Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Democratic Party

2007-04-06T21:00:18Z

Cheney123:

The Democratic Party is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the [[leftist | political left]] of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the [[rightist | right]] of center.

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 50 percent of Americans identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35 percent 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>, though President George W. Bush was re-elected as [[President of the United States|President]] on the [[Republican Party|Republican]] ticket in 2004, albeit by the narrowest margin of any incumbent candidate since Woodrow Wilson <ref>[http://www.multied.com/elections/ HistoryCentral.com] "Learn About the Elections"</ref>. The Democrats currently control the United States [[House of Representatives]] and the [[Senate]], as well as the majority of State governorships and legislatures. <ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref>

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent president that was a Democrat was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 to 2001. In his second term he was impeached by the Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that ended in a large out of court settlement, a reproach from the presiding judge, and his disbarment from the [[Arkansas]] Bar, however, the Senate failed to clarify what is meant by "high crimes and misdeamenors".

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man," Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798 , the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 Jefferson was elected as the first Democrat [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808 . Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 and led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition. Andrew Jackson, who signed into law the [[Indian Removal Act of 1830]] <ref>[http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/UHS/APUSH/1st%20Sem/Articles%20Semester%201/Artiles%20Semester%201/Remini.htm Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal], by
Robert Remini.</ref> according to the Democratic National Committee's website is "considered — along with Jefferson — one of the founding fathers of the Democratic Party." <ref>[http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/our_history.php Democratic National Committee, ''Our History''], retrieved 25 March 2007.</ref> Annual Jefferson-Jackson Day celebrations nationwide by local chapters of the Democratic Party commemorate the two founders of the Democratic Party. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001949.html String of Successes Enlivens Democratic Party], Michael D. Shear, ''The Washington Post'', 22 February 2007.</ref>

[[Franklin Roosevelt]], president during the [[Great Depression]] and [[Second World War]], was a Democrat, as was his successor, [[Harry Truman]].

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats favor high taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth and stifle enterprise and job creation.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. 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.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused by some Republican party leaders, most notably Dick Cheney, as 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>, such as Saxby Chambliss' campaign against Senator Max Cleland--a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14474-2002Jun19.html "Dirty-Bomb Politics"] Mary McGrory, ''The Washington Post'', 20 June 2002</ref>

===Education===
An organization affiliated with the [[Democratic Leadership Council]] called the [[Progressive Policy Institute]] which claims a long standing opposition to school vouchers <ref>21st Century Schools Project Bulletin: Special Edition [http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=110&subsecID=900001&contentID=250630 ''Putting Vouchers in Perspective''], PPI E-newsletter 2 July 2002</ref> reported Jonathan Alter of ''Newsweek'' saying,
:"Can wealthy white liberals - many of whom send their kids to private school - really say to poor parents: 'We can have choices, but you must not?'...This is a glaring hypocrisy sitting at the heart of the liberal opposition to targeted vouchers… Right now, Democrats are in a highly compromised position on education." <ref>[http://www.edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=newsLetter&sectionID=29&NLissueID=4&articleID=11&altCol=2 Center For Education Reform, Monthly Letter to Friends No. 75], Back to School 2002.</ref>

===Environment vs Labor===
Two other important coalition groups also find themselves in direct conflict with each other within the Democratic party coalition--Environmentalists and Labour Unions. While environmentalists support efforts like clean air and alternative fuels, for example, this places them directly at odds with the workers of American automobile manufactures whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by increasing regulations and high costs that lead to cutbacks and layoffs.

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the separation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which, some claim, leads to a loss of jobs and an overall decline in the economy.

==Religion==
One of the curious coalitions within the Democratic party is the strange alliance between devout African-American Christian believers and avowed atheists who both claim the mantle of "liberal". While there is negligible if any difference between doctrinal Christian teachings regarding homosexuality in most Black churches and the views expressed by televangelists such as [[Jerry Falwell]] or [[Pat Robertson]], the Democratic coalition relies heavily upon votes of African-Americans and [[gays]].{{fact}}

[[Evangelical]] Christians tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democrat office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several general ideals of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's overall support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to the position of the [[Catholic Church]].

