122-516: Maxwell Sieben Baucus ( né Enke ; born December 11, 1941) is an American politician who served as a United States senator from Montana from 1978 to 2014. A member of the Democratic Party , he was a U.S. senator for over 35 years, making him the longest-serving U.S. senator in Montana history . President Barack Obama later appointed Baucus to replace Gary Locke as the 11th U.S. Ambassador to
244-577: A man's surname at birth that has subsequently been replaced or changed. The diacritic mark (the acute accent ) over the e is considered significant to its spelling, and ultimately its meaning, but is sometimes omitted. According to Oxford University 's Dictionary of Modern English Usage , the terms are typically placed after the current surname (e.g., " Margaret Thatcher , née Roberts" or " Bill Clinton , né Blythe"). Since they are terms adopted into English (from French), they do not have to be italicized , but they often are. In Polish tradition ,
366-431: A chair. County, town, city, and ward committees generally are composed of individuals elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions, and in some cases primaries or caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law. Rarely do they have much direct funding, but in 2005 DNC Chairman Dean began
488-542: A huge exaggeration to say Baucus's career represents everything that is wrong with Washington." That year The New York Times reported that 28 former Baucus staffers had lobbied on tax issues during the Obama administration — the most of any member of Congress, and that on a regular basis Baucus would fly lobbyists to his ranch for weekend fundraisers. In 2008, Baucus, while he was still married to his second wife, nominated his girlfriend and state office director, Melodee Hanes, to
610-537: A key part of the bipartisan conservative coalition in an alliance with most of the Midwestern Republicans. The economically activist philosophy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, which has strongly influenced American liberalism , shaped much of the party's economic agenda after 1932. From the 1930s to the mid-1960s, the liberal New Deal coalition usually controlled the presidency while the conservative coalition usually controlled Congress. Issues facing parties and
732-578: A member of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion , 1st Marine Division , I Marine Expeditionary Force . On January 10, 2007, the day of President Bush's address on his plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, Baucus spoke against the increases and called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops. Baucus was one of the Senate's largest career recipients of pro-Israel Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions, receiving $ 550,589 since 1989. Baucus went on
854-630: A new Democratic Party on a national basis. In the 1830s, the Whig Party coalesced into the main rival to the Democrats. Before 1860, the Democratic Party supported expansive presidential power , the interests of slave states , agrarianism , and expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . The Democratic-Republican Party split over the choice of a successor to President James Monroe . The faction that supported many of
976-411: A popular Democratic song. The emotionally similar song " Beautiful Day " by the band U2 has also become a favorite theme song for Democratic candidates. John Kerry used the song during his 2004 presidential campaign and several Democratic congressional candidates used it as a celebratory tune in 2006. As a traditional anthem for its presidential nominating convention, Aaron Copland 's " Fanfare for
1098-613: A program (called the "50 State Strategy") of using DNC national funds to assist all state parties and pay for full-time professional staffers. In addition, state-level party committees operate in the territories of American Samoa , Guam , and Virgin Islands , the commonwealths of Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico , and the District of Columbia , with all but Puerto Rico being active in nominating candidates for both presidential and territorial contests, while Puerto Rico's Democratic Party
1220-400: A public insurance option even if he had received no relevant campaign contributions. Silver calculates that the impact on Baucus of the significant campaign contributions that he has received from the health care industry further reduces the probability of his supporting a public insurance option from 30.6% to 0.6%. In response to the questions raised by the large amount of funding he took from
1342-827: A replacement for the outdated fast track system". On October 27, 2009, he introduced the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 to Congress together with Representative Charles Rangel . On August 9, 2011, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed Baucus to the United States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction . Baucus's environmental record in Congress was mixed. He supported Democratic leadership in voting against oil and gas subsidies and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling, as well as by voting in favor of national standards to reduce oil consumption and spur
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#17328690986581464-486: A result of Baucus's significant fund-raising advantage, in the week he announced his intention to run for re-election he opened eight state offices – one more than he had official offices in the state. Baucus also announced that he had hired 35 full-time campaign staff members. Baucus won re-election in a landslide victory , with 73% of the vote, carrying every county in the state. On December 20, 2013, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Baucus to
1586-569: A second time in March 2005 to include means-testing and restrictions for bankruptcy filers. He has frequently visited places of employment within the state and has personally participated in activities that he calls "Work Days". Baucus voted for the Bush tax cuts in 2001. He has usually voted against repealing portions of that bill and against repealing more recent tax cut bills that benefit upper income taxpayers. In 2008, he voted in favor of permanently repealing
1708-500: A single man and a single woman. However, in 2004 he voted against the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and in June 2012, he definitively spoke out in support for same-sex marriage . He has supported measures to curb job discrimination and hate crimes based on sexual orientation . He voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 . In 2012, Baucus added to
1830-518: A slim margin. Montana was the only state in the U.S. to turn over a chamber of its legislature to Republican control in 2006. The legislative chamber had a one-seat Democratic majority that then became a one-seat Republican majority. Baucus raised a record amount of money for his 2008 re-election bid, 91 percent of which came from individuals living outside of Montana. Similarly, according to OpenSecrets , Baucus's 2008 campaign raised $ 11.6 million, only 13 percent of which came from Montana donors;
