....
[p.26]
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Taxes
Democratic Party Position
Republican Party Position
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2012 Democratic Party Platform Taxes
We want to cut tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs overseas and for special interests, and
instead offer tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in the United States of America....
[p.8]We Democrats support lowering the corporate tax rate
while closing unnecessary loopholes, and lowering rates even further for manufacturers who create good
jobs at home. [p.8]
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2012 Republican Party Platform Taxes
[W]e call for a reduction of the corporate rate to keep U.S. corporations competitive internationally, with a permanent
research and development tax credit, and a repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax. We also support the recommendation of the National Commission on Fiscal
Responsibility and Reform, as well as the current President’s Export Council, to switch to a territorial system of corporate
taxation, so that profits earned and taxed abroad may be repatriated for job-creating investment here at home without
additional penalty. [p.2]
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