==Famous Democrats==
[[Image:a568.gif|left|thumb|250px]]
[[Image:a567.jpg|center|thumb|250px]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]

Democratic Party

2007-04-06T20:53:56Z

Cheney123: Update on 2008 election

The Democratic Party is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the [[leftist | political left]] of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the [[rightist | right]] of center.

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 50 percent of Americans identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35 percent 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>, though President George W. Bush was re-elected as [[President of the United States|President]] on the [[Republican Party|Republican]] ticket in 2004, albeit by the narrowest margin of any incumbent candidate since Woodrow Wilson <ref>[http://www.multied.com/elections/ HistoryCentral.com] "Learn About the Elections"</ref>. The Democrats currently control the United States [[House of Representatives]] and the [[Senate]], as well as the majority of State governorships and legislatures. <ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref>

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent president that was a Democrat was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 to 2001. In his second term he was impeached by the Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that ended in a large out of court settlement, a reproach from the presiding judge, and his disbarment from the [[Arkansas]] Bar, however, the Senate failed to clarify what is meant by "high crimes and misdeamenors".

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man," Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798 , the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 Jefferson was elected as the first Democrat [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808 . Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 and led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition. Andrew Jackson, who signed into law the [[Indian Removal Act of 1830]] <ref>[http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/UHS/APUSH/1st%20Sem/Articles%20Semester%201/Artiles%20Semester%201/Remini.htm Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal], by
Robert Remini.</ref> according to the Democratic National Committee's website is "considered — along with Jefferson — one of the founding fathers of the Democratic Party." <ref>[http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/our_history.php Democratic National Committee, ''Our History''], retrieved 25 March 2007.</ref> Annual Jefferson-Jackson Day celebrations nationwide by local chapters of the Democratic Party commemorate the two founders of the Democratic Party. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001949.html String of Successes Enlivens Democratic Party], Michael D. Shear, ''The Washington Post'', 22 February 2007.</ref>

[[Franklin Roosevelt]], president during the [[Great Depression]] and [[Second World War]], was a Democrat, as was his successor, [[Harry Truman]].

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats favor high taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth and stifle enterprise and job creation.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. 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.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused by some Republican party leaders, most notably Dick Cheney, as 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>, such as Saxby Chambliss' campaign against Senator Max Cleland--a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14474-2002Jun19.html "Dirty-Bomb Politics"] Mary McGrory, ''The Washington Post'', 20 June 2002</ref>

===Education===
An organization affiliated with the [[Democratic Leadership Council]] called the [[Progressive Policy Institute]] which claims a long standing opposition to school vouchers <ref>21st Century Schools Project Bulletin: Special Edition [http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=110&subsecID=900001&contentID=250630 ''Putting Vouchers in Perspective''], PPI E-newsletter 2 July 2002</ref> reported Jonathan Alter of ''Newsweek'' saying,
:"Can wealthy white liberals - many of whom send their kids to private school - really say to poor parents: 'We can have choices, but you must not?'...This is a glaring hypocrisy sitting at the heart of the liberal opposition to targeted vouchers… Right now, Democrats are in a highly compromised position on education." <ref>[http://www.edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=newsLetter&sectionID=29&NLissueID=4&articleID=11&altCol=2 Center For Education Reform, Monthly Letter to Friends No. 75], Back to School 2002.</ref>

===Environment vs Labor===
Two other important coalition groups also find themselves in direct conflict with each other within the Democratic party coalition--Environmentalists and Labour Unions. While environmentalists support efforts like clean air and alternative fuels, for example, this places them directly at odds with the workers of American automobile manufactures whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by increasing regulations and high costs that lead to cutbacks and layoffs.

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the separation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which, some claim, leads to a loss of jobs and an overall decline in the economy.

