Comparing the Democratic and Republican Platforms

There are many differences between the Republican and Democratic Party Platform. The Republicans are very conservative and the Democrats are more liberal. Not all the people in the party agree with the beliefs of their party though.

On the topic of abortion, Democrats stand proudly for a woman’s right to choose. They also strongly support family planning and adoption incentives. The Democrats think abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. Republicans say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. They oppose using public revenues for abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. The Republicans goal is to ensure that women with problem pregnancies have the kind of support, material and otherwise, they need for themselves and for their babies, not to be punitive towards those for whose difficult situation we have only compassion. When it comes to homosexuality, Democrats support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections for these families. Their goal is to bring Americans together, not drive them apart.

On the other hand Republicans believe that legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and one woman which has historically been called marriage. They also believe that attempts to redefine marriage in a single sate or city could have serious consequences throughout the country, and anything less than a Constitutional amendment, passed by the Congress and ratified by the states, is vulnerable to being overturned by activist judges. On the topic of religious liberty the Democrats honor the central place of faith in the lives of our people. They will strengthen the role of faith-based organizations in meeting challenges like homelessness, youth violence, and other social problems. At the same time, they will honor First Amendment protections and not allow public funds to be used to discriminate.

The Republicans believe that no organization should be disqualified from receiving federal fund simply because it displays religious symbols, has a statement of faith in its mission statement, or has a religious leader on its board. The federal government is ending discrimination against faith-based organizations and now welcomes these groups as partners and allies in the effort to deliver social services to people in need. Lastly the topic of judicial issues, Democrats are searching to bring people together. They will enact the bipartisan legislation barring workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Democrats are committed to equal treatment of all service members and believe all patriotic Americans should be allowed to serve our country without discrimination, persecution, or violence. They support the appointment of judges who will uphold our laws and constitutional rights, not their own narrow agendas. On the other hand Republicans state that recent events have made it clear that judges with activist backgrounds threaten America’s dearest institutions and our very way of life. They also say that while the vast majority of Americans support a ban on partial birth abortion, this brutal and violent practice will likely continue by judicial fiat.