<P> On October 21, 2011, President Obama signed into law three of the following United States free trade agreements: Free trade agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea, Panama--United States Trade Promotion Agreement and the United States--Colombia Free Trade Agreement . In the House of Representatives, Democratic Representatives largely opposed these agreements, while Senate Democrats were split on the agreements . This was a continuation of President Bill Clinton's policy of support for free trade agreements . </P> <P> When asked by David Gregory about his views on same - sex marriage on Meet the Press on May 5, 2012, Biden stated he supported same - sex marriage . On May 9, 2012, a day after North Carolina voters approved Amendment 1, President Obama became the first sitting United States President to come out in favor of same - sex marriage . </P> <P> The 2012 Democratic Party platform for Obama's reelection ran over 26,000 words and included his position on numerous national issues . On security issues, it pledges "unshakable commitment to Israel's security", says the party will try to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon . It calls for a strong military, but argues that in the current fiscal environment, tough budgetary decisions must include defense spending . On controversial social issues it supports abortion rights, same - sex marriage and says the party is "strongly committed to enacting comprehensive immigration reform". On the economic side the platform calls for extending the tax cuts for families earning under $250,000 and promises not to raise their taxes . It praises the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare", but does not use that term). It "adamantly oppose any efforts to privatize Medicare". On the rules of politics it attacks the recent Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that allows much greater political spending . It demands "immediate action to curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests on our political institutions". </P> <P> Intense budget negotiations in the divided 112th Congress, wherein Democrats resolved to fight Republican demands for decreased spending and no tax hikes, threatened to shut down the government in April 2011 and later spurred fears that the United States would default on its debt . Continuing tight budgets were felt at the state level, where public - sector unions, a key Democratic constituency, battled Republican efforts to limit their collective bargaining powers in order to save money and reduce union power . This led to sustained protests by public - sector employees and walkouts by sympathetic Democratic legislators in states like Wisconsin and Ohio . The 2011 "Occupy movement". a campaign on the left for more accountable economic leadership, failed to have the impact on Democratic Party leadership and policy that the Tea Party movement had on the Republicans . ts leadership proved ineffective and the Occupy movement fizzled out . However, echoes could be found in the presidential nomination campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders in 2015--2016 . </P>

From 1896 to 1932 the blank party was the nations majority party