==Religion==
One of the curious coalitions within the Democratic party is the strange alliance between devout African-American Christian believers and avowed atheists who both claim the mantle of "liberal". While there is negligible if any difference between doctrinal Christian teachings regarding homosexuality in most Black churches and the views expressed by televangelists such as [[Jerry Falwell]] or [[Pat Robertson]], the Democratic coalition relies heavily upon votes of African-Americans and [[gays]].{{fact}}

[[Evangelical]] Christians tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democrat office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several general ideals of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's overall support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to the position of the [[Catholic Church]].

[[Famous Democrats]]
[[Image:a567.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]

Democratic Party

2007-04-06T20:53:25Z

Cheney123: Added 2000 poll results

The Democratic Party is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the [[leftist | political left]] of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the [[rightist | right]] of center.

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 50 percent of Americans identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35 percent 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>, though President George W. Bush was re-elected as [[President of the United States|President]] on the [[Republican Party|Republican]] ticket in 2004, albeit by the narrowest margin of any incumbent candidate since Woodrow Wilson <ref>[http://www.multied.com/elections/ HistoryCentral.com] "Learn About the Elections"</ref>. The Democrats currently control the United States [[House of Representatives]] and the [[Senate]], as well as the majority of State governorships and legislatures. <ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref>

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent president that was a Democrat was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 to 2001. In his second term he was impeached by the Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that ended in a large out of court settlement, a reproach from the presiding judge, and his disbarment from the [[Arkansas]] Bar, however, the Senate failed to clarify what is meant by "high crimes and misdeamenors".

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man," Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798 , the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 Jefferson was elected as the first Democrat [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808 . Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 and led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition. Andrew Jackson, who signed into law the [[Indian Removal Act of 1830]] <ref>[http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/UHS/APUSH/1st%20Sem/Articles%20Semester%201/Artiles%20Semester%201/Remini.htm Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal], by
Robert Remini.</ref> according to the Democratic National Committee's website is "considered — along with Jefferson — one of the founding fathers of the Democratic Party." <ref>[http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/our_history.php Democratic National Committee, ''Our History''], retrieved 25 March 2007.</ref> Annual Jefferson-Jackson Day celebrations nationwide by local chapters of the Democratic Party commemorate the two founders of the Democratic Party. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001949.html String of Successes Enlivens Democratic Party], Michael D. Shear, ''The Washington Post'', 22 February 2007.</ref>

[[Franklin Roosevelt]], president during the [[Great Depression]] and [[Second World War]], was a Democrat, as was his successor, [[Harry Truman]].

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats favor high taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth and stifle enterprise and job creation.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. 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.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused by some Republican party leaders, most notably Dick Cheney, as 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>, such as Saxby Chambliss' campaign against Senator Max Cleland--a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14474-2002Jun19.html "Dirty-Bomb Politics"] Mary McGrory, ''The Washington Post'', 20 June 2002</ref>

===Education===
An organization affiliated with the [[Democratic Leadership Council]] called the [[Progressive Policy Institute]] which claims a long standing opposition to school vouchers <ref>21st Century Schools Project Bulletin: Special Edition [http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=110&subsecID=900001&contentID=250630 ''Putting Vouchers in Perspective''], PPI E-newsletter 2 July 2002</ref> reported Jonathan Alter of ''Newsweek'' saying,
:"Can wealthy white liberals - many of whom send their kids to private school - really say to poor parents: 'We can have choices, but you must not?'...This is a glaring hypocrisy sitting at the heart of the liberal opposition to targeted vouchers… Right now, Democrats are in a highly compromised position on education." <ref>[http://www.edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=newsLetter&sectionID=29&NLissueID=4&articleID=11&altCol=2 Center For Education Reform, Monthly Letter to Friends No. 75], Back to School 2002.</ref>

===Environment vs Labor===
Two other important coalition groups also find themselves in direct conflict with each other within the Democratic party coalition--Environmentalists and Labour Unions. While environmentalists support efforts like clean air and alternative fuels, for example, this places them directly at odds with the workers of American automobile manufactures whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by increasing regulations and high costs that lead to cutbacks and layoffs.

