Democratic Party
Party Chairman	Howard Dean
Senate Leader	Harry Reid
House Leader	Nancy Pelosi (speaker) Steny Hoyer (majority leader)
Founded	1824 (modern) 1792 (historical)
Headquarters	430 South Capitol Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003
Political ideology	American Liberalism American Progressivism Social liberalism
Political position	Fiscal: Moderate Social: Center-left
International affiliation	None
Color(s)	Blue (unofficial)
Website	www.democrats.org

United States of America
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the United States Image File history File links Democratslogo. ... Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Nancy Patricia DAlesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the... Steny Hamilton Hoyer (born June 14, 1939) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the Marylands 5th congressional district since 1981. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - District Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... Modern liberalism in the United States is a form of liberalism that began in the United States in the last years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. ... In the United States the term progressivism refers to two political movements: first, the original political progressive movement towards social and economic reform of the late 1800s and early 1900s; and second, the continuation of this movement/ideology in the form of modern progressivism which sees itself as a reform... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... In politics, the term centre-left is commonly used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that stretch from the centre to the left or are moderately left-wing, as opposed to extreme left wing beliefs such as communism. ... Map of results by state of the 2004 U.S. presidential election, representing states won by the Democrats as blue and those won by the Republican Party as red. ... The Great Seal of the United States, obverse side. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Politics of the United States takes place in a framework of a presidential republic...
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The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countriesAtlas  Politics Portal      The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal (national), state and... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      United States presidential elections determine who serves as president and vice president of the United... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Midterm elections are elections in the United States in which members of Congress, state legislatures, and... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      This list of political parties in the United States contains past and present political parties in the... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... A state government is the government of a subnational entity in nation-states with federal forms of government, which shares political power with the federal government or national government. ... Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ... Current party control of Governors offices (2006). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      All United States states are required to possess a legislative branch. ... In the U.S., a state court has jurisdiction over disputes which occur in a state. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Local government in the United States (sometimes referred to as municipal government) is generally structured... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Politics of the United States takes place in a framework of a presidential republic... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ...

Since the 2006 midterm elections the Democratic Party is the majority party for the 110th Congress; the party holds an outright majority in the House of Representatives and the Democratic caucus (including two independents) constitutes a majority in the United States Senate. Democrats also hold a majority of state governorships and control a plurality of state legislatures. It is currently the largest political party with 72 million registered members, 42.6% of the electorate.^[1] The democratic base comprises two widely diverging demographics. On one hand, there are those in the working class, who are commonly conservative on social issues. On the other hand, it includes well-educated and relatively affluent liberals.^[2] For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. ... A two-party system is a form of party system where two major political parties dominate the voting in nearly all elections. ... United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... The Senate Democratic Caucus is the formal organization of the (currently) 44 Democratic Senators in the United States Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... Current party control of Governors offices (2006). ... A plurality, relative majority or simple majority is the largest share of something, which may or may not be considered a majority, i. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      All United States states are required to possess a legislative branch. ... The first U.S. census, in 1790, recorded under 4 million Americans. ... The term working class is used to denote a social class. ... This graph shows the educational attainment since 1947. ... The percentage of households and individuals over the age of 25 with incomes exceeding $100,000 in the US.[1][2] Affluence in the United States refers to an individuals or households state of being in an economically favorable position in contrast to a given reference group. ... This article discusses the history and development of various notions of liberalism in the United States. ...

The Democratic Party traces its origins to the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and other influential opponents of the Federalists in 1792. Since the division of the Republican Party in the election of 1912, it has consistently positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party in economic as well as social matters. The economically left-leaning activist philosophy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, which has strongly influenced American liberalism, has shaped much of the party's economic agenda since 1932. Roosevelt's New Deal coalition usually controlled the national government until 1964. The civil rights movement of the 1960s, championed by the party despite opposition at the time from its Southern wing, has continued to inspire the party's liberal principles. Since the 1990s the party has pursued centrist economic policies combined with a liberal social agenda. The Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison as the Republican party (not related to the present-day Republican Party) in 1792, was the dominant political party in the United States from 1800 until the 1820s, when it split into competing factions, one of which became the... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836), an American politician and fourth President of the United States of America (1809–1817), was one of the most influential Founders of the United States. ... The Federalist Party (or Federal Party) was an American political party during the First Party System, in the period 1793 to 1816, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... “Leftism” redirects here. ... FDR redirects here. ... This article discusses the history and development of various notions of liberalism in the United States. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... The New Deal was the title President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to the series of programs he initiated between 1933 and 1938 with the goal of providing relief, recovery, and reform (3 Rs) to the people and economy of the United States during the Great Depression. ... The New Deal coalition was the alignment of interest groups and voting blocks who supported the New Deal and voted for Democratic presidential candidates from 1932 until approximately 1966, which made the Democratic Party the majority party during the Fifth Party System. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

[edit] Current structure and composition

Image:Party affiliation USA.jpg Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for promoting Democratic campaign activities. While the DNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Democratic Platform, the DNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy. In presidential elections it supervises the Democratic National Convention. The national convention is, subject to the charter of the party, the ultimate authority within the Democratic Party when it is in session, with the DNC running the party's organization at other times. The DNC is currently chaired by former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... Featured at the Democratic National Convention are speeches by prominent party figures. ... Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. ...

