Compare the Parties: See the Difference
Detailed
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Issue |
Green Party |
Republicans |
Democrats |
| Invasion and Occupation of Iraq | Oppose Greens opposed the invasion of Iraq and oppose the continued occupation of the country. Greens favor an immediate withdrawal of US troops and US influence over Iraq as an occupying power. Greens favor giving the UN and a regional coalition a major role in dealing with security issues during Iraq's transition to a new government. |
Support The Bush Administration, persuaded by a group of influential neoconservatives, has pursued an unconstitutional agenda of US-imposed regime change. They've openly stated that the goal of US foreign policy should be to democratize (by diplomacy or by military force) nations deemed a threat to US interests and security. Beginning with his infamous "Axis of Evil" statement, President Bush made clear that the use of force by the US against other nations will be a constant threat. |
Support Only a handful of Democrats opposed Bush's call for an invasion. Very few have demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq[.] [Only now, after 3 years of [disastrous] war have they finally started to demand withdrawal, and many still insist we need to stay. John Kerry insists that the invasion was a mistake, driven by faulty intelligence about Iraq's Weapons programs. Criticized the Bush Administration as unwilling to use the UN, weapons inspections and diplomacy to seek a peaceful resolution to the question of Iraq's weapons. However, Kerry (and John Edwards) voted to grant President Bush authorization to wage an unconstitutional, undeclared war on Iraq. Kerry says the President has the right to preemptively strike any nation without Congressional approval. |
| Patriot Act | Oppose Law gives too much power to President and undermines civil liberties. Law will NOT help prevent terrorism. |
Support Republicans created this sweeping infringement on individual rights and liberties. |
Support Democrats supported it, including John Kerry. The Democratic Platform says nothing about overturning or revising the USA Patriot Act or about the Ashcroft Justice Department's possible plans to expand the act. More than 330 cities, four states, and the Green Party have condemned the act's numerous violations of the U.S. Constitution. |
| Invasion of Afghanistan | Oppose Opposed the full-scale bombing and invasion of Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan has not done anything to reduce the threat of terrorism or shrink the size and support for terror groups. Afghanistan is a country in disarray. Warlords now dominate the country. |
Supported | Supported |
| Kosovo War | Opposed Opposed the Kosovo Bombings by NATO in 1999. |
Supported | Supported |
| Military Budget | Reduce Call for sharp reductions in military spending, with funds redirected into social and environmental needs. Greens oppose many useless cold-war era weapons systems (Missile Defense) as boondoggles for defense fatcats. |
Increase President Bush advocates increases in military spending and enactment of "Star Wars" National Missile Defense. |
Increase Al Gore proposed even greater increases than Bush in 2000 and he supported Star Wars. Despite GOP claims to the contrary, Kerry is generally seen as a Hawk and supports significant increases in the military budget and has proposed an expansion of US Special Forces. Kerry voted for Missile Defense in 1999. SANE gave John Kerry a 20% rating in 2003. |
| Israeli Occupation of West Bank and Gaza. | Oppose | Support Supports Sharon's policies and the illegal "security fence" in the West Bank. |
Support Supports Sharon's policies and the illegal "security fence" in the West Bank. |
| Global Warming - Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Support Support rapid reduction of global Greenhouse gas emissions. Support Kyoto Treaty as a first step; support higher efficiency standards, conversion to renewable energy sources such as low-cost wind and solar power. |
Oppose Oppose any reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. President Bush withdrew the U.S. from the Kyoto Treaty to reduce greenhouse gases and fossil fuel use (oil, coal). |
Oppose and Failed
to Act. Failed to act on global warming in 1990s. Bill Clinton and Al Gore sabotaged the Kyoto Treaty in November, 2000, demanding higher US greenhouse gas emissions. Clinton and Gore sought no improvement in automobile efficiency standards. Kerry voted against the global climate change treaty in 1997. Democrats still will not stand up for the Kyoto treaty. |
| Right to Choose | Support Support full access to abortion, with funding for all women in the U.S. and around the world. |
Oppose President Bush opposes abortion, ordered a ban on US funds for overseas agencies that offer abortion and has nominated Supreme Court justices that are far more likely to consider overturning Roe v. Wade. |
Support (?) Support abortion rights -- but former President Bill Clinton signed the same ban in November, 1999. Al Gore favored outlawing late-term abortion in the US. Sen. John Kerry is opposed to a ban on partial-birth abortions. |
| National Health Insurance | Support single-payer national health insurance, with guaranteed treatment and medicine regardless of age, ability to pay, employment, or prior medical condition, and with choice of doctors and hospitals. |
Oppose Oppose guaranteed universal health care, support health policy based on corporate profits for insurance, HMO, and drug companies instead of human need. |
