Serena Gutierrez 8:10 Political Parties: Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It goes all the way back to its heritage to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party. The Democratic-Republican Party changed in 1824 into the shortly-lived National Republican Party and the Jacksonian movement which in 1828 became the Democratic Party. Under Jackson the term "The Democracy" was in use by the party, but the name "Democratic Party" was eventually decided upon and became the official name in 1844. The members of the party are called "Democrats" or "Dems". The term "Democrat Party" has also been in constant use, but has usually been used by opponents since 1952 as a derogatory term. The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey. Andrew Jackson's enemies would twist his name to "jackass" as a term of disrespect regarding a “stupid” animal. However, the image persisted and evolved up until this day as it sits on bumpers on vehicles.
The Democrats' dominant worldview was once social conservatism and economic liberalism while populism was its leading characteristic in the rural South. Since Franklin D. Rooseveltand his New Deal coalition in the 1930s, the Democratic Party has also promoted a social liberal platform, supporting social justice. Today, the House Democratic caucus is composed mostly of centrists and progressives, with a small minority of conservative Democrats. The party's philosophy of new founded liberalism advocates social and economic equality, along with the welfare state. It seeks to provide government intervention and regulation in the economy. Th...