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) assists party candidates in House races; its current chairman (selected by the party caucus) is Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. Similarly the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) raises large sums for Senate races. It is currently headed by Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), currently chaired by Mike Gronstal of Iowa, is a smaller organization with much less funding that focuses on state legislative races. The DNC sponsors the College Democrats of America (CDA), a student-outreach organization with the goal of training and engaging a new generation of Democratic activists. Democrats Abroad is the organization for Americans living outside the United States; they work to advance the goals of the party and encourage Americans living abroad to support the Democrats. The Young Democrats of America (YDA) is a youth-led organization that attempts to draw in and mobilize young people for Democratic candidates, but operates outside of the DNC. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is an organization supporting the candidacies of Democratic gubernatorial nominees and incumbents; it is currently chaired by Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. Categories: Politics stubs ... Christopher Chris Van Hollen, Jr. ... DSCC can also refer to Defense Supply Center, Columbus. ... Charles Ellis Chuck Schumer (born November 23, 1950) is the senior Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party. ... The College Democrats (officially named the College Democrats of America) are the official organization of the United States Democratic Party for college students. ... Democrats Abroad Democrats Abroad is the official organization of the Democratic Party of the United States for expatriates, representing Democrats that are citizens of the U.S. but live outside the United States. ... The Young Democrats of America (YDA), founded in 1932, is the official youth arm of the Democratic Party of the United States, although it severed official ties with the Democratic National Committee following passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and became an independent 527 group. ... The Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C.-based organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. ... Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius (born May 15, 1948 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American Democratic politician who currently serves as the 44th Governor of Kansas. ...

Each state also has a state committee, made up of elected committee members as well as ex-officio committee members (usually elected officials and representatives of major constituencies), which in turn elects a chair. County, town, city and ward committees generally are comprised of individuals elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions and in some cases primaries or caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law. Rarely do they have much funding, but in 2005 DNC Chairman Dean began a program (called the "50 State Strategy") of using DNC national funds to assist all state parties and paying for full time professional staffers.^[3]

[edit] Ideology and voter base

Further information: Factions in the Democratic Party (United States) and Political ideologies in the United States

Composition of the Democratic base according to a 2005 Pew Research Center study.

Since the 1890s, the Democratic Party has favored "liberal" positions (the term "liberal" in this sense describes social liberalism, not classical liberalism). In recent exit polls, the Democratic Party has had broad appeal across all socio-ethno-economic demographics.^[4][5][6] The Democratic base currently consists of a large number of well-educated and relatively affluent liberals as well as those in the socially more conservative working class.^[2] The Democratic Party is currently the nation's largest party. In 2004, roughly 72 million (42.6%) Americans were registered Democrats, compared to 55 million (32.5%) Republicans and 42 million (24.8%) independents.^[1] The Democratic Party of the United States is composed of various different factions, with some overlap and enough agreement between them to coexist with each other within the party. ... Political Compass. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Modern liberalism in the United States is a form of liberalism that began in the United States in the last years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. ... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... Classical liberalism (also known as traditional liberalism[1] and laissez-faire liberalism[2]) is a doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom from restraint as exemplified in the writings of Adam...

Historically, the party has favored farmers, laborers, labor unions, and religious and ethnic minorities; it has opposed unregulated business and finance, and favored progressive income taxes. In foreign policy, internationalism (including interventionism) was a dominant theme from 1913 to the mid 1960s. In the 1930s, the party began advocating welfare spending programs targeted at the poor. The party had a pro-business wing, typified by Al Smith, that shrank in the 1930s. The Southern conservative wing shrank in the 1980s. The major influences for liberalism were the labor unions (which peaked in the 1936-1952 era), and the African American wing, which has steadily grown since the 1960s. Since the 1970s, environmentalism has been a major new component. Alfred Emanuel Al Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was Governor of New York, and Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928. ... Southern Democrats are members of the U.S. Democratic Party who reside in the U.S. South. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ...