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the separation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which, some claim, leads to a loss of jobs and an overall decline in the economy.

==Religion==
One of the curious coalitions within the Democratic party is the strange alliance between devout African-American Christian believers and avowed atheists who both claim the mantle of "liberal". While there is negligible if any difference between doctrinal Christian teachings regarding homosexuality in most Black churches and the views expressed by televangelists such as [[Jerry Falwell]] or [[Pat Robertson]], the Democratic coalition relies heavily upon votes of African-Americans and [[gays]].{{fact}}

[[Evangelical]] Christians tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democrat office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several general ideals of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's overall support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to the position of the [[Catholic Church]].

[[Famous Democrats]]
[[Image:Hclinton.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]

Democratic Party

2007-03-28T21:47:12Z

Cheney123:

The Democratic Party is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the political left of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the right of center. It is largely comprised of splinter group coalitions who push each others agendas through [[identity politics]].

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 50 percent of Americans identify themselves with the Democratic Party as opposed to 35 percent 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>, though President George W. Bush was re-elected as [[President of the United States|President]] on the [[Republican Party|Republican]] ticket in 2004, albeit by the narrowest margin of any incumbent candidate since Woodrow Wilson <ref>[http://www.multied.com/elections/ HistoryCentral.com] "Learn About the Elections"</ref>. The Democrats currently control the United States [[House of Representatives]] and the [[Senate]], as well as the majority of State governorships and legislatures. <ref>[http://www.multistate.com/Site.nsf/Elections2006PostMaps?OpenPage Multistate.com] Post-Election 2006 Maps</ref>

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent president that was a Democrat was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 to 2001. In his second term he was impeached by the Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that ended in a large out of court settlement, a reproach from the presiding judge, and his disbarment from the [[Arkansas]] Bar, however, the Senate failed to clarify what is meant by "high crimes and misdeamenors".

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man", Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798 , the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 Jefferson was elected as the first Democrat [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808 . Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 and led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition. Andrew Jackson, who signed into law the [[Indian Removal Act of 1830]] <ref>[http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/UHS/APUSH/1st%20Sem/Articles%20Semester%201/Artiles%20Semester%201/Remini.htm Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal], by
Robert Remini.</ref> according to the Democratic National Committee's website is "considered — along with Jefferson — one of the founding fathers of the Democratic Party." <ref>[http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/our_history.php Democratic National Committee, ''Our History''], retrieved 25 March 2007.</ref> Annual Jefferson-Jackson Day celebrations nationwide by local chapters of the Democratic Party commemorate the two founders of the Democratic Party. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001949.html String of Successes Enlivens Democratic Party], Michael D. Shear, ''The Washington Post'', 22 February 2007.</ref>

[[Franklin Roosevelt]], president during the [[Great Depression]] and [[Second World War]], was a Democrat, as was his successor, [[Harry Truman]].

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats favor high taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth and stifle enterprise and job creation.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. 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.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Democratic national leadership has been accused by some Republican party leaders, most notably Dick Cheney, as 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>, such as Saxby Chambliss' campaign against Senator Max Cleland--a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14474-2002Jun19.html "Dirty-Bomb Politics"] Mary McGrory, ''The Washington Post'', 20 June 2002</ref>

===Education===
An organization affiliated with the [[Democratic Leadership Council]] called the [[Progressive Policy Institute]] which claims a long standing opposition to school vouchers <ref>21st Century Schools Project Bulletin: Special Edition [http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=110&subsecID=900001&contentID=250630 ''Putting Vouchers in Perspective''], PPI E-newsletter 2 July 2002</ref> reported Jonathan Alter of ''Newsweek'' saying,
:"Can wealthy white liberals - many of whom send their kids to private school - really say to poor parents: 'We can have choices, but you must not?'...This is a glaring hypocrisy sitting at the heart of the liberal opposition to targeted vouchers… Right now, Democrats are in a highly compromised position on education." <ref>[http://www.edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=newsLetter&sectionID=29&NLissueID=4&articleID=11&altCol=2 Center For Education Reform, Monthly Letter to Friends No. 75], Back to School 2002.</ref>

===Environment vs Labor===
Two other important coalition groups also find themselves in direct conflict with each other within the Democratic party coalition--Environmentalists and Labour Unions. While environmentalists support efforts like clean air and alternative fuels, for example, this places them directly at odds with the workers of American automobile manufactures whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by increasing regulations and high costs that lead to cutbacks and layoffs.

