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:''This article is about the Democratic Party of the United States.  For a Democratic Party in another country, see [[Democratic party (disambiguation)]]''

:''This article is about the Democratic Party of the United States.  For a Democratic Party in another country, see [[Democratic party (disambiguation)]]''

The '''Democratic Party'''<ref>Some partisan Republicans refer to it as the "Democrat party", implying the party is not democratic. The term is said to grate on Democrats' ears because it is not the party's official name.</ref><ref>https://www.democrats.org/about/our-party/party-organization</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> [[Barack Obama]] and other Democrats are left-wing on the political spectrum.  Voters in 2010, 2014, and 2016 rejected Democratic Party candidates at the local, state and national levels in record-setting proportions.

The '''Democratic Party'''The '''Democratic Party'''<ref>This is the official name of the party.[https://www.democrats.org/about/our-party/party-organization] Some argue that its proper name is the "Democrat" Party, not the "Democratic" Party.  No one says the "Republicanic Party," for example. Some Republicans and conservatives commonly refer to it as such, implying the party is not democratic. The term is said to grate on Democrats' ears.</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> [[Barack Obama]] and other Democrats are left-wing on the political spectrum.  Voters in 2010, 2014, and 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, slavery and segregation were cornerstones of the party's ideology. Both were exclusively Democratic issues which the GOP was founded to oppose.<ref>The rights and dignity of the individual remain the core principal of the Republican party, be it opposition to slavery, abortion, big government, or high taxes.</ref> A Congressional faction known as [[Blue Dogs]] made up of [[conservative]] Democrats, was largely "shellacked" after it was offered up on the altar of Obamacare by  [[Progressive]]s, defying and abandoning their constituents. In 2009 Bluedogs boasted 44 [[centrist]]s but by 2011 it had only 8 members. A [[bi-partisan]] core in the House was destroyed by radical leftists who now dominate the party.

Members of the Democratic Party are known as Democrats. Founded in 1828, slavery and segregation were cornerstones of the party's ideology. Both were exclusively Democratic issues which the GOP was founded to oppose.<ref>The rights and dignity of the individual remain the core principal of the Republican party, be it opposition to slavery, abortion, big government, or high taxes.</ref> A Congressional faction known as [[Blue Dogs]] made up of [[conservative]] Democrats, was largely "shellacked" after it was offered up on the altar of Obamacare by  [[Progressive]]s, defying and abandoning their constituents. In 2009 Bluedogs boasted 44 [[centrist]]s but by 2011 it had only 8 members. A [[bi-partisan]] core in the House was destroyed by radical leftists who now dominate the party.

In the doldrums after 2000, the party led by [[anti-war]] radicals 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 Obamacare. Polls show Obama's popularity began to erode after his [[Barack Obama approval ratings#Declines after the Gates flap|anti-police stance]] became apparent in the summer of 2009.

In the doldrums after 2000, the party led by [[anti-war]] radicals 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 Obamacare. Polls show Obama's popularity began to erode after his [[Barack Obama approval ratings#Declines after the Gates flap|anti-police stance]] became apparent in the summer of 2009.

For the first two Obama years, the Democrats controlled the White House and a veto-proof Congress, ramming through unpopular legislation without bipartisan support such as [[Obamacare]]. 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 at the time showed 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>  On the one hand, the Democrats claim to have won the popular vote for President in 2016 by more than 2.7 million votes, and Republican candidates received 49.13% of the nationwide total votes cast for House races in 2016 and won 55.4% of U.S. House seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016|title=United States House of Representatives elections, 2016|accessdate=February 8, 2017}}</ref> However, because the Presidential election is decided by the Electoral College and the House seats are elected by defined and allegedly gerrymandered districts, Republicans won the White House as well as majority of House seats.

