By Chris McManigal
Second of a 4-part series spotlighting the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian and Green Party.
The Republican Party is one of the main two parties in the United States. Sometimes referred to as the GOP, which stands for the Grand Old Party, this party was founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists and is regarded as the more traditional or right-wing of these two parties.
The leading ideology of the Republicans is that of conservatism. Because of their conservative leanings, Republicans tend to favor small government policies that promote free-market capitalism and as such do not promote governmental intervention in our lives. They also generally do not support labor unions, universal health care or social programs that require taxpayer funding.
Because Republicans are free-market capitalists, they do not support regulation of business. This is because regulation tends to increase operating costs to business, which they feel stifles job creation and ultimately hurts the economy overall. Many Republicans also do not support regulation because of their belief in a meritocracy, which is the idea that success will naturally come about as the result of the hard work and ability, not as the result of government intervention.
There have been 18 Republican Presidents in the United States. Among these, the most famous are Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Republican Presidents have been responsible for many advances seen in our society today including creating the interstate highway system, creating National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), founding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ending the Cold War and forging trade alliances with China. They also oversaw the first manned mission to the moon and enforced school desegregation efforts in the south during the Civil Rights era.
Republicans as seen by supporters: pro-taxpayer, pro-family, pro-business, defenders of American values, pro-military.
Republicans as seen by opponents: anti-diversity, anti-gay rights, xenophobic, nationalistic.
Key ideology: Conservatism/traditionalism
Size: 31 million
Color: Red
Mascot: The elephant