Both Sides Are The Same

No they’re not
- or -
An evidence-based demonstration of political party differences

One of the more common political arguments in America is that it’s easy to be disappointed because ‘both sides are the same’ or ‘both sides act the same’. Whenever I hear this sentence, it comes from a person who has either:

Never paid attention to politics outside of the narrow range of news sources they read, or
Just had their political party do something shitty that they feel the need to defend by saying everyone does it.

This page is a resource to prove that isn’t true. Using publicly available voting records, here are how both American political parties vote on the issues you care about. Review them, and then realize that no, both parties are not the same.

… EXCEPT FOR ON NET NEUTRALITY

House Vote for Net Neutrality
Republican: 2 for, 234 against
Democrat: 177 for, 6 against

Senate Vote for Net Neutrality
Republican: 0 for, 46 against
Democrat: 52 for, 0 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO BIG MONEY, DONORS, AND CORPORATIONS IN POLITICS

Sets reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by electoral candidates to influence elections
Republican: 0 for, 42 against
Democrat: 54 for, 0 against

Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements
Republican: 0 for, 39 against
Democrats: 59 for, 0 against

DISCLOSE Act
Republican: 0 for, 53 against
Democrats: 45 for, 0 against

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
Republican: 8 for, 38 against
Democrat: 51 for, 3 against

Repeal Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns
Republican: 232 for, 0 against
Democrat: 0 for, 189 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO BACKING UP YOUR VOTE TO ENSURE IT IS ACCURATELY COUNTED

Backup Paper Ballots - Voting Record
Republican: 20 for, 170 against
Democrat: 228 for, 0 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING REGULATIONS THAT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT

Stop "the War on Coal" Act of 2012
Republican: 214 for, 13 against
Democrat: 19 for, 162 against

Prohibit the Social Cost of Carbon in Agency Determinations
Republican: 218 for, 2 against
Democrat: 4 for, 186 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO BEHAVING ETHICALLY IN WAR

Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment
Republican: 1 for, 52 against
Democrat: 45 for, 1 against

Patriot Act Reauthorization
Republican: 196 for, 31 against
Democrat: 54 for, 122 against

Repeal Indefinite Military Detention
Republican: 15 for, 214 against
Democrats: 176 for, 16 against

FISA Act Reauthorization of 2008
Republican: 188 for, 1 against
Democrat: 105 for, 128 against

FISA Reauthorization of 2012
Republican: 227 for, 7 against
Democrat: 74 for, 111 against

House Vote to Close the Guantanamo Prison
Republican: 2 for, 228 against
Democrat: 172 for, 21 against

Senate Vote to Close the Guantanamo Prison
Republican: 3 for, 32 against
Democrat: 52 for, 3 against

Iraq Withdrawal Amendment
Republican: 2 for, 45 against
Democrat: 47 for, 2 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

Time Between Troop Deployments
Republican: 6 for, 43 against
Democrats: 50 for, 1 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING OUR ENEMIES IN COURTS WITH OVERSIGHT AND CLEAR GUIDELINES

Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo
Republican: 44 for, 0 against
Democrat: 9 for, 41 against

Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States
Republican: 5 for, 42 against
Democrat: 50 for, 0 against

Habeas Review Amendment
Republican: 3 for, 50 against
Democrat: 45 for, 1 against

Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime
Republican: 38 for, 2 against
Democrat: 9 for, 49 against

Prohibits Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts
Republican: 46 for, 2 against
Democrat: 1 for, 49 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO ALLOWING AMERICAN CITIZENS TO BE HELD FOREVER WITHOUT GOING TO TRIAL

Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial
Republican: 5 for, 42 against
Democrat: 39 for, 12 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING AMERICANS INSTEAD OF BIG BUSINESSES

Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Bureau Act
Republican: 4 for, 39 against
Democrat: 55 for, 2 against

End the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
Republican: 39 for, 1 against
Democrat: 1 for, 54 against

Kill Credit Default Swap Regulations
Republican: 38 for, 2 against
Democrat: 18 for, 36 against

Revokes tax credits for businesses that move jobs overseas
Republican: 10 for, 32 against
Democrat: 53 for, 1 against

Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit
Republican: 233 for, 1 against
Democrat: 6 for, 175 against

Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit
Republican: 42 for, 1 against
Democrat: 2 for, 51 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING AMERICANS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET

American Jobs Act of 2011 - $50 billion for infrastructure projects
Republican: 0 for, 48 against
Democrat: 50 for, 2 against

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension
Republican: 1 for, 44 against
Democrat: 54 for, 1 against

Reduces Funding for Food Stamps
Republican: 33 for, 13 against
Democrat: 0 for, 52 against

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Amendment
Republican: 1 for, 41 against
Democrat: 54 for, 0 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO ADJUSTING EMPLOYEE WAGES TO BE IN LINE WITH INFLATION

Minimum Wage Fairness Act
Republican: 1 for, 41 against
Democrat: 53 for, 1 against

Paycheck Fairness Act
Republican: 0 for, 40 against
Democrat: 58 for, 1 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING RIGHTS FOR WOMEN AND MINORITIES

Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013
Republican: 1 for, 41 against
Democrat: 54 for, 0 against

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Republican: 3 for, 173 against
Democrat: 247 for, 4 against

Same Sex Marriage Resolution 2006
Republican: 6 for, 47 against
Democrat: 42 for, 2 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO LETTING YOUR BOSS FIRE YOU OVER HIS OR YOUR RELIGION
Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Republican: 41 for, 3 against
Democrat: 2 for, 52 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING TEENAGERS HOW NOT TO NEED ABORTIONS

Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment
Republican: 4 for, 50 against
Democrat: 44 for, 1 against

Family Planning and Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Republican: 3 for, 51 against
Democrat: 44 for, 1 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING WOMEN FROM THEIR BOSS HAVING A SAY IN THEIR HEALTHCARE

Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act
Republican: 3 for, 42 against
Democrat: 53 for, 1 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO REMOVING FUNDING FROM THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Prohibit the Use of Funds to Carry Out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Republican: 45 for, 0 against
Democrat: 0 for, 52 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING STUDENTS PAY BACK THEIR STUDENT LOANS

Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans
Republican: 0 for, 46 against
Democrat: 46 for, 6 against

Student Loan Affordability Act
Republican: 0 for, 51 against
Democrat: 45 for, 1 against

… EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING PUBLIC RADIO

Prohibiting Federal Funding of National Public Radio
Republican: 228 for, 7 against
Democrat: 0 for, 185 against