1. The Republicans, Democrats, and Minor Parties

2. The Democratic Party: Also Known As
“The Left”
Liberal
Symbol – Donkey
The story behind the Donkey and the Elephant
Andrew Jackson – 1st Official Democrat President

3. The Republican Party: Also Known As
GOP- “Grand Old Party”
“The Right”
Conservatives
Symbol: Elephant
Abraham Lincoln – first Republican President in 1860
Founded in 1854 – originally anti-slavery

4. Thomas Nast first used the donkey in an 1870 Harper's Weekly cartoon to represent the "Copperhead Press" kicking a dead lion, symbolizing Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who had recently died. Nast intended the donkey to represent an anti-war faction with whom he disagreed, but the symbol caught the public's fancy and the cartoonist continued using it to indicate some Democratic editors and newspapers.

5. 1874 Nast cartoon depicted GOP as an elephant demolishing the flimsy planks of the Democrats.

6. Democratic Ideology Tax the rich
Government involvement in economy - stimulus
Protect civil liberties
Support same sex marriage
Pro-Choice on abortion
Government provided health insurance
Believe in global warming/climate change
Environmentalists
More critical of Afghanistan/Iraq War
Terrorists attack us because we are
“over there”
Investment in infrastructure
Affirmative action
Less strict on immigration
Pro gun control

7. Republican Ideology Less government involvement in economy
Strong National Defense
Get the terrorists “over there” before they get us here
Lower Taxes on rich
Free Market / free enterprise
Let the market decide
Gun ownership rights
Personal responsibility over welfare
Skeptical on global warming
School choice
Pro-Life on abortion
Against gay marriage
More strict on immigration
(“Govt. is not the solution to our problem. Govt. is the problem” – Ronald Reagan)

8. Stereotypes of Democrats
Tree huggers/hippies/environmentalists
Anti-war
Will increase your taxes
Party for the minorities
Hollywood types
Lazy – on welfare
Soft on defense
Socialist
Well intentioned but ineffective (“They're the kind of people who'd stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire.”)

9. Stereotypes of Republicans
White Male
Rich
Heterosexual or homophobic
Anti-minorities
Racist
Uncaring
Support big business, not the common man
Anti-poor
Big Oil
Wanting war
Religious

10. Democratic Factions
Liberal – Farthest left; push for civil liberties (same sex marriages), less militaristic
Progressive – oppose Iraq War, support universal health care, most critical of Republicans
Centrist – more supportive of military force; more willing to reduce welfare (Bill Clinton)
Labor Unions – (teachers, AFL-CIO)

11. Republican Factions - Conservatives
Fiscal Conservatives – believe in prudence in govt. spending and debt
Evangelicals – “Religious Right” – Bush elected with support in 2004
Social Conservatives – traditional values and morals – oppose divorce, same sex marriage, abortion. Like the Religious Right but not religious
Neoconservatives – “Neocons” – Strong patriotism; aggressive foreign policy

12. Republican Factions – Moderates, Liberals, and Others
Libertarians– free market; oppose most taxes/spending; for gay rights, stem cell, abortion
Moderates – fiscally conservative (ex: lower taxes, balanced budget) and socially centrist/liberal (ex: pro gay rights, pro abortion rights) (Sometimes called RINOs)
Log Cabin Republicans – Gay Republicans – at odds with Religious Right
Tea Party –new movement of extreme right; protesting size of govt and taxes; (Sarah Palin)

13. Supporters of Democrats
Planned Parenthood
NOW (National Organization for Women)
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
NEA – National Education Association (teacher union)
Unions
Younger Americans
NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Colored People)

14. Groups Supporting Republicans
NRA (National Rifle Association)
Chamber of Commerce
Pro-life groups
Businesses
Military
Older Americans

15. Current Prominent Democrats
Bernie Sanders (VT Senator)
Nancy Pelosi (House Minority Leader)
Harry Reid (Senate Minority Leader)
Hilary Clinton (2016 candidate)
Elizabeth Warren (Secretary of State)
Joe Biden (Fromer VP, 2020 candidate?)

