Thumbnail Sketch of Current Republican
and Democrat Policy Orientations*
| Republicans | Democrats |
| seek to restrict and limit social welfare spending | favor expansive social welfare programs |
| pro-life -- supports government restrictions on abortions | pro-choice including right of pregnant women to obtain abortion paid for by tax payer |
| oppose gun control | favor gun control |
| supports broad tax cuts | favors "targeted tax cuts" |
| supports "traditional family values" | supports gay/homosexual/lesbian causes |
| suspicious of environmental groups and federal government regulations on land use | supports most initiatives of environmentalists |
| favors choice in education -- pro-vouchers | supports traditional organization of public education - anti-voucher |
| favors prayers in public schools | opposes prayers in public schools |
| supports reduction in trade barriers | sensitive to loss of jobs by American workers, environmental impact of lowered trade barriers |
| wants to deregulate of electric energy | maintain/expand regulations |
| explore ANWR for oil | opposes oil exploration in ANWR |
| modify current Social Security system structure | generally supports existing system |
| opposes hikes in minimum wage laws | seeks to raise the minimum wage |
| supports rights of business to replace strikers | supports law banning permanent striker replacement workers |
| favors right to work laws-(pro) | opposes right to work laws-(con) |
| opposes racial preference/affirmative action laws | favors racial preference/affirmative action laws |
| opposes establishment of special category of "hate crimes" | supports "hate crime" legislation |
| seeks conservative judges | seeks liberal judges |
| would leave access to medical care to private sector except for Medicare and Medicaid programs | has long term goal of government guaranteed universal medical care rights |
| wants maximized presidential discretion in proposed Homeland Security legislation | favors standard civil service rules, collective bargaining and congressional limits on presidential administrative powers of proposed new Department |
| favors continuing military presence in Iraq until Iraq government is able to sustain itself | seeks specific time frame for wthdrawl of U.S. troops from Iraq |