1952-461: A synthesis of neoliberal economic policies with cultural liberalism , with the voter base after Reagan having shifted considerably to the right . In an effort to appeal both to liberals and to fiscal conservatives, Democrats began to advocate for a balanced budget and market economy tempered by government intervention ( mixed economy ), along with a continued emphasis on social justice and affirmative action . The economic policy adopted by
2074-948: A trade mission in Japan, inspecting the Tesla Motors facility in Tokyo, saying "Tesla is a great example of how exports and trade help the U.S. economy and create good-paying jobs at home in America. Our trade ties overseas help Tesla sell a world-class product that's manufactured in the U.S. by top-notch American workers," Baucus said. "There are millions of consumers in Japan and across the Pacific ready to buy more American-made goods, and we can continue to open those markets and boost U.S. exports with an aggressive trade agenda." On July 14, 2009, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial on Baucus's attitude over Vietnam's " tra " and " basa " pangasius , saying there
2196-656: A transportation bill in Congress that extended the regulations covering cigarette manufacturers to "roll your own cigarette" stores that operate mass cigarette rolling machines. Baucus voted against giving voting representation to the District of Columbia. Baucus has a 74% pro-business voting record as rated by the United States Chamber of Commerce . He twice voted to make filing bankruptcy more difficult for debtors, once in July 2001 to restrict rules on personal bankruptcy , and
2318-550: A vigorous campaign attacking Eastern moneyed interests, but he lost to Republican William McKinley . The Democrats took control of the House in 1910, and Woodrow Wilson won election as president in 1912 (when the Republicans split) and 1916. Wilson effectively led Congress to put to rest the issues of tariffs, money, and antitrust, which had dominated politics for 40 years, with new progressive laws. He failed to secure Senate passage of
2440-485: A younger generation of leaders, who like Hart had been inspired by the pragmatic idealism of John F. Kennedy. Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was one such figure, who was elected president in 1992 as the Democratic nominee. The Democratic Leadership Council was a campaign organization connected to Clinton that advocated a realignment and triangulation under the re-branded " New Democrat " label. The party adopted
2562-531: Is an organization supporting the candidacies of Democratic gubernatorial nominees and incumbents. Likewise, the mayors of the largest cities and urban centers convene as the National Conference of Democratic Mayors . The DNC sponsors the College Democrats of America (CDA), a student-outreach organization with the goal of training and engaging a new generation of Democratic activists. Democrats Abroad
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#17328690986582684-625: Is chaired by Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington . Similarly, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), chaired by Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, raises funds for Senate races. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), chaired by Majority Leader of the New York State Senate Andrea Stewart-Cousins , is a smaller organization that focuses on state legislative races. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA)
2806-499: Is contrary to common practice outside of the United States where blue is the traditional color of the right and red the color of the left. Jefferson-Jackson Day is the annual fundraising event (dinner) held by Democratic Party organizations across the United States. It is named after Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson , whom the party regards as its distinguished early leaders. The song " Happy Days Are Here Again "
2928-451: Is critical that we play by the rules and do not block imports for arbitrary or unscientific reasons." In 1994, Baucus cast a pivotal vote in favor of Senator Dianne Feinstein 's (D-CA) "Assault Weapons" Ban. In 2013, Baucus was one of four Democrats to vote against the Manchin - Toomey Amendment to expand background checks for potential gun buyers. He is an avid hunter. In 1999, Baucus was
3050-600: Is organized only to nominate presidential candidates. The Democrats Abroad committee is organized by American voters who reside outside of U.S. territory to nominate presidential candidates. All such party committees are accorded recognition as state parties and are allowed to elect both members to the National Committee as well as delegates to the National Convention. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) assists party candidates in House races and
3172-416: Is the feminine past participle of naître , which means "to be born". Né is the masculine form. The term née , having feminine grammatical gender , can be used to denote a woman's surname at birth that has been replaced or changed. In most English-speaking cultures, it is specifically applied to a woman's maiden name after her surname has changed due to marriage. The term né can be used to denote
3294-456: Is the largest party in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world . Including the incumbent Biden, 16 Democrats have served as president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party splintered in 1824 into the short-lived National Republican Party and the Jacksonian movement which in 1828 became the Democratic Party. Under the Jacksonian era, the term "The Democracy" was in use by
3416-479: Is the organization for Americans living outside the United States. They work to advance the party's goals and encourage Americans living abroad to support the Democrats. The Young Democrats of America (YDA) and the High School Democrats of America (HSDA) are young adult and youth-led organizations respectively that attempt to draw in and mobilize young people for Democratic candidates but operates outside of
3538-517: Is the unofficial song of the Democratic Party. It was used prominently when Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for president at the 1932 Democratic National Convention and remains a sentimental favorite for Democrats. For example, Paul Shaffer played the theme on the Late Show with David Letterman after the Democrats won Congress in 2006. " Don't Stop " by Fleetwood Mac was adopted by Bill Clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and has endured as
