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The '''Democrat Party'''<ref>Its proper name is the "Democrat" Party, not the "Democratic" Party.  No one says the "Republicanic Party," for example.</ref> ('''D''') is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]].  It is [[pro-abortion]] and anti-[[free enterprise]], supporting higher taxes, anti-gun policies, and a much larger, more invasive government, while the [[Republican Party]] is generally [[pro-life]] and pro-free enterprise, supporting lower taxes and small, responsible government.<ref>http://www.diffen.com/difference/Democrat_vs_Republican#Role_of_Government</ref> President [[Barack Obama]] and other Democrats are left-wing on the political spectrum.  Voters in 2016 rejected Democrat Party candidates at the local, state and national levels in record-setting proportions.

The '''Democrat Party'''<ref>Its proper name is the "Democrat" Party, not the "Democratic" Party.  No one says the "Republicanic Party," for example.</ref> ('''D''') is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]].  It is [[pro-abortion]] and anti-[[free enterprise]], supporting higher taxes, anti-gun policies, and a much larger, more invasive government, while the [[Republican Party]] is generally [[pro-life]] and pro-free enterprise, supporting lower taxes and small, responsible government.<ref>http://www.diffen.com/difference/Democrat_vs_Republican#Role_of_Government</ref> President [[Barack Obama]] and other Democrats are left-wing on the political spectrum.  Voters in 2016 rejected Democratic Party candidates at the local, state and national levels in record-setting proportions.

Members of the Democratic Party are known as Democrats. Founded in 1828, a majority of this Party supported slavery through the [[Civil War]]. In the 19th century this Party was sometimes called "The Democracy." Today, there are Democrats who claim to be more [[conservative]] than typical [[liberal]]s, called the "[[Blue Dogs]]" in [[Congress]], but more often they behave like "lapdogs" for the [[liberal]] party leadership when there is a controversial vote.<ref>[[Conservative]] Democrats have been a shrinking minority within the party.</ref>

Members of the Democratic Party are known as Democrats. Founded in 1828, a majority of this Party supported slavery through the [[Civil War]]. In the 19th century this Party was sometimes called "The Democracy." Today, there are Democrats who claim to be more [[conservative]] than typical [[liberal]]s, called the "[[Blue Dogs]]" in [[Congress]], but more often they behave like "lapdogs" for the [[liberal]] party leadership when there is a controversial vote.<ref>[[Conservative]] Democrats have been a shrinking minority within the party.</ref>

In the doldrums after 2000, the party roared back with major gains in 2006, which it expanded in 2008 to sweep control of the national government, and leave the GOP in a state of confusion and decline. The GOP bounced back in 2009, with near-unanimous opposition to contentious Democratic policies, especially stimulus spending and health care reform. Polls show Obama's popularity began to sink in the summer of 2009.

In the doldrums after 2000, the party roared back with major gains in 2006, which it expanded in 2008 to sweep control of the national government, and leave the GOP in a state of confusion and decline. The GOP bounced back in 2009, with near-unanimous opposition to contentious Democratic policies, especially stimulus spending and health care reform. Polls show Obama's popularity began to sink in the summer of 2009.

The Democrats currently control the White House but neither of the Houses of Congress, but in the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican party won decisive control of the House of Representatives; suburbs and rural areas are still more likely to be in Republican hands.<ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref> Polls show 50% of voters identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35% for the Republican Party.<ref>[http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=312 Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007] Pew Research Center, 22 March 2007</ref> Surveys which address both the Republican House and the Democratic Senate currently has an average 78% negative approval rating, with only 13% expressing approval.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/congressional_job_approval-903.html|title=Congressional Job Approval|work=Real Clear Politics|accessdate=October 2, 2012}}</ref>

For most of the Obama years, the Democrats controlled the White House but neither of the Houses of Congress. In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican party won decisive control of the House of Representatives; suburbs and rural areas are still more likely to be in Republican hands.<ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref> Polls show 50% of voters identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35% for the Republican Party.<ref>[http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=312 Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007] Pew Research Center, 22 March 2007</ref> Surveys which address both the Republican House and the Democratic Senate currently has an average 78% negative approval rating, with only 13% expressing approval.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/congressional_job_approval-903.html|title=Congressional Job Approval|work=Real Clear Politics|accessdate=October 2, 2012}}</ref> On the one hand, the Democrats claim to have won the popular vote for President in 2016 by more than 2.5 million votes, and the nationwide total votes cast for Democratic Congressional candidates exceed those cast for Republican candidates.  However, because the Presidential election is decided by the Electoral College and the House seats are elected by defined districts, Republicans won the White House as well as majority of House seats.

