Factors Influencing Political Affiliation
The United States (U.S) civilians’ privilege to designate representatives in congress, the senate, and the presidency is guaranteed and enshrined in the U.S constitution. The right affords numerous civilians free will to choose leaders and align with the political party that best represent individual voter’s interest. The major political parties in the U.S entail the republican and democratic parties. The film portrays that one of the major divides between republican and democrats is race (Ezra, 2019). The analogy of associating with a specific political party can be attributed to coherent factors such as religion, economic policies, social procedures, liberalism, and immigration policies that each party embodies. The essay will portray the relationship between agency and structure. Further, depict the factors that influence race and ethnicity political inclination.
The relationship between agency and structure has elicited numerous debates among scholars due to the diverse meaning it portrays. The essay explicates agency as purposive individual action, trait, decision making concepts, and exercise of free will in chasing personal ambitions (Ezra,2019). Agency is characterized by an individual drive to attain motivation, individual and cultural resources that enable a person to act in a certain way. Structures are the resources and facilities that allow a person to attain social, economic, cultural, and political objectives. Agency and structure illustrate a related concept that works hand in hand in aiding an individual to make a decision. Still, the notion of agency in individuals is instigated by the skills, social-economic structures, and motivation of each person.
Furthermore, agency and structure typologies are inclined to education access, monetary resources, family goals, religion, gender, and employment opportunities (Gramlich,2020). For instance, populaces that align with the democratic party in the U.S are motivated by the liberal views the party extends and promises to extend to gather supports in the election. In contrast, the loyalist to the republican party is encouraged by the conservative policies that the party objectifies. Thus, alignment to each party is through individual choice.
Experts allude that currently, in the U.S, a third of the electorate that is 34 percent are non-aligned or independent, 29 percent associate with the republican party, and 33 percent are loyal to the democratic party (Gramlich,2020). Race and ethnicity play a significant role in political inclination. The film depicts that race non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, Native Indians, Latinos, and foreign immigrants, entail a significant share of registered voters. A significant proportion of immigrants and African Americans associate themselves with the democratic party. The strategy can be attributed to good immigration and employment policies that favor them, unlike the former regime of republican president Trump. That implemented strict immigration policies to deport undocumented immigrants the current regime of democratic president Biden perceives friendly and relaxed approach towards immigrants and the minorities. Hispanic whites tend to align with the republican party. Recently concluded elections in 2020 depict that 89 percent of Republican voters came from whites (Ezra, 2019). The concept shows the ethnicity and race alignment in the U.S elections.
My political inclination is towards the democratic party. My association with the party was primarily contributed by my parent’s alignment and identification with the democratic party. Growing up, I emulated my parents and believed in the ideology that the democratic party extend liberal views and strive to extend more liberties to the civilians. Back then, I associate the dalliance with the party due to my limited knowledge of politics. Currently being able to analyze and make an informed political decision, I am motivated by the numerous policies that the democratic party stands for. For instance, the democratic party strives to extend liberal views to attain harmonious coexistence. The strategy augers well with my views that each person in the U.S and the world is entitled to adopt lifestyle, religions, and beliefs that seem beneficial to him or her. Further, having liberty views is known to fathom peace and tranquility in any nation as long as a person’s activity does not limit or affect another person’s rights.
The economic policy by current president Biden strives to create a bottom-up economic strategy. The bottom-up economy aims at uplifting and addressing the plight of the deprived and minority concerns. Previous economies are evident to aid and favor the upper-middle class and the wealthy. To attain economic stability and shorten the ever-widening gap between the affluent and the underprivileged, the bottom up, if efficiently implemented, can resolve the glitch. Achieving economic equality by lifting civilians from paucity is credited with resolving discontent and conflict between the lingering debate of the have and the have not in the U.S.
Democratic party pertains to a flexible immigration policy. Allowing a rich cultural ethnicity and diversity that is healthy for any civilization. I believe that American society stands for democracy and civil liberties to each citizen. Locking out immigrants fleeing from conflict to find solace and better living is against the moral belief that American civilians have traditionally uphold. However, I agree with the need to vet and immigrants due to security concerns such as terrorism that has been a challenge in modern times and should be extensively addressed by the current regime. They strive to extend a welcoming hand because it leads to the incorporation of innovative ideas and diverse cultures.
In conclusion, the democratic policy has favored dialogues in addressing external conflicts instead of military action often associated with republican leaders. I believe in the necessity to solve our differences in an amicable bloodless way. Besides, the armed conflicts that the U.S has been engaged in are seemingly unending. Thus, the need to have leaders against military action and I find the solution in the democratic party.
References
Gramlich, J. (2020). What the 2020 electorate looks like by party, race and ethnicity, age, education and religion. Pew Research Center. Factank. News in the numbers.
Michael Ezra. (2019, May 14). Race and Politics [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drMtGo0gyjI
