Comparing Two Political Parties

Today in the United States there are two main political parties. The names of these two political parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. These two parties are very different yet are a lot alike. Both of the parties seek to appeal to the center of the ideological spectrum, sure they want to get the votes of their own party members, but there are so many Americans that have yet to decide whether their beliefs are the same as the Democratic party or the same as the Republican party.

The view that many believe while studying our country's political history is the Federalist Party was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government. They believed that the Constitution was a document that needed to be molded and amended in order to meet the needs of the country. The traditional view of the Democratic-Republican party is that they support states rights and feel that most of the governing of the country should be done on the state level. The Democratic-Republicans, or Jeffersonian Republicans, also believed in reading the Constitution fundamentally and grant the government powers that were addressed in the document.

It is also popularly known as the GOP, from its earlier nickname Grand Old Party. Traditionally, Republican strength came primarily from New England and Midwest. After World War II, however, it greatly increased in the Sunbelt states and the West. Generally speaking, after World War I the Republican party became the more conservative of the two major parties, with its support from the upper middle class and from the corporate, financial, and farming interests. 1It has taken political stances in favor of laissez-faire and free enterprise and against the welfare