3660-452: Is using. AHIP has launched the Campaign for an American Solution, which argues for the use of private health insurance instead of a government backed program. Critics have said Medicare is already effectively a single-payer system. Years after his departure from the Senate, Baucus said it would make sense to seriously consider a single-payer system. Baucus has been criticized for his ties to
3782-435: The 1984 and 1988 presidential elections , respectively. Many Democrats attached their hopes to the future star of Gary Hart , who had challenged Mondale in the 1984 primaries running on a theme of "New Ideas"; and in the subsequent 1988 primaries became the de facto front-runner and virtual "shoo-in" for the Democratic presidential nomination before a sex scandal ended his campaign. The party nevertheless began to seek out
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3904-533: The 2020 presidential election . He began his term with extremely narrow Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate. During the Biden presidency, the party has been characterized as adopting an increasingly progressive economic agenda . In 2022, Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson , the first Black woman on the Supreme Court . However, she was replacing liberal justice Stephen Breyer , so she did not alter
4026-544: The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 . He voted with a majority of Democrats against Senator John Kerry 's amendment stipulating a firm deadline for withdrawal of American combat personnel from Iraq . On July 29, 2006, Baucus's nephew Marine Cpl. Phillip E. Baucus was killed in combat in Al Anbar Governorate . Phillip, a 28-year-old resident of Wolf Creek, Montana , had been
4148-629: The Democratic National Convention . The national convention is subject to the charter of the party and the ultimate authority within the Democratic Party when it is in session, with the DNC running the party's organization at other times. Since 2021, the DNC has been chaired by Jaime Harrison . Each state also has a state committee, made up of elected committee members as well as ex officio committee members (usually elected officials and representatives of major constituencies), which in turn elects
4270-634: The Democratic-Republican Party , founded by Thomas Jefferson , James Madison and other influential opponents of the conservative Federalists in 1792. That party died out before the modern Democratic Party was organized; the Jeffersonian party also inspired the Whigs and modern Republicans. Historians argue that the modern Democratic Party was first organized in the late 1820s with the election of war hero Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, making it
4392-581: The Free Soil Party to oppose the spread of slavery, running as its candidate in the 1848 presidential election , before returning to the Democratic Party and staying loyal to the Union. The Democrats split over slavery, with Northern and Southern tickets in the election of 1860 , in which the Republican Party gained ascendancy. The radical pro-slavery Fire-Eaters led walkouts at the two conventions when
4514-517: The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) gave Baucus a 67% overall rating indicating having a mixed record on voting for gay rights. In 1996 Baucus voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which prohibited "marriage between members of the same sex in federal law, and provide that no state is required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states" and defined marriage as being between
4636-551: The New Deal . New Deal liberalism meant the regulation of business (especially finance and banking) and the promotion of labor unions as well as federal spending to aid the unemployed, help distressed farmers and undertake large-scale public works projects. It marked the start of the American welfare state. The opponents, who stressed opposition to unions, support for business and low taxes, started calling themselves "conservatives". Until
4758-797: The Versailles Treaty (ending the war with Germany and joining the League of Nations). The weakened party was deeply divided by issues such as the KKK and prohibition in the 1920s. However, it did organize new ethnic voters in Northern cities. After World War I ended and continuing through the Great Depression , the Democratic and Republican Parties both largely believed in American exceptionalism over European monarchies and state socialism that existed elsewhere in
4880-634: The Vietnam War in the 1960s was another divisive issue that further fractured the fault lines of the Democrats' coalition. After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, President Johnson committed a large contingency of combat troops to Vietnam, but the escalation failed to drive the Viet Cong from South Vietnam, resulting in an increasing quagmire , which by 1968 had become the subject of widespread anti-war protests in
5002-497: The cosmetology school he once owned, showed footage from the early 1980s of Taylor massaging another man's face while wearing a tight suit with an open shirt. Taylor dropped out of the race and Baucus won with 63 percent of the vote. Baucus sought re-election in 2008 in Montana, a state that has seen political change starting in 2004 when it elected Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer and then in 2006 Democratic Senator Jon Tester by
Max Baucus - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-613: The election of 1864 , which featured Andrew Johnson on the Union ticket to attract fellow Democrats. Johnson replaced Lincoln in 1865, but he stayed independent of both parties. The Democrats benefited from white Southerners' resentment of Reconstruction after the war and consequent hostility to the Republican Party. After Redeemers ended Reconstruction in the 1870s and following the often extremely violent disenfranchisement of African Americans led by such white supremacist Democratic politicians as Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina in
5246-552: The estate tax . In March 2005, Baucus voted against repealing tax subsidies benefiting companies that outsource U.S. jobs offshore. On January 4, 2007, he wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal calling on Democrats to renew President George W. Bush 's fast-track authority for international trade deals. In response, the Montana State Senate passed a resolution, 44-6, "that the U.S. Congress be urged to create
5368-481: The gold standard ; opposed bimetallism ; and crusaded against corruption, high taxes and tariffs. Cleveland was elected to non-consecutive presidential terms in 1884 and 1892 . Agrarian Democrats demanding free silver , drawing on Populist ideas, overthrew the Bourbon Democrats in 1896 and nominated William Jennings Bryan for the presidency (a nomination repeated by Democrats in 1900 and 1908). Bryan waged
5490-581: The popular vote , but after a controversial election dispute over a Florida recount settled by the U.S. Supreme Court (which ruled 5–4 in favor of Bush ), he lost the 2000 election to Republican opponent George W. Bush in the Electoral College . In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as well as the growing concern over global warming , some of