In recent decades, the party has adopted a centrists economic and more socially progressive agenda, with the voter base having shifted considerably. Once dominated by unionized labor and the working class, the Democratic base now consists of social liberals who tend to be well educated with above-average incomes as well as the socially more conservative working class. Today, Democrats advocate civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, affirmative action, fiscal responsibility, and a free enterprise system tempered by government intervention (mixed economy).The economic policy adopted by the modern Democratic Party, including the former Clinton administration, may also be referred to as the "Third Way".^[7] The party believes that government should play a role in alleviating poverty and social injustice, even if such requires a larger role for government and progressive taxation. In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... Social progressivism is the view that as time progresses, society should disgregard morality in place of political correctness. ... The term working class is used to denote a social class. ... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ... Affirmative action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... From a Keynesian point of view, a balanced budget in the public sector is achieved when the government has enough fiscal discipline to be able to equate the revenues with expenditure over the business cycles. ... Capitalism generally refers to an economic system in which the means of production are all or mostly privately[1][2] owned and operated for profit, and in which investments, distribution, income, production and pricing of goods and services are determined through the operation of a free market. ... A mixed economy is an economy that has a mix of economic systems. ... President Clintons Cabinet, circa 1993 Headed by President of the United States Bill Clinton, the Clinton Administation was the executive branch of the federal government of the United States from 1993 to 2001. ... The Third Way, or Radical Middle, is a centrist philosophy of governance that embraces a mix of market and interventionist philosophies. ... Social injustice is a concept relating to the perceived unfairness or injustice of a society in its divisions of rewards and burdens. ... A progressive tax is a tax imposed so that the tax rate increases as the amount to which the rate is applied increases. ...

The Democratic Party, once dominant in the Southeastern United States, is now strongest in the Northeast (Mid-Atlantic and New England), Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Region, as well as along the Pacific Coast (especially Coastal California), including Hawaii. The west coast may be referred to as Left Coast due to its geographic position relative to the rest of the continental U.S. and left-of-center political leaning. The Democrats are also strongest in major cities. Recently, Democratic candidates have been faring better in some southern states, such as Virginia, Arkansas, and Florida, and in the Rocky Mountain states, especially Colorado and Montana. Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... It has been suggested that Middle Atlantic States be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... The Great Lakes states of the U.S. are colored red in this map. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Counties commonly seen as constituting coastal California. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Left Coast is a political expression with regards to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast. ... Ten most populous cities in the United States Los Angeles San Jose San Diego Phoenix Chicago New York City Houston San Antonio Dallas Philadelphia The following is a list of the most populous incorporated places in the United States. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26N to 49°N  - Longitude 104°2W to 116°2W Population  Ranked...

[edit] Social Liberals

Main articles: Modern liberalism in the United States, Liberalism in the United States, and Progressivism in the United States

Opinions of liberals in a 2005 Pew Research Center study.

Social liberals, a group that in American terms is almost synonimous with social progressives, constitute a large part, circa 45.6%, of the Democratic voter base. Liberals thereby form the largest united typological demographic within the Democratic base. Today, modern American liberalism, a variant of social liberalism is the party's main ideology. Social liberals, many of whom a are college-educated professionals tend to be centrist on economic issues, yet are quite left-leaning on social issues. According to the Pew Research Center liberals constitute roughly 19% of the electorate with 92% of American liberals favoring the Democratic Party.^[2] While college-educated professionals were mostly Republican until the 1950, they now compromises the perhaps most vital component of the Democratic Party.^[8] Modern liberalism in the United States is a form of liberalism that began in the United States in the last years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. ... This article discusses the history and development of various notions of liberalism in the United States. ... In the United States the term progressivism refers to two political movements: first, the original political progressive movement towards social and economic reform of the late 1800s and early 1900s; and second, the continuation of this movement/ideology in the form of modern progressivism which sees itself as a reform... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... Social progressivism is the view that as time progresses, society should disgregard morality in place of political correctness. ...

A majority of of liberals favor diplomacy over military action, stem-cell research, the legalization of same-sex marriage, secular government, stricter gun control and environmental protection laws as well as the preservation of abortion rights. They tend to be rather divided on free trade agreements and organizations such as NAFTA. Most liberals oppose increased military standing and the display of the ten commandments in public buildings. Immigration and cultural diversity is deemed positive. As a result liberals favor cultural pluralism, a system in which immigrants retain their native culture in addition to adopting their new culture.^[2] This ideological group differs from the traditional organizaed labor base. According to the Pew Research Center, a plurality, 41% resided in mass affluent households and 49% were college graduates, the highest figure of any typographical group. It was also the fasest growing typological group between the late 1990s and early 2000s.^[2] Liberals include most of academia^[9] and large portion of the professional class.^[4][5][6] Mouse embryonic stem cells. ... See also Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage is a term for a governmentally, socially, or religiously recognized marriage in which two people of the same sex live together as a family. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Gun politics. ... Nafta or NAFTA may refer to: an acronym for the North American Free Trade Agreement an acronym for the New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement the town/Tokyo of Nafta, Tunisia This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Main articles: Pluralism and Multiculturalism Cultural pluralism exists when all groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities. ... Mass affluent is a marketing term used to refer to the growing high end of the mass market. ...