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the separation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which, some claim, leads to a loss of jobs and an overall decline in the economy.

==Religion==
One of the curious coalitions within the Democratic party is the strange alliance between devout African-American Christian believers and avowed atheists who both claim the mantle of "liberal". While there is negligible if any difference between doctrinal Christian teachings regarding homosexuality in most Black churches and the views expressed by televangelists such as [[Jerry Falwell]] or [[Pat Robertson]], the Democratic coalition relies heavily upon votes of African-Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and [[gay]]s.

[[Evangelical]] Christians tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democrat office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several general ideals of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's overall support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to the position of the [[Catholic Church]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]

ValuJet Flight 592

2007-03-27T15:44:58Z

Cheney123: This was not the worst plane crash in history - not even close

ValuJet Flight 592 crashed in the Florida Everglades in 1996, killing all 110 on board. The cause was the mistake of loading oxygen canisters as cargo. The investigation revealed that the canisters labeled as "repairable" had been misunderstood as "empty", and at one point the National Transportation Safety
Board suggested that the use of non-English speaking mechanics may have been a problem.<ref>William Langewiesche, "The Lessons of ValuJet 592," 281 Atlantic Monthly No. 3, 81 (Mar. 1998).</ref>

Because of this incident ValuJet bought a tiny airline called AirTran and assumed its name. This allowed ValuJet to recover and even increase operations. <ref>http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2006/05/after_valujet_t.html</ref>

== References ==

<references/>

National debt of the United States

2007-03-23T20:58:19Z

Cheney123:

The '''National Debt''' is the amount of money the [[United States]] government owes various [[creditors]] due to [[deficit spending]] The current national debt is approximately 9 trillion.<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.phpstoryId=5282521</ref>
[[Category: Economics]]

National debt of the United States

2007-03-23T20:57:55Z

Cheney123:

Democratic Party

2007-03-21T02:22:16Z

Cheney123:

The Democratic Party, also occasionally called the "Democrat Party" by George W. Bush[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061030-4.html] and some other conservatives, is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the political left of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the right of center.

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 AD presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent president that was a Democrat was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 AD to 2001 AD, and whose conduct and record in office remain highly controversial among many Americans, especially conservative Americans. His overall approval ratings, however, were high.[http://www.pollingreport.com/clinton-.htm] He was impeached by a Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that was ultimately dismissed in court.

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 AD by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man", Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798 AD, the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 AD Jefferson was elected as the first Democrat [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808 AD. Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 ADand led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition.

[[Franklin Roosevelt]], president during the Great Depression and [[Second World War]], was a Democrat, as was his successor, [[Harry Truman]].

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats tend to favor higher taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth, stifle enterprise and job creation, and deprive working Americans of a disproportionare share of their hard-earned money. It should be noted, however, that the last known national budgetary surplus occurred during the administration of a Democrat president.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. The [[National Education Association]],<ref>http://www.nea.org/index.html</ref> the largest union of public school teachers, is a backbone of the party, supplying the largest number of delegates to its national conventions.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Conservatives, however, argue that the Democrats' policies have the effect of giving comfort to the enemies of the United States and of weakening its position in the [[War on Terror]]. Highly partisan conservatives have claimed that the Democratic national leadership tends to be ambivalent about terrorism<ref>http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=22045</ref> and insufficiently patriotic.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/01/smn.19.html</ref> Many Democrats could almost be considered pro-terrorism due to their votes against the Iraq War.<ref>http://usliberals.about.com/b/a/219167.htm</ref>

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the seperation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which leads to reduction of pollution and a benefit to wildlife.

