Famous Political Parties in the United States
Political parties in the US have long been an integral component of American politics. Their influence can be felt across national, state and county elections.
Multiple political parties have emerged over time to reflect the diverse conditions and ideologies of Americans. Some parties have since disappeared while others still exist; political parties provide candidates with access to an extensive pool of supporters and resources.
The Democratic Party|Famous Political Parties
The Democratic Party is one of two major U.S. political parties and one of the oldest existing political parties worldwide, making history since 1788. They are known for supporting strong federal governance as well as civil and women’s rights as well as environmental protection initiatives. Over its long history, renowned individuals like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt have joined its ranks.
Anti-Federalist Party opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution during its passage through Congress in 1780s as it feared an imperialistic national government controlled by bankers would threaten states’ rights and civil liberties. After merging with Whig and Democratic-Republican parties in 1844, it officially became the Democratic Party, dominating presidential election victories while holding congressional control until 1932 when Republicans gained four consecutive presidential wins and secured control in Congress.
In the 20th century, Democrats gained back the presidential presidency. Following the Civil War, they successfully held on to their former Southern base by supporting racial integration and civil rights. Furthermore, as time progressed, they became more progressive; William Jennings Bryan was nominated in 1896 with an agenda advocating larger government to ensure social justice.
After the Great Depression, the Democratic Party slowly surrendered ground to the Republican Party, which gained strength among middle-class voters. By the 1960s, Democratic divisions over civil rights deepened and Lyndon B. Johnson pursued his Great Society program of federal funding of social programs to aid poor and minorities – however the assassination of President Robert F. Kennedy and an unruly 1968 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago featuring violent protests and the nomination of Johnson as its presidential nominee seriously diminished party popularity nationally.
In 2008, the Democratic Party nominated Barack Obama as their presidential candidate and won both houses of Congress as a result of his win. Unfortunately for his administration and Democrats overall, his domestic and foreign policies proved controversial among middle-class white voters, leading them to form the Tea Party movement that ultimately elected Donald Trump and gave Republicans control of both houses of Congress in 2016.
The Republican Party| Famous Political Parties
Famous Political Parties| The Republican Party (abbreviated GOP) is one of two major American political parties. Formed in 1854 by Northern abolitionists following the collapse of the Whig Party over slavery expansion issues, its founders favored individual freedoms and state sovereignty over centralization advocated by Federalists like George Washington and John Adams’ Federalists – as evidenced by its name which derives from Greek word for elect – hence why this view remains present today with regard to laissez-faire capitalism, social conservatism, limited government spending restrictions and strict interpretations of Constitution.
In the Progressive Era, Republicans became increasingly popular due to their opposition to large-scale social benefit programs promoted by the Democratic Party. By the 1960s however, the party began diverging from its founding principles by emphasizing issues related to religious and cultural matters such as abortion and homosexual marriage as opposed to its initial goals of opposition to these acts. By the 1970s and 80s however, its position became even more conservative, drawing support from evangelical Christian communities as well as large businesses.
By the 1990s, the GOP had established its dominance across much of Southern and rural North America. While its popularity wavered during the Great Recession and rising crime rates, it rebounded under President Donald Trump’s populist message and his populist message of protectionism and nativism. Trump’s popularity led the party to adopt more nationalistic and protectionist policies; for example opposing single payer health care in favor of private insurance supplemented with Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for poor, while opposing abortion rights and supporting stricter immigration laws.
Today’s GOP is the party of small-business owners and family firms they manage. Additionally, it attracts nativists, racists and religious fundamentalists known as rednecks; many Republicans also share these beliefs, as evidenced by joining anti-globalization movements such as Tea Party. Over time however, it has also become infected by paranoid, anti-immigrant currents; now becoming an amalgamation of extreme and fringe elements within its ranks.
Third Parties
Famous Political Parties||Third parties have periodically emerged in American politics, yet never gain the same prominence and influence as either of the major two parties. While most third parties do not aim to dominate national politics but instead want to challenge one or both major parties and change the political landscape by challenging either or both of them, many people join a third party as a way of sending a message back at them or because they support its ideas.
Third political parties generally form around one person or issue, though sometimes with multiple candidates. Some, like New York City’s Liberal and Conservative Parties have endured for decades while others such as Minnesota’s Farmer-Labor Party or Libertarian Party of New York State have become minor forces at the local level. Third parties are not well-financed; thus competing for funds against two major political parties that manage the nomination process and cover campaign costs; these two major parties also tend to exclude third-party candidates from debates which limits exposure and decreases chances for winning votes.
No matter the difficulties involved in maintaining a third major party at a national level, many still desire the establishment of one. Their desire may reflect discontent with both major parties or a belief that democratic systems need reforming. Unfortunately, most third parties fail; often due to leaders leaving through retirement or death or structural barriers making winning elections difficult for them.
As in other democracies, the United States lacks a proportional representation system that permits multiple political parties. Yet some experts contend that it needs a third party in order to promote pluralism and encourage political participation. Even if it doesn’t emerge as such, its presence would still have significant effects on democracy and politics as a whole; its presence will force major parties to address issues they often ignore or avoid while long term this could help shape a more stable political system including two viable major parties Famous Political Parties.
Political parties in the United States
George Washington gave his Farewell Address as President in 1796 with the warning against political parties; yet they quickly began emerging a few years later and are now an integral part of American politics, impacting most elections beyond municipal level elections.
Early political parties were loosely defined, with supporters of George Washington and John Adams known as Federalists; those supporting Thomas Jefferson became Democratic Republicans (later, the Republican Party). Partisan disputes continued over policies like foreign relations with Britain and France and the role of federal government.
Over time, both major parties developed centrist political programs that appealed to a variety of voters while differing only slightly in specific issues like social policy and foreign policy. Today, most Americans tend to identify more with either party rather than adhering to just one.
Parties developed a system of rules and procedures that united them as more cohesive organizations than before. Members of Congress met in one chamber; party leaders appointed committee chairmen and managed agendas of their committees; these new practices made parties more efficient while cementing their dominance in congressional elections.
Through most of the nineteenth century, party politics continued to shift as factions within each party battled over issues related to women’s rights and civil liberties for minorities. Yet despite these internal splits, Democrats and Republicans still held firm as dominant forces in congressional elections; their control of the presidency often oscillated back and forth between each of them.
Post-Civil War, a diverse coalition of southern states and urban areas came together to form the Democratic Party. Their platform emphasized presidential supremacy, state rights, populist economic policies such as protective tariffs and homestead acts, civil rights for blacks as endorsed by President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson who actively pursued these goals.
In the 1850s, debate began regarding whether slavery should be legal in newly acquired Western territories. As this topic became a point of contention for Democrats, anti-slavery Whigs and Know-Nothings began dividing their support among themselves within the Democratic Party, eventually splitting completely along sectional lines as many Democratic southerners joined anti-slavery Whigs or established their own Constitutional Union party with some Know-Nothings and ex-Whigs forming its ranks. Tags#Famous Political Parties| Read More>>Â
