Political Ideologies Essay

8/14/2019 Political Ideologies Essay

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Patrick Fox

Executive

Political Ideologies Essay

The policies of democrats and republicans often differ from their partys usual alignment

with liberal or conservative ideologies, as shown with Barack Obama, John Boehner, and Bernie

Sanders respective political policies. A liberal political ideology is a coherent and consistent set

of beliefs including a more active federal government for regulating business, supporting socialwelfare, and protecting minority rights. Liberals tend to prefer less regulation of private social

conduct. President Barack Obama can be described as a democrat with centrist policies. Sen.

Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is powerfully liberal in his policies, and the only

socialist in the U.S senate. A conservative political ideology is a coherent and consistent set of

beliefs including more limited and local government, less government regulation of markets,

more social conformity to traditional norms and values, and tougher policies towards citizens.

Conservatives generally favor lower taxes.

President Barack Obama is a democrat, but supports centrist policies (between liberal and

conservative.) Obama remains conservative in some of his economic actions, and is quite liberalin his social policies. Obama has passed a few major economic bills, including the Recovery Act,

a $787 billion stimulus plan meant to create jobs and boost the economy (Recovery.gov). The act

did so by providing funds to states and localites, supporting people in needsuch as by

extending and expanding unemployment benefits, and providing temporary tax relief for

businesses and individuals (CBO). This bill included extension of bush era tax cuts underthe

Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax

Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This represents a wholly conservative standpoint in that it

reduces taxes by billions of dollars and sends federal money to state governments, but also

supports increased welfare for unemployed workers, a liberal policy. The bill represented mostly

conservative views. Obama also passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act in 2010.

The law creates a federal healthcare system so that Americans without insurance coverage will

be able to choose the insurance coverage that works best for them in a new open, competitive

insurance market. It bans insurance companies from denying insurance coverage because of a

persons pre-existing medical conditions while giving consumers new power to appeal insurance

company decisions that deny doctor ordered treatments covered by insurance (Health and

Human Services). This is one of the most liberal laws that President Obama has signed into

passage. It supports a more active federal government for regulating business, and supports

social welfare. The president signed into passage in 2010 the HIRE act, which provided tax

incentives for small businesses that employ previously unemployed workers (IRS). This isfavoring a strong federal government and used for welfare. His economic policy often sits at both

sides of the fence, providing compromises with tax cuts and welfare. Obamas socialpolicy is

decidedly liberal, favoring civil rights and protecting minorities. In 2011, he passed the Dont

Ask, Dont Tell Repeal Act of 2010, and allowed homosexual members of the military to come

out and serve. thelaw prohibited qualified gay and lesbian Americans from serving in the

armed forces and sent a message that discrimination was acceptable(Human Rights Campaign).


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The protection of minority rights is central to liberal political ideologies. Liberals generally

support less regulation of the social contract. Because of Obamas bipartisanship on economic

issues, he can be considered a centrist with liberal social beliefs.

John Boehner, the current Speaker of the House and a Republican, is very conservative in

his policies, economic and social. He claimed in 2006, that, I support keeping taxes low andholding the line on federal spending. Congress has a responsibility to spend taxpayer dollars

wisely, and that includes cracking down on worthless pork barrel spending and reining in federal

entitlement spending(Vote Smart). This represents his distaste for increasing taxes and his wish

for a smaller federal government. Boehner voted for the Savings Recovery Act in 2009, which

decreased taxes, removed marriage penalties on taxes, and allow large tax credits for students

applying to colleges (govtrack). On his website, he states, Republicans understand we ought to

stabilize, restore, and grow personal savings during this recession (Speaker.gov). This reflects

the conservative ideal of protecting personal funds and economic liberties by the reduction of

taxes. In 2006, Boehner claimed that the government should notStrengthen emission controls

and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks,

and sport utility vehicles (Vote Smart). This shows his conservative position on government

regulation of marketsthat they should not be regulated. Boehner has an incredibly conservative

view on social issues. In 1996, he stated that Abortions should always be illegal (Vote Smart).

