The Republican Party

Book excerpt: Will the modern Republican Party be able to convince the American people that its policies and positions are the right ones to guide the United States? This book examines the status of the Republican Party in the early 21st century, considers where it came from, and predicts where it's heading. An ideal research tool for advanced high school students in government and history classes as well as undergraduate students enrolled in political science and history courses, The Republican Party: Documents Decoded presents documents, transcripts of speeches, photographs, political cartoons, and campaign materials to define the status of the Republican Party in the early 21st century. Focusing on its leaders, key principles, organization, and the basis of its political support, the book provides readers with the knowledge and understanding to answer the key questions: For what does the party actually stand? What must Republicans do to move past recent negative perceptions of their party? And can it reclaim the White House in 2016? The source documents and commentary by expert scholars will help students and readers to analyze and evaluate the content themselves in order to reach their own conclusions of where today's Republican party stands on the key issues, such as health care reform, relations between church and state, foreign policy, education, reproductive rights, gun control, and immigration.