Oppose Bill Clinton and Al Gore promoted health policy based on corporate profits; deleted plans for universal health care from the Democratic platform. John Kerry is unwilling to support a single-payer system, although he supports making "affordable" health care a right. Democrats are still in the pocket of the medical industry's big money lobbyists. |
| Clean Water | Support Demand immediate arsenic reductions. |
Oppose President Bush wants to delay a 9 month order to reduce arsenic in drinking water. |
Weak Support Bill Clinton delayed action for 8 years before signing an order just before Bush took office. |
| Death Penalty | Oppose Oppose the death penalty, citing racial bias, failure to deter crime, widespread errors, and humanitarian objections. |
Support | Support |
| Labor: Wages and Unions | Support Demand a livable wage (minimum pay that people can live on, approx $10/hr in most communities), democratic workplaces, strong unions, and repeal of Taft-Hartley restrictions. Note: Between 1965-1975 the US Federal Minimum Wage was approximately $8.00/hr (in 2005 dollars). |
Oppose Workers Oppose raising minimum wages and have worked to weaken unions and labor standards. |
Minimal Support Support insignificant incremental minimum wages increases, claim to support worker's rights but refuse to overturn Taft-Hartley Act restrictions on union organizing. Democrat Platform is silent on Taft-Hartley and living wages. |
| (Global) Corporate
Power
Trade Agreements and Institutions (NAFTA, FTAA, CAFTA, WTO) |
Restrict Greens oppose trade pacts because of their anti-democratic power to overturn labor, environmental, and human rights protections. |
Expand Support so-called "Free Trade" Pacts (WTO, NAFTA, FTAA). |
Expand Support the same Free Trade Pacts. Given the negative impacts of pro-corporate trade policies, many Democrats now amend their support with rhetorical demands for more "labor and environmental standards" but rarely suggest that international trade organizations like the WTO need to be seriously reviewed. |
| Real Campaign
Finance Reform & Publicly Financed Elections For more on money in politics, visit OpenSecrets. |
Support Green candidates rely on small contributors and run their campaigns with the help and hard work of thousands of grassroots volunteers around the country. Demand fully-funded, publicly financed elections with free air-time, reasonable ballot access, and debates that are open to all legitimate candidates. |
Oppose Bush's 2004 campaign raised more than $250 Million. Accept big checks from corporations (individuals from Top 5 contributor origins 2004: |
Oppose Kerry's 2004 campaign raised more than $230 Million. Accept big checks from corporations (individuals from corporations and via bundled contributions). Chose corporate fundraiser Terry McAuliffe to head the Democratic National Committee (Howard Dean is now the Chair). Democrats say they support campaign finance reform but they do not advocate for 100% publicly financed elections - while they continue to accept big checks from powerful corporate donors. Top 5 contributor origins 2004: |
| Electoral Reforms
& Democracy
(More information: www.fairvote.org) |
Support Call for major democratic reforms to strengthen citizen participation and minority representation, including proportional representation, instant run-off voting, monitoring of elections, and public financing of campaigns. |
Oppose No position on democratic reforms. Republican ideologues on the Supreme Court threw the 2000 election to Bush. |
Oppose No position on electoral reform, even after the 2000 Florida election scandal. The Clinton Justice Dept. refused to investigate obstruction of African American votes. |
| 2000 Florida Election - Congressional Investigation | Support Greens supported the Congressional Black Caucus' demand to have Congressional Hearings on the vote count and voting process in Florida. |
Oppose Republican ideologues on the Supreme Court threw the 2000 election to Bush. |
Oppose The Clinton Justice Dept. refused to investigate obstruction of African American votes. |
| Reform the Presidential Debate Commission | Support A new citizen-controlled debate commission should be formed to handle all future Presidential debates. ALL legitimate candidates should have the opportunity to participate in political debates. |
Oppose | Oppose |
| Strict Standards on GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) | Support Greens support thorough testing and strict controls of all GMOs. |
Oppose | Oppose |
| Corporate Agriculture | Oppose Greens support family-scale farms, diversified, sustainable agriculture that emphasizes organic growing methods. |
Support | Support |
| Drug War | Oppose | Support | Support |
| Telecommunications Deregulation - Giveaway of public broadcast spectrum to private companies. | Opposed to
Deregulation Greens support the creation of substantial public space for non-profit use of airwaves. Today private broadcasters totally control what the public owns. |
Supported Supported the giveaway of public airwaves to private companies. |
Supported Supported the giveaway of public airwaves to private companies. |
| Bank Deregulation and Banking Reform | Opposed to bank
deregulation. Advocate democratic reforms, which would include creating publicly funded "community investment banks" and mandating low-interest loans for low-income persons and first-time small business entrepreneurs. |
Supported bank deregulation. | Supported bank deregulation. |
| Increased Accounting Oversight | Support Supports fundamental changes in the way publicly traded companies' financial records are audited. |
Oppose | Opposed until the Enron scandal broke. |