==Policies and criticism==

==Policies and criticism==

In the field of economic policy, Democrats tend to favor high progressive taxes, more regulation, and higher government spending.  

In the field of economic policy, Democrats tend to favor high progressive taxes, more regulation, and higher government spending.  

The Democrat Party has historically had ties to [[labor union|organized labor]].<ref>http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/913wopoz.asp Paying Dues - The Democrats settle up with their union bosses, [[Weekly Standard]], July 25, 2007</ref>

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[labor union|organized labor]].<ref>http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/913wopoz.asp Paying Dues - The Democrats settle up with their union bosses, [[Weekly Standard]], July 25, 2007</ref> However, the influence of organized labor has waned as the portion of the unionized workforce has dropped in the "gig economy" that is more service oriented.

The [[National Education Association]],<ref>[http://www.nea.org/index.html National Education Association homepage]</ref> the largest union of public school teachers, is a backbone of the party, supplying the largest number of delegates to its national conventions.

The [[National Education Association]],<ref>[http://www.nea.org/index.html National Education Association homepage]</ref> the largest union of public school teachers, is a backbone of the party, supplying the largest number of delegates to its national conventions.

Democrats typically claim that they want to help low-income Americans, however they usually seek to accomplish this by increasing the tax burden on the wealthiest Americans.

Democrats typically claim that they want to help low-income Americans, however they usually seek to accomplish this by increasing the tax burden on the wealthiest Americans.

Since passage of the Economic Recovery Act of 2009, [[unemployment]] has increased from below 7% to slightly under 10% and then fell to 6.2%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm|title=Employment Situation Summary|work=Bureau of Labor Statistics|date=August 1, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

Since passage of the Economic Recovery Act of 2009, [[unemployment]] increased from below 7% to slightly under 10% and then fell to 6.2%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm|title=Employment Situation Summary|work=Bureau of Labor Statistics|date=August 1, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

Democrats support a minimum wage that increases with the increases in the cost of living and currently advocate setting the minimum wage at $10.10 per hour.  President Obama signed an executive order imposing this wage on federal contractors, but Congress has not adopted the $10.10 wage for all interstate commerce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/minimum-wage-federal-contractors_n_5489027.html|title=Obama Moves On Minimum Wage Without Congress|date=June 12, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>  Currently, only 4.3% of all hourly wage workers receive the current minimum wage of $7.25.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2013.pdf|title=Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2013|work=Bureau of Labor Statistics|date=March 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

Many Democrats support a minimum wage that increases with the increases in the cost of living and currently advocate setting the minimum wage at $15.00 per hour.  President Obama signed an executive order imposing this minimum wage on federal contractors, but Congress has not adopted the $10.10 wage for all interstate commerce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/minimum-wage-federal-contractors_n_5489027.html|title=Obama Moves On Minimum Wage Without Congress|date=June 12, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>  Currently, only 4.3% of all hourly wage workers receive the current minimum wage of $7.25.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2013.pdf|title=Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2013|work=Bureau of Labor Statistics|date=March 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

===Foreign and military policy===

===Foreign and military policy===

According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused of being ambivalent about terrorism<ref>[http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=22045 "Democrats, ACLU Outraged Over Traveler Terrorism Screening Program"] C. Johnson, Associated Press</ref> and insufficiently patriotic.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/01/smn.19.html CNN Saturday Morning News] Transcript: December 1, 2001</ref>  A poll conducted by [[Fox News]] released in October 2007 found that 1 in 5 Democrats &ndash; nearly 10 million voters &ndash; think the world will be better off if the [[United States]] were to lose the [[War in Iraq]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299374,00.html Nearly 1 in 5 Democrats Say World Will Be Better Off if U.S. Loses War], FOX News Poll, October 04, 2007.</ref>  The poll found this sentiment 3 to 4 times higher among Democrats than among moderate, centrist, and Republican voters.

According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused of being ambivalent about terrorism<ref>[http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=22045 "Democrats, ACLU Outraged Over Traveler Terrorism Screening Program"] C. Johnson, Associated Press</ref> and insufficiently patriotic.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/01/smn.19.html CNN Saturday Morning News] Transcript: December 1, 2001</ref>  A poll conducted by [[Fox News]] released in October 2007 found that 1 in 5 Democrats &ndash; nearly 10 million voters &ndash; think the world will be better off if the [[United States]] were to lose the [[War in Iraq]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299374,00.html Nearly 1 in 5 Democrats Say World Will Be Better Off if U.S. Loses War], FOX News Poll, October 04, 2007.</ref>  The poll found this sentiment 3 to 4 times higher among Democrats than among moderate, centrist, and Republican voters.

===Education===

===Education===