Many progressive Democrats are descendants of the New Left of Democratic Presidential candidate/Senator George McGovern of South Dakota; others were involved in the presidential candidacies of Vermont Governor Howard Dean and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio; and still others are disaffected former members of the Green Party. The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is a caucus of progressive Democrats, and is the single largest Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives. Its members have included Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers (Michigan), Jim McDermott (Washington), John Lewis (Georgia), the late Senator Paul Wellstone (Minnesota), Barbara Lee (California), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). In the United States the term progressivism refers to two political movements: first, the original political progressive movement towards social and economic reform of the late 1800s and early 1900s; and second, the continuation of this movement/ideology in the form of modern progressivism which sees itself as a reform... The New Left is a term used in different countries to describe left-wing movements that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. ... George McGovern on May 8, 1972 cover of Time Magazine George Stanley McGovern, Ph. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. ... Dennis John Kucinich (born October 8, 1946) is an American politician of the Democratic party and a candidate for President of the United States in both 2004 and 2008. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... In United States politics, the Green Party has been active as a third party since the 1980s. ... The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) the single largest caucus in the United States House of Representatives, and works together to advance progressive issues and causes. ... Dennis John Kucinich (born October 8, 1946) is an American politician of the Democratic party and a candidate for President of the United States in both 2004 and 2008. ... John Conyers, Jr. ... James Adelbert Jim McDermott (born December 28, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois) is the current U.S. Representative for Washingtons 7th congressional district. ... John Robert Lewis (born February 21, 1940) is an American politician and was an important leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. ... Paul David Wellstone (July 21, 1944 – October 25, 2002) was an American politician and two-term U.S. Senator from Minnesota. ... Barbara Jean Lee (born July 16, 1946), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing Californias 9th congressional district (map) and is the first woman to represent that district. ... Sherrod Campbell Brown (born November 9, 1952) is the Democratic Junior United States Senator from the state of Ohio. ... Bernard Bernie Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current junior United States Senator from Vermont. ...

[edit] Academia

Percent of faculty members identifying as liberal and conservative by discipline.

Academicians, Intellectuals and the highly educated overall constitute an important part of the Democratic voter base. Academia in particular tends to be liberal. In 2005, nearly three quarters, 72%, of full-time faculty members identified as liberal, while 15% identified as conservative. The social sciences and humanities were the most liberal disciplines while business was the most conservative. Percentages of professors who identified as liberal ranged from 49% in business to over 80% in political science and the humanities.^[9] In a 2004 survey of 1,000 economists registered Democrats outnumbered registered Republicans by a 2.5 to 1 ratio. The majority of economists favored "safety regulations, gun control, redistribution, public schooling, and anti-discrimination laws," while opposing "tighter immigration controls, government ownership of enterprise and tariffs."^[10] Among sociologists and anthropologists, Democrats outnumber Republicans 20 to 1.^[11] The liberal inclination of American professors is largely attributed to the liberal outlook of the highly educated. The more educated a person is, the most likely he or she is to be liberal as the percentage of liberals increases along with educational attainment.^[12] Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Academia is a collective term for the scientific and cultural community engaged in higher education and research, taken as a whole. ... Social liberalism is either a synonym for new liberalism or a label used by progressive liberal parties in order to differentiate themselves from the more conservative liberal parties, especially when there are two or more liberal parties in a country. ... The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world. ... The humanities are those academic disciplines which study the human condition using methods that are largely analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences. ... Conservatism in the United States comprises a constellation of political ideologies including fiscal conservatism, free market or economic liberalism, social conservatism,[1] bioconservatism and religious conservatism,[2][3] as well as support for a strong military,[4] small government and promotion of states rights. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political Science is the field concerning the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behaviour. ... Alan Greenspan, former chairman, United States Federal Reserve. ...