5612-480: The unmarried . On social issues, it advocates for abortion rights , voting rights , LGBT rights , action on climate change , and the legalization of marijuana . On economic issues, the party favors healthcare reform , universal child care , paid sick leave and supporting unions . In foreign policy, the party supports liberal internationalism as well as tough stances against China and Russia . Democratic Party officials often trace its origins to
5734-460: The 1880s and 1890s, the South, voting Democratic, became known as the " Solid South ". Although Republicans won all but two presidential elections, the Democrats remained competitive. The party was dominated by pro-business Bourbon Democrats led by Samuel J. Tilden and Grover Cleveland , who represented mercantile, banking, and railroad interests; opposed imperialism and overseas expansion; fought for
5856-508: The 1950s, a minority in the party's Southern wing joined with conservative Republicans to slow and stop progressive domestic reforms. Following the Great Society era of progressive legislation under Lyndon B. Johnson , who was often able to overcome the conservative coalition in the 1960s, the core bases of the parties shifted, with the Southern states becoming more reliably Republican and
5978-561: The 1980s, the Democratic Party was a coalition of two parties divided by the Mason–Dixon line: liberal Democrats in the North and culturally conservative voters in the South, who though benefitting from many of the New Deal public works projects, opposed increasing civil rights initiatives advocated by northeastern liberals. The polarization grew stronger after Roosevelt died. Southern Democrats formed
6100-538: The 2014 election, but he chose not to seek reelection. In 2013, Baucus was criticized for his comments concerning the implementation of Obamacare provisions specifically stating it could turn into a "train-wreck". He feared that the changes and their specific implementations would have a negative impact on small business owners stating "When I am home, small businesses have no idea what to do, what to expect. They don't know what affordability rules are; they don't know when penalties may apply. They just don't know. While Baucus
6222-492: The Affordable Care Act saying "A part of me wanted to get up, grab Baucus by the shoulders, and shake him till he came to his senses." Baucus has used the term "uniquely American solution" to describe the end point of current health reform and has said he believes America is not ready yet for any form of single payer health care. This is the same term the insurance trade association, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP),
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#17328690986586344-611: The Common Man " is traditionally performed at the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for promoting Democratic campaign activities. While the DNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Democratic Platform, the DNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy . In presidential elections, it supervises
6466-800: The Constitution. The party opposed a national bank and Great Britain . After the War of 1812 , the Federalists virtually disappeared and the only national political party left was the Democratic-Republicans, which was prone to splinter along regional lines. The era of one-party rule in the United States, known as the Era of Good Feelings , lasted from 1816 until 1828, when Andrew Jackson became president. Jackson and Martin Van Buren worked with allies in each state to form
6588-626: The Democratic Party that opposed them persisted in the South until the 1960s. On foreign policy, both parties have changed positions several times. The Democratic Party evolved from the Jeffersonian Republican or Democratic-Republican Party organized by Jefferson and Madison in opposition to the Federalist Party. The Democratic-Republican Party favored republicanism ; a weak federal government ; states' rights ; agrarian interests (especially Southern planters); and strict adherence to
6710-407: The Democratic Party while red has become the identifying color for the Republican Party. That night, for the first time all major broadcast television networks used the same color scheme for the electoral map: blue states for Al Gore (Democratic nominee) and red states for George W. Bush (Republican nominee). Since then, the color blue has been widely used by the media to represent the party. This
6832-407: The Democratic Party, including the former Clinton administration , has been referred to as " Third Way ". The Democrats lost control of Congress in the 1994 elections to the Republicans, however, in 1996 Clinton was re-elected, becoming the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term. Clinton's vice president Al Gore ran to succeed him as president, and won
6954-537: The Democrats but had the effect of alienating Southern whites who would eventually gravitate toward the Republican Party, particularly after the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980. Many conservative Southern Democrats defected to the Republican Party , beginning with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the general leftward shift of the party. The United States' involvement in
7076-494: The Democrats led to a Republican victory and Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States. As the American Civil War broke out, Northern Democrats were divided into War Democrats and Peace Democrats . The Confederate States of America deliberately avoided organized political parties. Most War Democrats rallied to Republican President Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans' National Union Party in
7198-537: The Northeastern states becoming more reliably Democratic. The party's labor union element has become smaller since the 1970s, and as the American electorate shifted in a more conservative direction following the presidency of Ronald Reagan , the election of Bill Clinton marked a move for the party toward the Third Way , moving the party's economic stance towards market-based economic policy. Barack Obama oversaw
7320-519: The Obama presidency, the party moved forward reforms including an economic stimulus package, the Dodd–Frank financial reform act, and the Affordable Care Act . In the 2010 midterm elections , the Democratic Party lost control of the House as well as its majorities in several state legislatures and governorships. In the 2012 elections , President Obama was re-elected, but the party remained in
7442-422: The People's Republic of China , a position he held from 2014 until 2017. As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance , Baucus played an influential role in the debate over health care reform in the United States . He was also chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation , a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works , and