His conservative values make him averse to contraceptives in health plans and gay marriage, but

his commitment to immigration reform remains unaffected (On The Issues). Boehners

standpoints are incredibly conservative, economically and socially.

Bernie Sanders, a socialist senator from Vermont, has very liberal views on almost every

topic. He said in a public statement in 2011, While the middle class is in rapid decline, while

real median family income is going down, while wages for millions of workers are going down,

while poverty is increasing, we also are at a moment when the wealthiest people in this country

have never had it so good. Over a recent 25-year period, 80 percent of all new income went to

the top 1 percent(Thomas.gov). Bernie Sanders is a major proponent of supporting minorities

and providing welfare to citizens. In 2009, he provided the key vote to the Preventative Services

Coverage Requirements, which provide immunizations and healthcare screenings for children

(Vote Smart). This is a tenet of liberal ideologiessupporting welfare for the public. Sanders has

a sparkling vote record for civil rights bills. He voted against Bush phone tracking and yes on

reauthorizing the violence against women act (2006), as well as no on redefining marriage

against gays. Sanders supports strong regulation of business. He voted for requiring regulation ofconduct for corporations abroad and lending caps from credit unions to small businesses (On the

issues). Sanders liberalism is off the charts in some senses. His committed support for all the

tenets of liberalism places him in the far spectrum of radical liberalism.

While political parties may stay the same, political ideologies vary vastly from different

political leaders. The fact that Obama, Boehner, and Sanders all act away from simple party lines

shows this fact, and defines gaps in political parties.


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Bibliography

BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . Obama backs gay marriage rights

Econ Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . Kenyesian implications of 2009 recovery act

"Obama administration had restrictions on NSA reversed in 2011." Washington Post. N.p., n.d.

Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . Obama

increased powers of the NSA

"Obama cuts FEMA funding by 3 percent. Romney-Ryan cuts it by 40 percent. Or more. Or

less." Washington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.

. FEMA cuts

and redistribution

Works Cited

"Barack Obama on the Issues."Issues2000. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.

. EVERY SINGLE THING Obama

ever did

"The Budget-- Public Statement." Thomas.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.

.


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"Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and

Economic Output from October 2011 Through December 2011." CBO. N.p., n.d. Web. 9

Oct. 2013. . Provisions of ARRA

HHS.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.

. Obamacare provisions

"Hiring Incentives for Unemployed."IRS. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.

. Describes HIRE act

Human Rights Campaign. Human Rights Campaign, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.

. DADT

"The President Signs Repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell': 'Out of Many, We Are One.'" White

House. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.

. President signs Don't ask don't tell repeal

"The Recovery Act."Recovery.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.

. entails the content of the 2009

recovery act

"Savings Recovery Act 2006."govtrack. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.


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the Savings Recovery Act will ensure workers retain control over their hard-earned

401(k), not the federal government.- See more at:

http://www.speaker.gov/general/house-gops-savings-recovery-act-will-help-middle-class-

families-rebuild-their-savings#sthash.mNBkHB2O.dpuf>.

Speaker of the house. us gov, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. .

"Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010:

Information Center."IRS. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . Details on extending bush tax cuts

Us Department of Health and Human Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.

. Affordable Care Act inception

"Vote Smart." Vote Smart. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. .


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2. Website Title:

_______IRS.gov_________________________________________________________

3. What organization and/or individual created this website?

_________________us government________________________________________________

4. Can you rely on this information? Yes No Why or why not?

________________It is part of the U.sGovernment______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_____

6. Is the material:___Primary/Original___Secondary/Derived?

9. When was this page written or last updated?

_2010_______________________________________

10. Please rate this web page.

use with caution good, basic information excellent for the assignment

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1. URL of the Website: http://__________http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/rights/law/index.html____________________________________________

2. Website Title:

_________HHS.GOV_______________________________________________________

3. What organization and/or individual created this website?

______________________Dept health and human

services________________________________________________________

4. Can you rely on this information? Yes No Why or why not?_____________primary source and cites the bill_______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. Is the material:___Primary/Original___Secondary/Derived?9. When was this page written or last updated?

________________________________________

10. Please rate this web page.

use with caution good, basic information excellent for the assignment

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Political Ideologies Essay