Another recent survey by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, detailed the strong majority of Democrats among professors at some of the country's most prestigious universities. According to the study Democrats outnumber Republicans 18 to 1 at Brown University, 26 to 1 at Cornell University and 18 to 1 in the University of California system with 9 Democrats for each Republican at UC Berkley, the system's flagship school.^[13] Among those with graduate degrees overall, the majority voted Democrat in the 1996,^[14] 2000,^[4] 2004^[5] and 2006 elections.^[6] Male professors at more advanced stages of their careers as well as those at elite institutions tend be the most liberal. At elite universities, 87% of faculty identified as liberal.^[9] Social scientists, such as Brett O'Bannon of DePauw University, have pointed out that the liberal opinions of professors seem to have little if any effect on the political orientation of students.^[12] The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is a conservative think tank, founded in 1943, whose stated mission is to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism — limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and responsibility, vigilant and effective defense and foreign policies... Conservatism in the United States comprises a constellation of political ideologies including fiscal conservatism, free market or economic liberalism, social conservatism,[1] bioconservatism and religious conservatism,[2][3] as well as support for a strong military,[4] small government and promotion of states rights. ... This article is about the institution. ... Brown University is a private university located in Providence, Rhode Island. ... Cornell University is a university located in Ithaca, New York, USA. Its two medical campuses are in New York City and Education City, Qatar. ... Berkeley Davis Irvine Los Angeles Merced San Diego Santa Barbara Santa Cruz UC Office of the President in Oakland The University of California (UC) is a public university system in the state of California. ... The University of California, Berkeley (also known as Cal, UC Berkeley, UCB, or simply Berkeley) is a prestigious, public, coeducational university situated in the foothills of Berkeley, California to the east of San Francisco Bay, overlooking the Golden Gate and its bridge. ... Articles with similar titles include DePaul University, a school with a similar spelling. ...

[edit] Labor

Since the 1930s, a critical component of the Democratic Party coalition has been organized labor. Labor unions supply a great deal of the money, grass roots political organization, and voting base of support for the party. The historic decline in union membership over the past half century has been accompanied by a growing disparity between public sector and private sector union membership percentages. The three most significant labor groupings in the Democratic coalition today are the AFL-CIO and Change to Win labor federations, as well as the National Education Association, a large, unaffiliated teachers' union. Both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win have identified their top legislative priority for 2007 as passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Other important issues for labor unions include supporting industrial policy (including protectionism) that sustains unionized manufacturing jobs, raising the minimum wage and promoting broad social programs such as social security and universal health care. Labor unions in the United States today function as legally recognized representatives of workers in numerous industries, but are strongest among public sector employees such as teachers and police. ... American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL-CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 54 national and international unions (including Canadian), together representing more than 10 million workers. ... The Change to Win Federation is a coalition of American labor unions originally formed in 2005 as an alternative to the AFL-CIO. The coalition is associated with strong advocacy of the organising model. ... A national trade union center is a federation of trade unions in a single country. ... The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States, representing many of the countrys teachers along with other school personnel. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is proposed United States legislation which aims to amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other... An industrial policy is any government regulation or law that encourages the ongoing operation of, or investment in, a particular industry. ... Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between nations, through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, a variety of restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports, and anti-dumping laws in an attempt to protect domestic industries in a particular nation from foreign take-over... Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, making by hand) is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale. ... The minimum wage is the minimum rate a worker can legally be paid (usually per hour) as opposed to wages that are determined by the forces of supply and demand in a free market. ... Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through dedicated payroll taxes called FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act). ... Universal health care is a state in which all residents of a geographic or political entity pay for and have access to some type of health care by means of provision of health insurance or direct provision of health care. ...

[edit] Working class

Further information: Social class in the United States

American social class model according to Dennis Gilbert.^[15]

While the American working class has lost much of its political strength with the decline of labor unions,^[16] it remains a stronghold of the Democratic Party and continues as an essential part of the Democratic base. Today roughly a third of the American public is estimated to be working class with circa 52% being either members of the working or lower classes.^[15][17] Yet, as those with lower socio-economic status are less likely to vote, the working and lower classes are underrepresented in the electorate. The working class is largely distinguished by highly routinized and closely supervised work. It consists mainly of clerical and blue collar workers.^[15] Even though most in the working class are able afford an adequate standard of living, high economic insecurity and possible personal benefit from an extended social saftey net, make the majority of working class person left-of-center on economic issues. Most working class Democrats differ from most liberals, however, in their socially more conservative views. Working class tend to be more religious and likely to belong to an ethnic minority. Socially conservative and disadvantaged Democrats are among the least educated and lowest earning ideological demographics. In 2005, only 15% had a college degree, compared to 27% at the national average and 49% of liberals, respectively. Together socially conservative and the financially disadvantaged comprised roughly 54% of the Democratic base.^[2] The continued importance of the working class votes manifests itself in recent C