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#17328690986587564-439: The Republican eagle. The rooster was also adopted as an official symbol of the national Democratic Party. In 1904, the Alabama Democratic Party chose, as the logo to put on its ballots, a rooster with the motto "White supremacy – For the right." The words "White supremacy" were replaced with "Democrats" in 1966. In 1996, the Alabama Democratic Party dropped the rooster, citing racist and white supremacist connotations linked with
7686-459: The Senator and Hanes had ended their marriages within the previous year; Hanes had met with the divorce lawyer of Baucus in 2007 at least twice, to discuss how the senator's work would be affected if he were to divorce his wife. Baucus said he was separated from his wife before he began seeing Hanes. Critics questioned whether he had misused his power to promote his lover and former aide. Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic wrote: "That Baucus would ignore
7808-424: The U.S. House and expanded its majority in the U.S. Senate, along with several gains at the state level. In July 2024, after a series of age and health concerns , Biden became the first incumbent president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to withdraw from running for reelection, the first since the 19th century to withdraw after serving only one term, and the only one to ever withdraw after already winning
7930-445: The United States after World War II included the Cold War and the civil rights movement . Republicans attracted conservatives and, after the 1960s, white Southerners from the Democratic coalition with their use of the Southern strategy and resistance to New Deal and Great Society liberalism. Until the 1950s, African Americans had traditionally supported the Republican Party because of its anti-slavery civil rights policies. Following
8052-495: The United States and elsewhere. With increasing casualties and nightly news reports bringing home troubling images from Vietnam, the costly military engagement became increasingly unpopular, alienating many of the kinds of young voters that the Democrats had attracted in the early 1960s. The protests that year along with assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Democratic presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy (younger brother of John F. Kennedy) climaxed in turbulence at
8174-415: The White House in 1912 and 1916 . Since Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932, the Democratic Party has promoted a liberal platform that includes support for Social Security and unemployment insurance . The New Deal attracted strong support for the party from recent European immigrants but diminished the party's pro-business wing. From late in Roosevelt's administration through
8296-441: The campaign, Kennedy attracted a new generation of younger voters. In his agenda dubbed the New Frontier , Kennedy introduced a host of social programs and public works projects, along with enhanced support of the space program , proposing a crewed spacecraft trip to the moon by the end of the decade. He pushed for civil rights initiatives and proposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , but with his assassination in November 1963, he
8418-409: The central government as the enemy of individual liberty. The 1824 "corrupt bargain" had strengthened their suspicion of Washington politics. ... Jacksonians feared the concentration of economic and political power. They believed that government intervention in the economy benefited special-interest groups and created corporate monopolies that favored the rich. They sought to restore the independence of
8540-458: The conflict of the interest or so easily dismiss it calls into question his judgment and his ethics. That's a scandal." The 2002 Montana elections got national attention when Baucus's opponent, state senator Mike Taylor, accused Baucus of having implied in a campaign ad that Taylor was gay . The ad was paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , not by the Baucus campaign. The ad, which alleged that Taylor had embezzled funds from
8662-432: The confusion of the Democrats that year, and won the 1968 election to become the 37th president. He won re-election in a landslide in 1972 against Democratic nominee George McGovern , who like Robert F. Kennedy, reached out to the younger anti-war and counterculture voters, but unlike Kennedy, was not able to appeal to the party's more traditional white working-class constituencies. During Nixon's second term, his presidency
8784-430: The court's 6–3 split between conservatives (the majority) and liberals. After Dobbs v. Jackson (decided June 24, 2022), which led to abortion bans in much of the country , the Democratic Party rallied behind abortion rights . In the 2022 midterm elections , Democrats dramatically outperformed historical trends and a widely anticipated red wave did not materialize. The party only narrowly lost its majority in
8906-518: The delegates would not adopt a resolution supporting the extension of slavery into territories even if the voters of those territories did not want it. These Southern Democrats nominated the pro-slavery incumbent vice president, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, for president and General Joseph Lane , of Oregon, for vice president. The Northern Democrats nominated Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for president and former Georgia Governor Herschel V. Johnson for vice president. This fracturing of
9028-654: The entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth register may by that fact alone become the person's legal name . The assumption in the Western world is often that the name from birth (or perhaps from baptism or brit milah ) will persist to adulthood in the normal course of affairs—either throughout life or until marriage. Some reasons for changes of a person's name include middle names , diminutive forms, changes relating to parental status (due to one's parents' divorce or adoption by different parents), and gender transition . The French and English-adopted née
9150-574: The executive director of the state's Constitutional Convention, opening a law office in Missoula, Montana . In November 1972, Baucus was elected to the Montana House of Representatives as a state representative from Missoula. In November 1974 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives , and he was re-elected in 1976. Baucus was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 7, 1978, for
9272-586: The future. His policy on not taking health care industry money reportedly still allowed him to accept money from lobbyists or corporate executives, who, according to The Washington Post , continued to make donations after July 1, 2009. A watchdog group found that in July 2009 Baucus accepted additional money from the health care industry in violation of his own self-defined moratorium terms, reportedly leading Baucus to return those monies. In 2013, journalist Jonathan Cohn wrote in The New Republic : "It's not
