Over the previous years, there have been controversies regarding establishing a political middle floor in the United States of America.
Efforts to ensure a united American nation have been unfruitful due to the differing political ideologies of American citizens. America, a country that used to be once united, has been divided into two parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, who hold different ideologies about the governance of the United States of America.
What is the political center ground between the two parties?
Why is the most powerful nation in the world divided alternatively than settling their political differences to live as one united nation? Such questions have been unanswered for years now, prompting individuals to set up their perspectives regarding the political middle ground in the United States.
Fundamentally, despite the two political parties presenting their issues rationally, the Democrats are identified to be the political middle ground for the majority of Americans. This paper illustrates how the Democratic Party is articulated as the political middle ground for the American people because of their campaign towards social equality in the state.
Brief History of the Democrats and the Republicans
The history of the Democratic Party can be traced back to the Thomas Jefferson era where they were initially regarded as the Jefferson's Republicans. The party believed in equality of all citizens and opposed slavery, which was in the led at that particular time (Martin 1). The differing party, on the other hand, was formed before the cold war in America. Just like the Democrats, the Republicans advocated for the eradication of slavery, which enabled the Republicans to establish a strong position in the American position (Watkins 846).
Differences Between the Democrat Party and the Republic Party
Despite the two political parties portraying similar ideologies towards the American citizens, they still hold differing political beliefs concerning various issues in the American states. Firstly is the issue of Tax policy in the states. The government of the United States of America collects taxes from the citizens for its sustenance. However, due to the differing economic status of the American citizens, both the Republicans and the Democrats favor the strategy of tax cuts to ensure equal distribution of wealth. However, while the Democrats believe the taxes should only be cut for the less privileged families, the Republicans feel the taxes should be cut across all income families.
The second difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is how they address social issues in the United States of America. While the Democrats hold the opinion that American citizens should be left to make rational decisions about their social lives, Republicans believe that Americans should ensure ethical practices in the American grounds. Case in point, while the Democrats portray progressive views regarding gay marriages, the Republicans think gay marriages should not be allowed in the American fields (McGee n.p.n.).
The third difference between the two parties is how they address social progress issues. While the Democrats believe in government support on social matters such as unemployment and social welfare, the Republicans believe in supporting private programs which in turn offer social support to the people. Fourthly is the issue of health care in the states. While the Democrats prefer government intervention in the healthcare system for easy accessibility for all citizens, the Republicans believe government intervention in the healthcare system would drain costs from the healthcare system which would further lead to adverse patient outcomes (Blendon, Benson, & Casey n.p.n.). Finally, there have been controversies between the two parties on the issue of crime and punishment. According to the Republicans, persons who engage in any offense should receive substantial penalties through court intervention. On the contrary, the Democrats believe in lighter punishment for individuals who have committed a crime. Thus, according to the Democrats, crime does not lead to violence, and people who engage in crime such as selling illegal drugs should be put on probation or taken into rehabilitation for change.
Finding a Political Middle Ground
Through close analysis of the differences between the two political parties, it is clear that the Democratic Party is the middle ground in American politics. By employing the policies advocated by the Republicans, it is clear that the gap between the wealthy and poor would widen. What would America be if there were increasing levels of poverty, unemployment, and substantial penalties on criminals? It is clear that poverty and unemployment foster crime and violence in the states.
However, considering the issues presented by the Democratic Party, it is clear that there would be equality among all citizens if the party were allowed to implement their strategies in the States. Firstly, through tax cuts among low-income families, they would save extra dollars to supplement other needs such as medical and educational bills. Secondly, through government intervention in the healthcare system, all families would have access to medical services, thus reducing death rates among Americans. Finally, by imposing lighter punishment on criminals and implementing rehabilitation programs, persons who engage in criminal activities are more likely to abandon their criminal behaviors for a better America.
From the above discussion, we can comfortably conclude that the Democratic Party is the political middle ground for the American people.
Work Cited
- Blendon, R. J., Benson, J. M., & Casey, L. S. (2016). Health Care in the 2016 Election—a View Through Voters' Polarized Lenses. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(17), e37.
- Martin, David Alan. "Mr. Jefferson's Army in Mr. Madison's War: Atrophy, Policy, and Legacy in the War of 1812." (2016).
- McGee, Robert W. "Do Republicans Have Different Views on Homosexuality than Democrats? An Empirical Study of Opinion in the United States." (2016).
- Watkins, D. J. (2016). Slavery and Freedom in Theory and Practice. Political Theory, 44(6), 846-870.
