American Political Parties

Two major political parties are: Democratic Party (liberal) Support government funding of welfare, healthcare, and public education Support abortion and gay marriage Want to raise taxes on the wealthy Limit guns Put more taxes on businesses Republican Party (conservative) Support lower taxes for everyone, including wealthy and businesses Want people to be more reliant on self and less on gov’t programs Against abortion and gay marriage Do not want to limit access to guns Believe that states should have more power rather than national government.

A Third Party? American history has seen brief formations of third parties: Populist Party Progressive Party Bull Moose Party Why do you think third parties in American politics are not successful?

Some of the other many American political parties: Communist Party USA U.S. Pacifist Party Natural Law Party U.S. Marijuana Party Green Party Prohibition Party Libertarian Party Family Values Party

Party Platform A party platform is a document stating the aims and principles of a political party or candidate. According to this political cartoon, what was Rudy Guiliani’s platform?

Match the political parties with their platforms 1. Libertarian Party 2. Green Party 3. Republican Party 4. Communist Party 5. Prohibition Party 6. Democratic Party A.)Protection against the exploitation of working people B.)Smaller government, individual liberty & personal responsibility C.) Prayer in school, pro life, family values D.)Private health insurance, No Child Left Behind, reduction in social programs E.)Affordable health care, civil rights, retirement security F.) Non-violence, ecological sustainability, global responsibility

9 | 7 Minor Parties Ideological parties: conservative or liberal views about many issues that the other parties ignore. Single-issue parties: address one concern, avoid others. Economic protest parties: regional, protest economic conditions. Splinter parties: from split in a major party, usually over the party’s presidential nominee. The Rent is Too Damn High Party…

Why Minor Parties Are Important Minor parties play several important roles: “Spoiler Role” Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates. Critic Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore. Innovator Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.

The Rent is Too Damn High Party… What type of third party is “the rent is too damn high party”? What role does it serve as a third party?

Which role of third parties does this cartoon show? Why? (hint: Ralph Nader is from the Green Party)

Tea Party What is the Tea Party? The Tea Party is a political movement that largely began in 2009 with protests that were sponsored both locally and nationally. What type of “movement” is the Tea Party? The Tea Party is essentially a populist movement urging political change for the benefit of the people. The focus is on fiscal conservatism. How does the Tea Party align with other political movements or parties? In general the movement is considered conservative as well as libertarian, favoring decreased taxes as well as decreased spending by the government. So far the Tea Party has endorsed Republican candidates.

Your Political Party & Platform Based on your response to the warm up. On a separate piece of paper design a poster for your party, with your name, platform and symbol. Finish for homework

Family Guy “Tea Peter” Why does Peter want to start a new party? What are is complaints about the government? What does he want to change?