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Specification:

  • AQA Component 3.2.1.6: Political parties: the ideological changes in both the Democratic and Republican parties making them more distinct and polarised

  • Edexcel Component 5.2: The key ideas and principles of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Background: what you need to know

The longest US government shutdown in history came to an end on 12 November after a total of 43 days. A resolution of the crisis came in sight when eight moderate Democrats voted with Republicans in the Senate. They were responding to mounting public discontent at the interruption to public services, which has seen federal workers laid off, welfare payments placed in jeopardy and airline flights disrupted. A narrow vote then followed in the House of Representatives, with six Democrats joining the majority of Republicans to fund the government once again.

The episode has exposed divisions within the Democratic party, with left-wingers critical of the compromise. They are particularly angry that the moderates did not win a definite commitment to extend health insurance subsidies, which was the main demand that Democrats made of the Republicans.

Click the link below to read the article and then answer the questions:

Donald Trump signs spending bill to end longest-ever US shutdown

And follow the links for more detail, in particular this one:

US Senate approves deal to end shutdown as Democrats face party backlash

Question in the style of AQA Politics Paper 2

Question in the style of Edexcel Politics Paper 3

TIP: Think about policy areas where Republicans and/or Democrats disagree with members of their own party. This is not a question about the differences between the two parties. On economic policy, ‘fiscal conservative’ Republicans have opposed Trump’s spending plans. Republican tech entrepreneurs have clashed with Maga populists on immigration control. Not all Democrats support the ‘socialist’ stance of newly elected New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has proposed radical policies on rent control, free public transport, city-owned grocery stores and childcare. Neither party is united on how to respond to the ongoing international crises in Ukraine and Gaza.

Graham Goodlad, Portsmouth High School