nomination. Although the candidates have expressed widely differing views, at the heart of party

politics is holding the same values and beliefs. So what exactly do Republicans believe?

To start, the Republican Party calls itself “the party of opportunity,” referring to

the idea that in The U.S. there we should be free in our pursuit is should be equal opportunity for all.

To achieve this end, they believe there should be limited

government interference in daily life as it leads to a better functioning state. This

means fewer business regulations and smaller bureaucracies in public institutions. The

figurehead of the modern conservative movement, Ronald Reagan, explained it best: “The nine

most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

When it comes to the economy, Republicans tend to believe in the power of the free market

to generate wealth. This is an idea espoused by Reagan’s supply-side economics,

colloquially known as “trickle-down” theory. In this system, it’s believed that low taxes for

the rich will prompt them to invest in businesses, thus creating more jobs, causing the wealth

to trickle down to the poor. This theory was most recently seen in the George W. Bush era

tax cuts for those making more than $200,000 dollars a year.

Today, this is accepted doctrine in the Republican Party. The most recent party platform, ratified

in 2012, espouses the belief that “any American who works hard, dreams big and follows the

rules can achieve anything he or she wants.” As a result, Republicans don’t believe in

many social services, like welfare, or a single-payer healthcare system. Aside from Medicare and

Medicaid, Republicans prefer to stick to private insurers. Repealing Obamacare is a crucial

part of their platform.

Republicans also tend to hold conservative views on social issues. Despite gay marriage

bans being ruled unconstitutional in 2015, candidates like Ben Carson and Mike Huckabee

have expressed their opposition to the idea. The 2012 platform opposes a “redefinition”

of marriage, and maintains an anti-abortion stance.

Republicans are also known for supporting the military. Ever since Theodore Roosevelt’s

presidency, the GOP has advocated for American exceptionalism and intervention around the

world. Republicans believe this is possible only through a strong military.

Today, the platform advocates “peace through strength”, promoting American ideals of freedom and democracy

while maintaining a formidable army.

But today the Republican Party has seen internal instability. Within Congress, far right members

have forced the unseating of the Speaker of the House, and prevented party unity, despite

a Congressional majority. This split has threatened to divide the Republican Party.

Clearly, there are many types of Republicans: from free-market conservatives to the religious

right, the diversity of views within the party is astounding. That being said, Republicans

do all seem to agree on two things: lower taxes and smaller government.

Now you know what Republicans believe. What about their more liberal counterparts, the Democrats?

Find out in this video. Thanks for watching TestTube News! Make sure to like

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