==Religion==
[[Evangelical]] Christians tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democrat office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several planks of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to Catholic teaching.

==References==
<references/>

==Reference==

<references/> {{fact}}

[[Category:Politics]]

Talk:Democratic Party

2007-03-21T02:20:31Z

Cheney123:

== Criticism ==

When President Bush talked about amending the Constitution to outlaw gay marriage, he was opposed by both Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans against it tended to oppose the move based on states' rights. Also, the comment that Democrats "don't care about American families" is opinion, not fact. It should be removed. --[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 22:05, 9 March 2007 (EST)

This article has the biggest POV I have ever seen, and it offers no adequate description of the Democratic party. Rather, it is a catalog of what conservatives believe that Democrats believe, and it is filled with slanted descriptions ("The Homosexual Agenda") that do not advance the purpose of the article. Perhaps this article should be renamed "List of conservative misinterpretations of the Democratic party." That would immediately solve the problems mentioned above.
--[[User:WhatWouldJesusEdit?|WhatWouldJesusEdit?]] 11:13, 15 March 2007 (EDT)

And yet the [[Republican Party]] page has no such sections on Criticism. At least this site could have the courage to be somewhat fair in their heavily biased presentation of "facts". What a joke. I mean really, is this site trying to look idiotic??

== Some of these? ==

"The Democratic Party, as a political unit, supports abortion, gun control, and organized labor, and the funding of '''some of these''' by taxes."

Seriously. "Some of these?" It's a list of three whole items. Gun control is legislation, unions are a bargaining community of workers, and abortion is a medical procedure. Of these, one needs funding, one can receive incentives, and one either is passed, or is not. If we're going to say "the Democratic party supports taxpayer-funded abortion", well, frankly, we'd be seriously stretching the facts, but we should at least have the courage to be concise and say that. [[User:Zondergard|Zondergard]]

Ummm, why did the post with a link to his poll numbers get taken down. That seems like it goes against your commandments.--[[User:Jack|Jack]] 17:47, 17 March 2007 (EDT)

== ic ==

The name of the party is the Democratic Party. If you would like to use a disparaging name for the party, at least choose one that is an adjective. [[User:Myk|Myk]] 13:51, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

== Pro-Terrorism ==

So, let me get this straight. Being opposed to invading another country means that you support terrorism? That's logically unsound. [[User:Stargrave|Stargrave]] 15:13, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

You're right. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 18:45, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

(A)There are terrorists in Iraq. (B) If you don't fight terrorists you are with them (George W. Bush 2003). C) Dem's voted against fighting terrorists...therefore they are with them!
How's that for logic yankee!

== Use of AD ==

The article uses AD for no apparent reason; for any given year, AD is automatically assumed unless BC or BCE is used. It also misuses it; it's AD 2007 and not the other way around. I've noticed other articles with a similar usage.

Democratic Party

2007-03-19T20:42:14Z

Cheney123:

The Democratic Party is one of the two major political [[parties]] in the [[United States of America]]. It is generally seen as being on the political left of center, while the rival [[Republican Party]] is positioned to the right of center.

Like the Republicans, the Democrats are currently selecting their candidate for the 2008 presidential election; the front-runners in the contest are Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]] and Senator [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]]. The most recent Democratic president was [[Bill Clinton]], who served from 1993 to 2001, and whose conduct and record in office remain highly controversial among many Americans, especially conservative Americans. His overall approval ratings, however, were high.[http://www.pollingreport.com/clinton-.htm] He was impeached by a Republican controlled House of Representatives for lying under oath in a civil case that was ultimately dismissed in court.

==History==
The Democratic Party was founded in 1792 by [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a congressional caucus to fight for the [[Bill of Rights]] and to oppose the elitist [[Federalist Party]]. Ironically in view of the party's image as the "party of the common man", Jefferson was a member of the landed gentry and a slave owner.