16. Prominent Republicans (Current)
Mike Pence (VP)
Paul Ryan (Speaker of the House)
Sarah Palin (Former Gov. Alaska – Tea Party spokesperson)
Rush Limbaugh (conservative
radio talk show host)
Mitch McConnell (Senate Majority Leader)

17. 2018 Kansas Candidates 4th District Congress Ron Estes (R)
Kris Kobach(R)
Governor:
James Thompson (D)
Laura Kelly (D)

18. Kansas Republican Leaders
Jeff Colyer (Governor)
Pat Roberts (Senator)
Jerry Moran (Senator)

19. Possible Candidates for 2016 President?
Republicans
Democrats
Paul Ryan
Marco Rubio
Chris Christie
Rand Paul
Hillary Clinton
Joe Biden
Elizabeth Warren
Andrew Cuomo

20. Similarities of Dems/Reps
Both say they want to improve the state of the United States, they just disagree on how.
Terrorism
Economy
Education
Etc.

21. Red States Vs. Blue States
Red = Republican
Blue = Democrat
2000 Presidential Election
2004 Presidential Election
2008 Presidential Election

23. 2016 Election

24. Estimated Registered Voters 2011
Democrats – 31%
Republicans – 24%
Independents – 42%
More Independents leaned toward Republicans
Overall (including leaners) – 46% Dem, 39% Rep
According to 2017 Gallup Poll

25. 115th Congress: Senate

26. 115th Congress: House of Representatives

27. Minor Parties Just a few of the many minor parties! Constitution Green
Libertarian
Reform
Socialist
Prohibition
Independent
Just a few of the many minor parties!

28. Libertarian 330,000 registered voters (3rd Largest party)
Received 4.5 million popular votes in 2016 Pres. election (3.27%)
Libertarian
1988- Ron Paul
Gary Johnson – 2016 Pres. Candidate. Governor New Mexico (R)
Bob Barr
2008 Pres. Candidate
330,000 registered voters (3rd Largest party)
Fastest growing party
Reduce govt. role in economy
Reduced taxes
Abolition of laws against victimless crimes
Foreign policy of free trade and non-interventionism
Pro-gun rights
Strong civil liberties positions (freedom of speech, sexual freedom)
*Overall – reduce government’s role in everything

29. Green Party 4th largest party (250,000 registered voters in )
*Environmentalists
Nonviolence
Social Justice
Respect for diversity
Jill Stein – 2012 Pres. Candidate (1.4 million votes – 1.07% popular vote
Cynthia McKinney

30. Constitution Party 5th largest party
Virgil Goode – 2012 Pres. Candidate. Former GOP Congressman (VA)
5th largest party
Tries to reflect principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
Stricter on immigration
Reduce role of federal government
Opposes abortion, pornography & same sex marriage
Combined with American Independent Party, which added 370,000 registered voters
Darrell Castle – 203,000 votes – 0.1% popular vote
Chuck Baldwin

31. Chuck Baldwin – KS Reform Candidate
(Founded in 1995 by Ross Perot)
Reform Party
Jesse Ventura – Gov of MN 1998
Maintaining a balanced budget
Campaign Finance Reform
Enforcement of existing immigration laws
Term limits on Senators and Representatives
Direct election of the President by popular vote.
Avoid taking stands on social issues (abortion, gay rights) because they are divisive
Ted Weill candidate
Rocky De La Fuente – 33,000 votes
Chuck Baldwin – KS Reform Candidate
Frank McEnulty

32. Socialist Party Opposed to capitalism and authoritarian communism
Yes, there is a Socialist Party in the U.S.!
Opposed to capitalism and authoritarian communism
Establish a classless society
Production for use instead of profit
Mimi Soltysik– Pres. Candidate 2016 – 2700 votes (all write-ins)

33. Prohibition Party
Wants to prohibit use of beverages containing alcohol
Oldest minor party still in existence
1869
Received 643 votes in 2008 Presidential election
James Hedges – 5617 votes

34. Independent
Sometimes referred to someone not Republican nor Democrat

35. A Listing of other Presidential Candidates in the 2016 election!

36. Importance of minor parties
First developed national conventions
Spoiler role – pulls votes away from major party
Critic and innovator – take clear cut stands on issues and draw attention to issues major parties ignore

37. Websites Republican National Committee - http://www.gop.com/
Official Democratic Party Website -
It’s interesting to see what each has to say about the other!