Democratic, Republican Platforms Promise Plenty

Abstract

Almost lost amid the hoopla and rhetoric of the recent Democratic and Republican conventions is the parties' national platforms. These documents describe in some length just what each party believes and, at least it is hoped, how the presidential candidates will support various national issues. The documents are long, repetitive, and filled with some pretty inflated rhetoric about how their party can move the country forward with prosperity into the future. But on a number of issues, there are fundamental differences in the approaches each party says it will take to resolve national concerns. There are also some similarities. Both documents recognize that the country is in a remarkable period of prosperity and progress, and each vows to take advantage of this situation to improve the plight of the American people. Each platform calls for tax reforms, health care reforms, education reforms, and environmental improvements. But, as always, the differences ...