In 1798, the party was officially named the "Democratic-Republican Party", and in 1800 Jefferson was elected as the first Democratic [[President of the United States]]. Jefferson served two terms as president with distinction, and was succeeded by another Democrat, [[James Madison]], in 1808. Madison strengthened America's armed forces and helped to reaffirm American independence by defeating the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[War of 1812]]. James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican, was elected president in 1816 and led the nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good Feeling". In this period, the party dominated American politics with little opposition.

==Policies and criticism==

It should be noted that the views of individual Democrats sometimes diverge from the party's official stance as expressed in its national platform. Naturally, the same is true of individual Republicans.

===Economic policy===
In the field of economic policy, Democrats tend to favor higher taxes, higher government spending and a relatively high minimum wage. While they defend these policies as compassionate and socially responsible, people in favor of liberal economics reply that they depress economic growth, stifle enterprise and job creation, and deprive working Americans of a disproportionare share of their hard-earned money. It should be noted, however, that the last known national budgetary surplus occurred during the administration of a Democratic president.

The Democratic Party has historically had ties to [[union|organized labor]]. The [[National Education Association]],<ref>http://www.nea.org/index.html</ref> the largest union of public school teachers, is a backbone of the party, supplying the largest number of delegates to its national conventions.{{fact}}

===Foreign and military policy===
According to its platform, the Democratic Party has the objective of strengthening America. Conservatives, however, argue that the Democrats' policies have the effect of giving comfort to the enemies of the United States and of weakening its position in the [[War on Terror]]. Highly partisan conservatives have claimed that the Democratic national leadership tends to be ambivalent about terrorism<ref>http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=22045</ref> and insufficiently patriotic.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/01/smn.19.html</ref> Many Democrats could almost be considered pro-terrorism due to their votes against the Iraq War.<ref>http://usliberals.about.com/b/a/219167.htm</ref>

===Other Policies===
Democrats frequently support [[a woman's right to choose]], [[gun control]], [[homosexual civil rights|homosexual marriage]] and the seperation of church and state. The Democratic party also supports the environment which leads to reduction of pollution and a benefit to wildlife.

==Religion==
American [[Christianity|Christians]], particularly [[Evangelical]] Christians, tend to be associated with the Republican Party. However, both historically and at the present day, [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] voters have had a tendency to identify with the Democratic Party, and a number of Democratic office-holders, such as Senator [[Jim Webb]] of Virginia, are Catholics. On the other hand, several planks of the Democratic Party's platform - most notably, the party's support for the legality of [[abortion]] - are contrary to Catholic teaching.

==References==
<references/>

==Reference==

<references/> {{fact}}

[[Category:Politics]]

Velociraptor

2007-03-18T17:09:50Z

Cheney123:

'''Velociraptor''' is the name for a small, fast-running, carnivore, bird-like [[dinosaur]]. It was created on the fifth creation day (approximately 6000 B.C.)
.[1][2] Velociraptor was known in the bible as Behemoth which literally translated means "Giant Kingly Beast".[3] Velociraptor was small for a dromaeosaurid, with adults measuring up to 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) long, 0.62 meters (2 ft) high at the hip, and weighing 20 kilograms (45 lb)[4] The Bible says that two of every sort of land vertebrate (seven of the “clean” animals) were brought by God to the Ark. Therefore, Velociraptor (land vertebrates) were represented on the Ark.[5] So it logical to assume that Velociraptor survived the flood (4300 B.C). The velociraptor was thought hunted to extinction by early man , but may exist in unpopulated areas of the world.

