Democratic Party (United States)

==== Fiscal policy ====
Democrats support a more [[progressive tax]] structure to provide more services and reduce [[economic inequality]] by making sure that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes.<ref name="how-high">{{cite web |url=http://economics.about.com/od/monetaryandfiscalpolicy/a/high_taxes.htm |title=How High Should Taxes Be? |publisher=Economics.about.com |date=June 12, 2010 |access-date=June 17, 2010 |archive-date=April 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414204158/http://economics.about.com/od/monetaryandfiscalpolicy/a/high_taxes.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
Democrats and Republicans traditionally take differing stances on eradicating poverty. Brady said "Our poverty level is the direct consequence of our weak social policies, which are a direct consequence of weak political actors".<ref>{{cite news |last1=CARBONARO |first1=GIULIA |title=Poverty Is Killing Nearly 200,000 Americans a Year |url=https://www.newsweek.com/poverty-killing-nearly-200000-americans-year-1806002 |agency=Newsweek |date=2023 |access-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629052853/https://www.newsweek.com/poverty-killing-nearly-200000-americans-year-1806002 |url-status=live }}</ref>
They oppose the cutting of social services, such as [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]], [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]], and [[Medicaid]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usinfo.state.gov/infousa/government/social/ch9.htm|title=The Social Safety Net|publisher=usinfo.state.gov|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410221216/http://usinfo.state.gov/infousa/government/social/ch9.htm|archive-date=April 10, 2008}}</ref> believing it to be harmful to efficiency and [[social justice]]. Democrats believe the benefits of social services in monetary and non-monetary terms are a more [[Productive and unproductive labour|productive labor]] force and cultured population and believe that the benefits of this are greater than any benefits that could be derived from lower taxes, especially on top earners, or cuts to social services. Furthermore, Democrats see social services as essential toward providing [[Positive liberty|positive freedom]], freedom derived from economic opportunity. The Democratic-led House of Representatives reinstated the [[PAYGO]] (pay-as-you-go) budget rule at the start of the [[110th United States Congress|110th Congress]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Day Two: House passes new budget rules|date=January 5, 2007|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16487187|agency=Associated Press|access-date=January 5, 2007|archive-date=December 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204034031/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16487187|url-status=live}}</ref>