Who Breaks The Law More: Red Or Blue?

In the United States, the Republican and Democratic Parties are the two most influential political parties. While the parties differ in their philosophies and ideals, they have both had politicians who have broken the law. In 2025, Republicans were set to control the legislative process in 24 states, while Democrats were set to control 15. This has shifted the political landscape towards the right, with some Democrats even turning towards the right alongside the electorate. This shift has been particularly noticeable in the Democratic Party's approach to immigration, where they have shown a new willingness to follow the GOP's lead on illegal immigration.

Republicans control more state lawmaking bodies

As of January 2024, Republicans control 28 state legislatures, constituting 59% of all states, while Democrats control 21, or 40% of state legislatures. Republicans also dominate when it comes to state control, leading in 23 states, or 46% of the country, while Democrats make up 16 states, or 29%.

In terms of the number of state legislators, there are 2,939 Republican state House members and 1,108 Republican state Senators, compared to 2,414 Democratic state legislators and 852 Democratic state Senators.

The state legislatures are critical in shaping state policies and laws, with direct influence on the daily lives of residents. They are responsible for crafting and passing state laws that cover a broad range of issues, including education, healthcare, criminal justice, and infrastructure. Additionally, state legislatures play a crucial role in checks and balances, budget approval, electoral redistricting, policy innovation, election laws, criminal justice, and constitutional amendments.

The control of state legislatures by Republicans provides them with substantial influence over lawmaking and policy implementation at the state level, allowing them to advance their agenda and shape the legislative landscape in a significant number of states.

Democrats are more sympathetic to immigrants

The Democratic Party is considered more sympathetic to immigrants. There is widespread support among Democrats for the DREAM Act, which grants conditional residency to undocumented immigrants who entered the US as minors. While both parties have used and favoured deportations, more undocumented immigrants were deported under President Obama than any president before him, and these have continued under President Trump.

Democrats are more likely to support a moratorium on deporting certain undocumented immigrants, such as those with no criminal record who have lived in the US for over five years. They also support residency for certain undocumented immigrants.

In contrast, Republicans are generally against amnesty for any undocumented immigrants. They also oppose President Obama's executive order that put a moratorium on deporting certain workers.

The Democratic Party's stance on immigration is part of its broader philosophy, which leans towards community and social responsibility. Democrats tend to favour a more active role for the government in society and believe that government involvement can improve people's lives and help achieve equality.

On the other hand, Republicans tend to favour small government and see "big government" as wasteful and an obstacle. They believe that strong businesses should survive in a free market without government interference.

The Democratic Party's position on immigration has evolved over time. The share of Democrats who say that legal immigration into the US should be increased has doubled since 2006, from 20% to 40%.

The Democratic Party's more sympathetic stance towards immigrants has been criticised by some, who argue that it contributed to the party's downfall in the 2024 election. In response to this, some Democratic leaders have argued that the party must take a harder line on immigration.

Republicans oppose Obamacare

Republicans have been opposed to Obamacare since its inception. The Affordable Healthcare Act, or Obamacare, was created and signed into law during President Obama's tenure in 2010. The Act guarantees healthcare for individuals under 65 who earn at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level through Medicaid programs.

Republicans have opposed the law on the grounds that the tax penalties or individual mandate are unfair to taxpayers. They argue that the high premiums and deductibles are not "affordable" to the average American taxpayer.

During his two terms as president, Donald Trump actively tried to repeal the Act, asking the Supreme Court to revoke it because it was an "unlawful failure". Despite this, Obamacare has not been repealed.

Some Republicans argue that Obamacare does not cover those who need it most, and that it does not cover people who earn just above the threshold to qualify for federal premium subsidies.

However, support for Obamacare among Republicans has been increasing. A recent Gallup poll found that Republican support for Obamacare had hit an all-time high of 19%, up 10% from 2018.

Democrats support progressive taxes

The Democratic Party tends to favour heavier taxation of high-income households. While this may not seem excessive compared to Denmark, where taxes are generally high, on the US taxation scale, these tax percentages are towards the heavier end.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to favour raising taxes on corporations and high-income earners. They are also more likely to support raising taxes on households with an income of over $250,000 per year.

In 2019, Democratic 2020 contenders put forward some of the most progressive tax proposals in decades. This was a sign that the debate over President Trump's signature Republican tax overhaul could become a crucial issue in the primary elections.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, for example, proposed a 2% annual "wealth tax" on Americans with more than $50 million in assets, and a 3% tax on those with a net worth of over $1 billion. This would be on top of any income taxes they already pay.

Senator Bernie Sanders wanted to increase the federal estate tax to 77% on the wealthiest 0.2% of Americans.

Senator Kamala Harris proposed a tax plan that would give middle-income households cash payments of up to $6,000 a year per family. The payments would be offset by repealing the 2017 GOP tax cuts and creating a fee on large financial institutions.

Senator Cory Booker put forward a bill that would create savings accounts for every American child, paid for by an increase in capital gains and estate taxes.

Julian Castro, a former Obama administration cabinet official, has said he supports raising the corporate tax rate to ensure companies "pay their fair share".

While not a candidate for president, freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposed a top marginal tax rate of 70% – a rate not seen since before President Ronald Reagan implemented a series of tax cuts in the 1980s.

Overall, public support for raising taxes on the wealthy has dropped slightly in recent decades. In 1992, 77% of Americans polled by Gallup said upper-income earners paid too little in taxes. Last year, that number was down to 62%.

However, the idea of raising taxes on the wealthy has gained ground with liberal voters. Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to say tax rates should be raised for corporations and high-income earners.

Republicans are more pro-business

The Republican Party has historically been a pro-business party, with foundations in economic libertarianism, fiscal conservatism, and social conservatism. In the 21st century, the Republican Party continues to receive strong support from rural voters, evangelical Christians, men, senior citizens, and voters without college degrees.

The party has consistently advocated for low taxes and deregulation, while opposing socialism, labor unions, and single-payer healthcare. They believe that private spending is more efficient than government spending, and that individuals should take responsibility for their own circumstances. Republicans also tend to favor a small government, seeing "big government" as wasteful and an obstacle to getting things done.

The Republican Party's pro-business stance is further reflected in their support for free-market capitalism and opposition to government interference in the economy. They argue that businesses should operate in a free market, rather than being impacted by tight government regulations. This position is often justified by their belief in individual freedoms and responsibilities.

However, it is important to note that there are dissenting centrist and libertarian factions within the Republican Party. These groups may hold more moderate or liberal views on certain social and economic issues, such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and environmental protection.

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