Republicans and Democrats agree that some government programs are necessary, but disagree regarding how they should be funded and overseen. In general, Republicans prefer most of the responsibility of government programs to rest with state and local governments, while Democrats favor much stronger involvement by the federal government. For example, the ongoing debates about health care and education reform. Both parties agree that changes are necessary, but Republicans tend to favor allowing the states to work out needed changes while Democrats favor more direct federal oversight and involvement. The Republican Party's platform suggests that the role of government is to protect individuals' rights and that individuals and society as a whole