For the first two Obama years, the Democrats controlled the White House and a veto-proof Congress, ramming through unpopular legislation without bipartisan support such as [[Obamacare]]. 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 at the time indicated that 50% of voters identified themselves with the Democrats 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>  On the one hand, the Democrats claim to have won the popular vote for President in 2016 by more than 2.7 million votes (although, contrary to [[liberal denial]], over 800,000 illegal immigrants likely voted<ref>Lucas, Fred, "[http://dailysignal.com/2016/11/28/more-than-800000-noncitizens-could-have-voted-in-2016-election-experts-say/ More Than 800,000 Noncitizens May Have Voted in 2016 Election, Expert Says]," ''The Daily Signal''.</ref><ref>O'Reilly, Bill (November 29, 2016). [http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2016/11/29/bill-oreilly-amazing-amount-confusion-over-illegal-aliens-voting/ Bill O'Reilly: Amazing amount of confusion over illegal aliens voting]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 2016.</ref><ref>Scarborough, Rowan (January 26, 2017). [http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/26/hillary-clinton-received-800000-votes-from-nonciti/ Trump argument bolstered: Clinton could have received 800,000 votes from noncitizens, study finds]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved January 27, 2017.</ref>), and Republican candidates received 49.13% of the nationwide total votes cast for House races in 2016 and won 55.4% of U.S. House seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016|title=United States House of Representatives elections, 2016|accessdate=February 8, 2017}}</ref> 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 the majority of House seats.

==Policies and criticism==

==Policies and criticism==

Some critics refer to the group disparagingly as the [[Democrat Party]].

Some critics refer to the group disparagingly as the [[Democrat Party]].

==Jefferson - Jackson Dinners==

==Jefferson – Jackson Dinners==

The United States Democratic Party claims Jefferson and [[Andrew Jackson]] as two of its key founding members.  Although this claim is a bit of a stretch, for decades the Democrats have honored these two presidents by holding fund-raising events called "Jefferson-Jackson Dinners."  Recently, in an act of extreme "political correctness", activists have demanded that these events be renamed on the grounds that Jefferson held slaves and Jackson mistreated Native Americans.  Many units of the Democratic Party have given into these arguments and are denouncing and dishonoring two of what most Americans view as great Presidents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/us/jefferson-jackson-dinner-will-be-renamed.html|title=Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Will Be Renamed|date=August 8, 2015|work=New York Times|accessdate=April 19, 2016|first=Ashley|last=Southhall}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2015/11/16/colorado-democratic-party-considers-renaming-annual-jefferson-jackson-dinner/123835/|title=Colorado Democrats consider renaming Jefferson Jackson dinner|work=The Denver Post|first=John|last= Frank|date=November 16, 2015|accessdate=April 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=

The United States Democratic Party claims Jefferson and [[Andrew Jackson]] as two of its key founding members.  Although this claim is a bit of a stretch, for decades the Democrats have honored these two presidents by holding fund-raising events called "Jefferson-Jackson Dinners."  Recently, in an act of extreme "political correctness", activists have demanded that these events be renamed on the grounds that Jefferson held slaves and Jackson mistreated Native Americans.  Many units of the Democratic Party have given into these arguments and are denouncing and dishonoring two of what most Americans view as great Presidents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/us/jefferson-jackson-dinner-will-be-renamed.html|title=Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Will Be Renamed|date=August 8, 2015|work=New York Times|accessdate=April 19, 2016|first=Ashley|last=Southhall}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2015/11/16/colorado-democratic-party-considers-renaming-annual-jefferson-jackson-dinner/123835/|title=Colorado Democrats consider renaming Jefferson Jackson dinner|work=The Denver Post|first=John|last= Frank|date=November 16, 2015|accessdate=April 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/07/jefferson_jackson_renamed_loui.html|title=As state Democratic parties rename their Jefferson-Jackson dinners, will Louisiana change 'J-J?'|work=The Times Picayune|first=Kevin |last=Litten|date= July 23, 2015|accessdate=April 21, 2016}}</ref>

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/07/jefferson_jackson_renamed_loui.html|title=As state Democratic parties rename their Jefferson-Jackson dinners, will Louisiana change 'J-J?'|work=The Times Picayune|first=Kevin |last=Litten|date= July 23, 2015|accessdate=April 21, 2016}}</ref>