9394-418: The health care industry, Baucus declared a moratorium as of July 1, 2009 on taking more special interest money from health care political action committees. Baucus, however, refused to return as part of his moratorium any of the millions of dollars he has received from health care industry interests before July 1, 2009, or to rule out a resumption of taking the same or greater health care industry contributions in
9516-637: The health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and his nomination of his girlfriend to be a US Attorney. Maxwell Sieben Enke was born on December 11, 1941, in Helena, Montana , to historian and rancher Jean Sheriff (1917–2011) and Stephen Enke (1916–1974), a demographer and economist. His father, born in British Columbia , Canada, was of German and Scottish descent, and his mother had English and German ancestry. Baucus lived in Los Angeles, California, until he
9638-551: The health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and was one of the greatest beneficiaries in the Senate of campaign contributions from these industries. From 2003-08, Baucus received $ 3,973,485 from the health sector, including $ 852,813 from pharmaceutical companies, $ 851,141 from health professionals, $ 784,185 from the insurance industry. and $ 465,750 from HMOs/health services, according to OpenSecrets . A 2006 study by Public Citizen found that between 1999 and 2005 Baucus, along with former Senate majority leader Bill Frist , took in
9760-451: The hotly-contested Democratic National Convention that summer in Chicago (which amongst the ensuing turmoil inside and outside of the convention hall nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey ) in a series of events that proved to mark a significant turning point in the decline of the Democratic Party's broad coalition. Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon was able to capitalize on
9882-499: The image persisted and evolved. Its most lasting impression came from the cartoons of Thomas Nast from 1870 in Harper's Weekly . Cartoonists followed Nast and used the donkey to represent the Democrats and the elephant to represent the Republicans. In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Democratic Party in Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Ohio was the rooster, as opposed to
10004-402: The impact of political contributions on individual senators' support for the public insurance option conducted by Nate Silver has suggested that Baucus was an unlikely supporter of the public option in the first place. Based on Baucus's political ideology and the per capita health care spending in Montana, Silver's model projects that there would be only a 30.6% probability of Baucus supporting
10126-489: The individual—the artisan and the ordinary farmer—by ending federal support of banks and corporations and restricting the use of paper currency, which they distrusted. Their definition of the proper role of government tended to be negative, and Jackson's political power was largely expressed in negative acts. He exercised the veto more than all previous presidents combined. ... Nor did Jackson share reformers' humanitarian concerns. He had no sympathy for American Indians, initiating
10248-474: The issues of taxes , the environment , health care, and gun control . The web site That's My Congress gives him a 23 percent rating on progressive issues it tracks. NARAL Pro-Choice America 's political action committee endorsed Baucus during his 2008 election campaign. The American Civil Liberties Union rated Baucus at 60 percent in December 2002, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. In 2006,
10370-539: The leadership of Nancy Pelosi . Democrats were extremely critical of President Trump, particularly his policies on immigration, healthcare, and abortion, as well as his response to the COVID-19 pandemic . In December 2019, Democrats in the House of Representatives impeached Trump , although he was acquitted in the Republican-controlled Senate. In November 2020, Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump to win
10492-460: The meeting as controversial because it did not include representatives from groups calling for single-payer health care . Advocate groups attended a Senate Finance Committee meeting in May 2009 to protest their exclusion as well as statements by Baucus that "single payer was not an option on the table." Baucus later had eight protesters removed by police who arrested them for disrupting the hearing. Many of
10614-430: The minority in the House of Representatives and lost control of the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections . After the 2016 election of Donald Trump , who lost the popular vote to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the Democratic Party transitioned into the role of an opposition party and held neither the presidency nor Congress for two years. However, the party won back the House in the 2018 midterm elections under
10736-501: The most special-interest money of any senator. Only three senators have more former staffers working as lobbyists on K Street , at least two dozen in Baucus's case. Several of Baucus's ex-staffers, including former chief of staff David Castagnetti, are now working for the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries. Castagnetti co-founded the lobbying firm of Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti, which represents America's Health Insurance Plans Inc ,
10858-472: The move would be food safety and the USDA is considering whether Vietnamese fish should be subject to a stricter safety inspection regime. But the article noted that there have been no reported cases of Vietnamese fish making American consumers sick and the proposed inspections would be onerous. It quoted Baucus as telling Congress Daily , "If we expect other countries to follow the rules and drop these restrictions, it
10980-497: The nation's first well-organized national party ... and tight party organization became the hallmark of nineteenth-century American politics. Behind the platforms issued by state and national parties stood a widely shared political outlook that characterized the Democrats: The Democrats represented a wide range of views but shared a fundamental commitment to the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society. They viewed
11102-628: The national trade group of health insurance companies, the Medicare Cost Contractors Alliance, as well as Amgen , AstraZeneca , and Merck & Company . Another former chief of staff, Jeff Forbes, opened his own lobbying shop and to represent the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Advanced Medical Technology Association, among other groups. A statistical analysis of
