Then and Now: Comparing the Republican Party's 2016/2020 and 2024 National Platforms
Below is a comparative summary of the Republican Party’s national platforms in 2016/2020 and 2024.
This summary was generated by OpenAI’s GPT-4o using this prompt.
Economy
- 2016: the Republican Party emphasized the need for a growing economy through self-discipline, enterprise, and investment, criticizing the Obama administration for economic stagnation and proposing tax reforms to stimulate growth.
- 2024: The focus is on defeating inflation, unleashing American energy, and cutting regulations to restore economic prosperity, with an emphasis on making America a manufacturing superpower.
- What remained the same: The commitment to economic growth and reducing government interference in the economy.
- What changed: The 2024 platform places a stronger emphasis on energy independence and manufacturing, with a specific focus on combating inflation.
Immigration
- 2016: the Republican Party advocated for securing borders, opposing amnesty, and enforcing immigration laws to protect American workers.
- 2024: The platform calls for sealing the border, stopping the migrant invasion, and carrying out the largest deportation operation in American history, with a focus on merit-based immigration.
- What remained the same: The emphasis on securing borders and enforcing immigration laws.
- What changed: The 2024 platform is more aggressive, proposing large-scale deportations and stricter vetting processes.
Energy
- 2016: the Republican Party supported an all-of-the-above energy strategy, including coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power, opposing the Democratic Party’s energy policies.
- 2024: The focus is on becoming the dominant energy producer, unleashing American energy, and achieving energy independence by lifting restrictions on energy production.
- What remained the same: The commitment to energy independence and support for various energy sources.
- What changed: The 2024 platform emphasizes energy dominance and independence more strongly, with a specific rejection of the Green New Deal.
Foreign Policy
- 2016: Emphasized rebuilding military strength, confronting global threats, and maintaining American leadership.
- 2024: Focuses on preventing World War III, restoring peace in Europe and the Middle East, and building a missile defense shield, with a strong emphasis on military modernization.
- What remained the same: The commitment to a strong military and American leadership on the global stage.
- What changed: The 2024 platform includes specific initiatives like the missile defense shield and a more explicit focus on preventing global conflict.
Healthcare
- 2016: Called for the repeal of Obamacare and proposed reforms to increase competition and patient choice.
- 2024: Focuses on making healthcare affordable, increasing transparency, and protecting Medicare without cuts.
- What remained the same: The emphasis on patient choice and competition in healthcare.
- What changed: The 2024 platform highlights protecting Medicare and reducing healthcare costs more explicitly.
Education
- 2016: Advocated for local control of education, school choice, and opposition to Common Core.
- 2024: Emphasizes universal school choice, parental rights, and defunding schools that promote certain ideologies, with a focus on returning education control to the states.
- What remained the same: Support for school choice and local control of education.
- What changed: The 2024 platform includes more specific measures against certain educational content and a stronger emphasis on parental rights.
Social Issues
- 2016: Supported traditional marriage and opposed judicial activism in redefining marriage.
- 2024: Focuses on protecting religious liberty, opposing gender ideology in schools, and maintaining traditional values.
- What remained the same: The emphasis on traditional values and religious liberty.
- What changed: The 2024 platform includes more specific measures against gender ideology and a stronger focus on religious freedom.
Military and Veterans
- 2016: Called for rebuilding military strength and supporting veterans.
- 2024: Emphasizes modernizing the military, increasing defense spending, and supporting veterans with healthcare choices.
- What remained the same: The commitment to a strong military and veteran support.
- What changed: The 2024 platform includes specific initiatives like the Iron Dome Missile Defense Shield and a focus on modernizing military capabilities.
Note that the Republican Party opted to adopt their 2016 platform in 2020. Read the full party platforms through UCSB’s American Presidency Project.