Democratic-Republican Party

This party is now defunct, but it's founder is considered one of the greatest presidents in history, my second favourite. Thomas Jefferson.

Has anyone ever heard of the Democratic-Republican Party? Well if not here are some facts...

Jefferson created the political party to oppose the economic and foreign policies of the Federalists, a party created a year or so earlier by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The Democratic-Republican party opposed the Jay Treaty of 1794 with Britain (then at war with France) and supported good relations with France before 1801. The party insisted on a strict construction of the Constitution, and denounced many of Hamilton's proposals (especially the national bank) as unconstitutional. The party favored states' rights and the primacy of the yeoman farmer over bankers, industrialists, merchants, and other monied interests. There was always a range of opinion within the Party on issues of commerce, public works, and industrialization, which were more warmly received by Madison and the Democrats than by Jefferson and the Republicans; but this was a preference, not a firm ideology on either side. Jefferson signed a bill funding a canal for the Potomac in 1805; Madison ended his term in office vetoing a public works bill.

This sounds pretty good to me.

But it has many different ideologies in it...

Jeffersonian democracy

The core political value of America is representative democracy; citizens have a civic duty to aid the state and resist corruption, especially monarchism and aristocracy.
The yeoman farmer best exemplifies civic virtue and independence from corrupting city influences; government policy should be for his benefit. Financiers, bankers and industrialists make cities the cesspools of corruption, and should be avoided.
Americans had a duty to spread what Jefferson called the "Empire of Liberty" to the world, but should avoid "entangling alliances."
The national government is a dangerous necessity to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation or community; it should be watched closely and circumscribed in its powers. Most Anti-Federalists from 1787-88 joined the Jeffersonians.
The wall of separation between church and state is the best method to keep religion free from intervention by the federal government, government free of religious disputes, and religion free from corruption by government.
The federal government must not violate the rights of individuals. The Bill of Rights is a central theme.
The federal government must not violate the rights of the states. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 (written secretly by Jefferson and James Madison) proclaim these principles.
Freedom of speech and the press is the best method to prevent the tyranny of the people by their own government. The Federalists' violation of this idea through the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 became a major issue.
A standing army and navy are dangerous to liberty and should be avoided; much better was to use economic coercion such as the embargo.
The United States Constitution was written in order to ensure the freedom of the people. A strict view of how the constitution was written is kept. However, "no society can make a perpetual constitution or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs always to the living generation."

States' rights

States' rights in U.S. politics refers to the political powers that U.S. states possess in relation to the federal government, as guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Agrarianism

Cultivation of the soil provides direct contact with nature; through the contact with nature, the agrarian acquires the virtues of "honor, manliness, self-reliance, courage, moral integrity, and hospitality" and follows the example of God when creating order out of chaos.
The farmer "has a sense of identity, a sense of historical and religious tradition, a feeling of belonging to a concrete family, place, and region, which are psychologically and culturally beneficial." The harmony of this life checks the encroachments of a fragmented, alienated modern society that has grown to inhuman scale.
In contrast, farming offers more independence and self-sufficiency. It has a solid, stable position in the world order. But urban life, capitalism, and technology destroy independence and dignity while fostering vice and weakness. The agricultural community can provide checks and balances against the imbalances of modern society by its fellowship of labor and cooperation with other agrarians, while obeying the rhythms of nature.

Nationalism

Nationalism emphasizes collective identity - a 'people' must be autonomous, united, and express a single national culture. However, some nationalists stress individualism as an important part of their own national identity.

Isolationism

Isolationism is a foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military policy and a political policy of economic nationalism (protectionism). In other words, it asserts both of the following:

Non-interventionism – Political rulers should avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial self-defense.
Protectionism – There should be legal barriers to control trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

Personally this is me exactly, I am a die-hard Democratic-Republican and darn proud of it

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[edit on 3/19/10 by Misoir]

Why is this post being ignored???

reply to post by Misoir

Protectionism – There should be legal barriers to control trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

That IS me. I'm for protecting American workers and business who are trying to make America strong....not those that leave the country to dodge taxes and pay slave labor...all of which has severly damaged the middle class. How did this happen? They knocked down our tariffs and made our trade laws so terrible in competitiveness to other countries....they killed what made America the powerhouse it was.

A powerful middle class and manufacturing industry. Manufacturing is basically gone now. We, the middle class, are next....because of these policies.

S/F

reply to post by Misoir

Financiers, bankers and industrialists make cities the cesspools of corruption, and should be avoided.

No truer words were ever spoken. Unfortunately, these are the very people who control our government.

I'm all for the Democratic Republican party, if someone out there were to start one.

[edit on 3/19/10 by FortAnthem]

The good thing about Democratic-Republican is that it is not just Libertarian but it also includes liberals, agrarians and some very moderate socialists. It would definitly become the largest party if it was started.

reply to post by David9176


Libertarians talk about how we use to be a libertarian nation but they forget 1 thing, we did not have free trade. We had steep tariffs and everything.

reply to post by Misoir

Libertarians talk about how we use to be a libertarian nation but they forget 1 thing, we did not have free trade. We had steep tariffs and everything.

Well that is the problem.

NEITHER party has protected us from this. Each President has made it worse...starting with Reagan...including Clinton.

Most of our government's tax income used to come from tariffs less than 100 years ago. That's not the case anymore. We have an average of 2-3 percent tariff on imports....but many countries...such as China...have a 20 percent tariff on their imports. Crazily enough....American manufacturing cannot compete with this because it's cheaper to produce by paying people next to nothing and avoiding environmental laws/taxes.

We are being knocked down..some just don't seem to realize it and they actually end up fighting for what hurts them in the end.

=====

Ron Paul, a Libertarian, was asked during his Presidential campaign what he would do to keep government running if he were to eliminate a bunch of government agencies.

What did he answer with?

Tariffs.

People don't seem to understand that Tariffs are vital to any nation's industrial base and economy....and the commonwealth of all of us.

Tarrifs have their place but dont forget that they can be used onerously as a weapon and can certainly be used to do more damage than good when used for protectionism. Don't forget what the Smoot-Hawley Tariff act of 1930 kicked off.....