11224-563: The next meeting on health care reform of the Senate Finance Committee, Baucus had five more doctors and nurses removed and arrested. Baucus admitted a few weeks later in June 2009 that it was a mistake to rule out a single payer plan because doing so alienated a large, vocal constituency and left President Barack Obama 's proposal of a public health plan to compete with private insurers as the most liberal position. Obama expressed deep frustration with Baucus regarding negotiations over
11346-413: The old Jeffersonian principles , led by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren , became the modern Democratic Party. Historian Mary Beth Norton explains the transformation in 1828: Jacksonians believed the people's will had finally prevailed. Through a lavishly financed coalition of state parties, political leaders, and newspaper editors, a popular movement had elected the president. The Democrats became
11468-665: The only Democrat to vote against an amendment by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D- NJ ) that sought to "regulate the sale of firearms at gun shows"— after the Columbine High School massacre . In 2014, he cast one of only four Democratic votes against universal gun show background checks . The Progressive Change Campaign Committee ran ads in Montana saying: "Senator Baucus, it was WRONG to vote 'no' on stopping gun violence. 79% of Montana voters support background checks. Stand with us, not gun manufacturers." The group planned to spend money to unseat Baucus over his vote on gun control in
11590-412: The party's key issues in the early 21st century have included combating terrorism while preserving human rights, expanding access to health care, labor rights , and environmental protection. Democrats regained majority control of both the House and the Senate in the 2006 elections . Barack Obama won the Democratic Party's nomination and was elected as the first African American president in 2008. Under
11712-414: The party's passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. During his and Joe Biden 's presidency, the party has adopted an increasingly progressive economic agenda and more left-wing views on cultural and social issues . In the 21st century, the party is strongest among urban voters , union workers , college graduates , women , African Americans , American Jews , LGBT+ people , and
11834-460: The party, but inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1980 took their toll, resulting in a landslide victory for Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980, which shifted the political landscape in favor of the Republicans for years to come. The influx of conservative Democrats into the Republican Party is often cited as a reason for the Republican Party's shift further to
11956-453: The party, but the name "Democratic Party" was eventually settled upon and became the official name in 1844. Members of the party are called "Democrats" or "Dems". The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey, or jackass. Andrew Jackson 's enemies twisted his name to "jackass" as a term of ridicule regarding a stupid and stubborn animal. However, the Democrats liked the common-man implications and picked it up too, therefore
12078-556: The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 , the Southern states became more reliably Republican in presidential politics, while Northeastern states became more reliably Democratic. Studies show that Southern whites, which were a core constituency in the Democratic Party, shifted to the Republican Party due to racial backlash and social conservatism . The election of President John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts in 1960 partially reflected this shift. In
12200-480: The post of Ambassador to China . He submitted Baucus's nomination to the Senate on January 7, 2014. A hearing on the nomination was held by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on January 28, 2014. His nomination was reported to the full Senate on February 4, 2014. He was confirmed by the full Senate on February 6, 2014 by a vote of 96–0 and Baucus himself voting "Present". Baucus
12322-401: The primaries . As of 2024, Democrats hold the presidency and a majority in the U.S. Senate , as well as 23 state governorships , 19 state legislatures , 17 state government trifectas , and the mayorships in the majority of the country's major cities. Three of the nine current U.S. Supreme Court justices were appointed by Democratic presidents. By registered members, the Democratic Party
12444-705: The removal of the Cherokees along the Trail of Tears . Opposing factions led by Henry Clay helped form the Whig Party. The Democratic Party had a small yet decisive advantage over the Whigs until the 1850s when the Whigs fell apart over the issue of slavery. In 1854, angry with the Kansas–Nebraska Act , anti-slavery Democrats left the party and joined Northern Whigs to form the Republican Party . Martin van Buren also helped found
12566-450: The rest included millions from health care and other industries overseen by Finance and Baucus's other committees. So as Baucus and other lawmakers attempt to craft a bill that can smash through a virtual gridlock of interests, the awkward question lingers: to whom are they more attentive, their voting constituencies back home or the dollar constituencies who are at the Capitol every day? As
12688-511: The right during the late 20th century as well as the shift of its base from the Northeast and Midwest to the South. With the ascendancy of the Republicans under Ronald Reagan, the Democrats searched for ways to respond yet were unable to succeed by running traditional candidates, such as former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis , who lost to Reagan and George H.W. Bush in
12810-500: The single-payer advocates said it was a " pay to play " event. A representative of the Business Roundtable , which includes 35 memberships of health maintenance organizations , health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, admitted that other countries, with lower health costs, and higher quality of care, such as those with single-payer systems, have a competitive advantage over the United States with its private system . At
12932-406: The symbol. The rooster symbol still appears on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia ballots . In New York, the Democratic ballot symbol is a five-pointed star. Although both major political parties (and many minor ones) use the traditional American colors of red, white, and blue in their marketing and representations, since election night 2000 blue has become the identifying color for
13054-499: The term z domu (literally meaning "of the house", de domo in Latin ) may be used, with rare exceptions, meaning the same as née . Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States . Since the late 1850s, its main political rival has been the Republican Party ; the two parties have since dominated American politics. The Democratic Party
