Politics of the United States

By: Benedict Gombocz

Government of the United States

Government: Federal presidential constitutional republic and Representative two-party democracy

President: Barack Obama (Democratic)

Vice President: Joe Biden (Democratic)

Speaker of the House: John Boehner (Republican)

Chief Justice: John Roberts

Major parties

Democratic Party Republican Party

Years of United States presidential elections and the winning party (from first Democratic victory in 1852)

1852: Democrats 1856: Democrats 1860: Republicans 1864: Republicans 1868: Republicans 1872: Republicans 1876: Republicans 1880: Republicans 1884: Republicans 1888: Republicans 1892: Republicans 1896: Republicans 1900: Republicans 1904: Republicans

Years of United States presidential elections and the winning party (from first Democratic victory in 1852 – cont.)

1908: Republicans 1912: Democrats 1916: Democrats 1920: Republicans 1924: Republicans 1928: Republicans 1932: Democrats 1936: Democrats 1940: Democrats 1944: Democrats 1948: Democrats 1952: Republicans 1956: Republicans 1960: Democrats 1964: Democrats

Years of United States presidential elections and the winning party (from first Democratic victory in 1852 – cont.)

1968: Republicans 1972: Republicans 1976: Democrats 1980: Republicans 1984: Republicans 1988: Republicans 1992: Democrats 1996: Democrats 2000: Republicans 2004: Republicans 2008: Democrats

Major Third Parties

Constitution Party Green Party Libertarian Party

Democratic Party

Founded in 1828 (modern) and 1792 (historical)

One of the two major political parties in the United States, together with the Republican Party

Its social liberal and progressive platform is largely regarded to be center-left in the U.S. political spectrum

Has the longest record of continued operation in the United States and is one of the oldest political parties in the world

Currently has a minority of seats in the House of Representatives, but a majority of seats in the Senate

Republican Party

Founded in 1854 as the successor of the Whig Party

Often referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party), although rival Democratic Party is older

One of the two major political parties in the United States, together with the Democratic Party

Its platform typically reflects American conservatism in the U.S. political spectrum and is regarded to be center-right

Currently has a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and minority of seats in the Senate

Constitution Party

Founded in 1991 as U.S. Taxpayers’ Party and 1999 as Constitution Party

Paleoconservative party Its goal as stated in its own

words is “to restore our government to its Constitutional limits and our law to its Biblical foundations.”

Puts a large focus on immigration and calls for stricter penalties towards illegal immigrants

Absorbed the American Independent Party, originally founded for Alabama Governor George Wallace’s 1968 presidential campaign

Green Party

Founded in 1991 Voluntary association

of state green parties Established a national

political presence with its founding

Became the primary national Green organization in the U.S. and eclipsed the earlier Greens/Green Party USA

Has won elected office at the local level

Libertarian Party

Founded on 11 December 1971 Third largest and fastest

growing party Its political platform evidences

its brand of libertarianism and favors minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration across borders, and non-intervention in foreign policy

Hundreds of their candidates have been elected or appointed to public office; thousands have run for office under the Libertarian banner

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

U.S. Representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district since 2005 and member of the Democratic Party and Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee

Born on 27 September 1966 in Forest Hills, New York

Previously served in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate

Is the first Jewish congresswoman to be elected from Florida

Reince Priebus

Chairman of the Republican National Committee

Born on 18 March 1972 in Kenosha, Wisconsin

Also a previous chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin

Is of Greek and German descent, the son of Dimitria and and Roula Priebus

Jim Clymer

Current chairman of the Constitution Party

Born on 4 May 1948 Grew up in Lancaster,

Pennsylvania and received a law degree

Admitted into the Pennsylvania Bar Association in May 1978

Appointed Chairman of the Bob Smith for Senate Committee

Joined the Libertarian Party in 1992 and ran as their candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General

Mark Hinkle

National Chairman of the Libertarian Party

Born on 28 January 1951 Elected by the delegates of

the 2010 Libertarian National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on 30 May 2010

Ran for the 15th District California State Senate seat that left vacant when Republican Abel Maldonado was named Lieutenant Governor

Lost to Sam Blakeslee in a special election held on 17 August 2010

Results of 2008 presidential election

2008 presidential election – Nationwide results (popular vote)

Barack Obama (Democratic): 52.92% John McCain (Republican): 45.66% Ralph Nader (Independent): 0.56% Bob Barr (Libertarian): 0.40% Chuck Baldwin (Constitution): 0.15% Cynthia McKinney (Green): 0.12% Other: 0.18%

Results of 2012 presidential election

2012 presidential election – Popular vote

Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democratic): 65,899,660 (51.0%)

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (Republican): 60,932,152 (47.2%)

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