Sources:
[1]http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/gen_1-2.shtml
[2]http://www.albatrus.org/english/theology/creation/biblical_age_earth.htm
[3]http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/behemoth.html
[4]Norell, M.A. & Makovicky, P.J. 1999. Important features of the dromaeosaurid skeleton II: information from newly collected specimens of Velociraptor mongoliensis. American Museum Novitates 3282
[5]http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2001/dinos_on_ark.asp

Velociraptor

2007-03-18T17:09:17Z

Cheney123:

'''Velociraptor''' is the name for a small, fast-running, carnivore, bird-like [[dinosaur]]. It was created on the fifth creation day (approximately 6000 B.C.)
.[1][2] Velociraptor was known in the bible as Behemoth which literally translated means "Giant Kingly Beast".[3] Velociraptor was small for a dromaeosaurid, with adults measuring up to 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) long, 0.62 meters (2 ft) high at the hip, and weighing 20 kilograms (45 lb)[4]
The Bible says that two of every sort of land vertebrate (seven of the “clean” animals) were brought by God to the Ark. Therefore, Velociraptor (land vertebrates) were represented on the Ark.[5] So it logical to assume that Velociraptor survived the flood (4300 B.C). The velociraptor was thought hunted to extinction by early man , but may exist in unpopulated areas of the world.

Sources:
[1]http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/gen_1-2.shtml
[2]http://www.albatrus.org/english/theology/creation/biblical_age_earth.htm
[3]http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/behemoth.html
[4]Norell, M.A. & Makovicky, P.J. 1999. Important features of the dromaeosaurid skeleton II: information from newly collected specimens of Velociraptor mongoliensis. American Museum Novitates 3282
[5]http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2001/dinos_on_ark.asp

George H. W. Bush

2007-03-18T15:15:24Z

Cheney123:

''George H. W. (Herbert Walker) Bush'', [[Republican]], was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. Before his presidency, Bush was the 43rd Vice President of the United States in the administration of Ronald Reagan. He has also served as the member of the United States House of Representatives for the 7th district of Texas (1967–1971), the United States Ambassador to the United Nations (1971–1973), Chairman of the Republican National Committee (1973–1974), Chief of the United States Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China (1974–1976), and Director of Central Intelligence (1976–1977). He is father of the current president [[George W. Bush]].

Perhaps more importantly than his tenure as president, Bush served in World War II as a fighter pilot, where he earned three Silver Stars and the Congressional Medal of Honor. Immediately after the end of the war, Gen. [[Dwight Eisenbower]] delivered a famous speech in which he mentioned Bush by name and called him "unquestionably the finest example of a young man that America has today."

His presidency was defined primarily with the 1990 [[Gulf War]] He faced a strong challenge from [[Pat Robertson]] in 1988 primary due to charges that he was too liberal, and some claim that he lost the presidency in 1992 due to many Republicans defecting to the [[Ross Perot]] camp. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest presidents, and in fact was named the best president of the second half of the 20th century in a 1998 poll of major historians.

== Family ==

Upon his return from the war, George Bush married Barbara Pierce. Their marriage later produced six children: George Walker Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, John Ellis "Jeb" Bush, Neil Mallon Bush, Marvin Bush, and Dorothy Bush Koch.

On Dec. 5, 2006 President George H. W. Bush, addressing Florida lawmakers and others, broke down in tears as he cited his son, Gov. Jeb Bush, as an example of leadership.[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16053170/]

The Bush dynasty is generally considered to be one of the greatest american political families, along with the Adams. This is in contrast to the irresponsible and wreckless Kennedy family.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

2007-03-16T20:45:57Z

Cheney123:

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 A.D.-1527 A.D.) wrote "[[Prince, The|The Prince]]," which is an account of government in which the "end justifies the means" (a ruler can use any means to gain power and rule his state). Historians consider Machiavelli to have been the thinker who laid the foundations for the [[Age of Revolution]].

Even today the term "Machiavellian" is used to criticize a politician who spends all his time and effort on getting ahead and manipulating other people for his own gain. A "Machiavellian" politician is a cunning person who will say or do anything if he thinks it brings him political benefit.

Machiavelli, like many of the great Renaissance artists and thinkers, lived in Florence.

George H. W. Bush

2007-03-16T20:28:17Z

Cheney123:

George H. W. Bush

2007-03-14T16:56:15Z

Cheney123: Added more historical information