13176-431: The term beginning January 3, 1979, but was subsequently appointed to the seat by Montana's Democratic Governor Thomas Lee Judge on December 15, 1978, to fill the brief vacancy created by Senator Paul G. Hatfield 's resignation. On April 23, 2013, a Democratic official confirmed that Baucus would not seek a seventh term. As a Democratic member of the Senate, Baucus was conservative, and frequently broke with his party on
13298-536: The use of hydrogen-powered cars . But he voted against the corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE) and on increasing federal funds for solar and wind power . He was a leader in the massive Montana Legacy Project conservation project. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) gave Baucus a 79% rating for 2012; Baucus's lifetime LCV rating is 68%. As a senator, Baucus opposed the United States embargo against Cuba and travel restrictions. Baucus voted for
13420-535: The vacant position of U.S. Attorney for Montana . The Wall Street Journal reported that according to several people he did not mention his relationship to the White House or to the attorney who tasked with reviewing candidates when he made the recommendation. Hanes then withdrew her nomination before the conflict of interest was discovered, because (according to Baucus) they wanted to be together in Washington, D.C. Both
13542-427: The world's oldest active political party. It was predominately built by Martin Van Buren , who assembled a wide cadre of politicians in every state behind Jackson. Since the nomination of William Jennings Bryan in 1896, the party has generally positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party on economic issues. Democrats have been more liberal on civil rights since 1948, although conservative factions within
13664-533: The world. The Great Depression in 1929 that began under Republican President Herbert Hoover and the Republican Congress set the stage for a more liberal government as the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives nearly uninterrupted from 1930 until 1994, the Senate for 44 of 48 years from 1930, and won most presidential elections until 1968. Franklin D. Roosevelt , elected to the presidency in 1932, came forth with federal government programs called
13786-648: Was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. After graduating, he attended Stanford Law School and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1967. After finishing law school, Baucus spent two years working as a staff attorney for the Civil Aeronautics Board and then two years as a lawyer at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. He moved back to his native Montana in 1971 to serve as
13908-455: Was chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure . Before his election to the Senate, Baucus was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1978, representing Montana's 1st congressional district . He previously served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1973 to 1974. His career included charges of conflicts of interest due to his ties to
14030-480: Was dominated by the interests of slave states until it split in 1860 over slavery . It won the presidency only twice between 1860 and 1912, although it won the popular vote two more times in that period. In the late 19th century, it continued to oppose high tariffs and had fierce internal debates on the gold standard . In the early 20th century, it partially (not all factions) supported progressive reforms and opposed imperialism , with Woodrow Wilson winning
14152-444: Was founded in 1828. Martin Van Buren of New York played the central role in building the coalition of state organizations that formed a new party as a vehicle to elect Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. The Democratic Party is the world's oldest active political party. It initially supported expansive presidential power , agrarianism , and geographical expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . From 1848 it
14274-533: Was no reason for America to launch a trade war with Vietnam over fish . "He's dead right about a trade issue now percolating in Washington," said the newspaper. The article, entitled "Max Baucus's Fish Sense – Protectionism often hurts the protectionist", outlined this controversial topic in Washington and underlined the possibility that the U.S. Department of Agriculture could effectively ban imports from Vietnam of pangasius fish, which are similar to U.S.-produced catfish . The ostensible reason for
14396-522: Was not able to see its passage. Kennedy's successor Lyndon B. Johnson was able to persuade the largely conservative Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and with a more progressive Congress in 1965 passed much of the Great Society , including Medicare and Medicaid , which consisted of an array of social programs designed to help the poor, sick, and elderly. Kennedy and Johnson's advocacy of civil rights further solidified black support for
14518-473: Was rocked by the Watergate scandal, which forced him to resign in 1974. He was succeeded by vice president Gerald Ford , who served a brief tenure. Watergate offered the Democrats an opportunity to recoup, and their nominee Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential election. With the initial support of evangelical Christian voters in the South, Carter was temporarily able to reunite the disparate factions within
14640-489: Was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden on February 21, 2014; ending the ambassadorship of Gary Locke . Baucus cannot speak Mandarin Chinese , which was historically unusual for this position. Birth name#Maiden and married names A birth name is the name given to a person upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname , the given name , or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered,
14762-495: Was two, when his mother left his father and returned to Helena. His mother later married John J. Baucus, and she and her son, Max, took his surname. Baucus graduated from Helena High School in 1959. After attending local public schools in his hometown of Helena, he attended Carleton College in Minnesota for a year. He then transferred to Stanford University , where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1964, and
14884-591: Was very supportive of the intent of the new legislation saying "I spent two years of my life working on the Affordable Care Act. There is nothing I want more than for it to succeed," he was very critical of the resulting rollout. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee , Baucus called the first Senate meeting of interested parties before the committee to discuss health care reform , including representatives from pharmaceutical groups, insurance companies, and HMOs and hospital management companies. Some viewed
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