1. Political Parties & Interest Groups
Purpose, Reason, & Function

2. Interest Groups What are they?
Associations or organizations of individuals who share a particular view in common
What do they do?
Use their collective strength to accomplish their goal politically
How do they impact politics?
Can place their support behind a candidate
Offer assistance/help to a candidate running for office
Can persuade public officials to take actions on the issues the group is concerned with

3. Interest Groups you may have heard of:
PETA
NAACP
ASPCA

4. Political Parties: What do they do?
Promote a political agenda to influence government and citizens
Select candidates for election
Educate voters
Finance election campaigns
Fill government positions

5. 2 “Big Tent” Parties
Both Republicans and Democrats are considered “Big Tent” parties because there are many different groups that support unrelated issues who associate with the same party.
Different people with different views supporting the same party
Often in American politics third parties limit their interests to a single issue.
For example, the Green Party is a political party that puts environmentalism at the center of its agenda.

7. Fun Fact!
Both parties were combined into one party known as the Democratic-Republican Party
Democratic-Republican Party broke apart around 1825

8. The History of Democrats
Oldest political party in the U.S.
Formed in the 1830’s from the Democratic-Republican Party
Formed by Martin Van Buren
Originally opposed Civil Rights and tolerated slavery
Underwent transformation in the mid-20th century and became more of what we know today as the Democrat party
Andrew Jackson – first Democrat president of the U.S.

9. Andrew Jackson - the first Democrat elected President
the 7th President of the US
He was the first presidential candidate to run as a Democrat.
History knows him as the first President to frequently veto laws passed in Congress.
Jackson was responsible for enfranchising all white males (giving them the right to vote), large Indian removal projects and the distribution of land to white southern farmers.
Jackson’s Democrats were also considered the party in favor of slavery and as a result typically won elections in southern states.

10. Where did the Democrat Donkey come from?
Andrew Jackson used a donkey to symbolize his working class roots and ever since then Democrats have been known as the part of the donkey.

11. Democrat History Continued
Democrats evolved into the party that represented mainly the working classes of cities in the North and predominantly white agricultural workers in the South until 1932.

12. Transforming the Democrats
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Took presidency in 1932
led the United States out the Great Depression by expanding government services like welfare, social security, jobs programs and to a lesser extent supporting civil rights laws.
John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson continued the tradition set by FDR in pushing forward civil rights laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and expanding the welfare state (a type of government designed to take care of its citizens)

13. Democrats Today
Today the Democrats are commonly perceived as the party of big government, civil rights, women’s rights, environmentalism, the poor and pacifism (slow to go to war).
Our current president is from the Democrat Party

14. Hillary Clinton 2016 Democrat Candidate Credentials: Scandals:
Former first lady of Arkansas ( / )
Former first lady of U.S. ( )
Former U.S. Senator ( )
U.S. Secretary of State ( )
Scandals:
Benghazi Attack
U.S. diplomats compound was attacked, which resulted in the death of the ambassador and three other Americans
Hilary took responsibly of the situation stating it was lapse of security
A hearing was conducted but no culpability was found in Clinton
Scandal
It was found that Clinton had used her personal account to send classified information, in lieu of using the government created server

15. History of the Republicans
The Republicans were born in 1854 with support of abolitionists (people against slavery) and those who supported a strong federal government.
Known as the GOP or the Grand Old Party because they were the party that “won the war” during the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican to be elected President.
Later, in the late 1880s Republicans became known as the party of big business.

16. History of Republicans
They favored small government,
Were against taxes
Thought that the economy could take care of itself if left to its own devises.

17. Where did the Republican
Elephant come from?
Republicans came to be associated with elephants due to the political cartoons of Thomas Nast in 1874.

18. Transforming the Republican Party
The modern Republican Party was born out of Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy
Nixon appealed to southern white voters by proclaiming his support of states rights and promised to make the US safer.
Today the Republican party stands for many of the issue Richard Nixon supported such as lower taxes, small government, the rights to carry arms, pro-life policies, a strong military and a smaller welfare state.

19. The Republican party today
Republicans Today!
The Republican party today
Tend to support public policies that limit the size of government and cut taxes.
Typically support the War on Terror
Are generally opposed to the legalization of abortion (pro-life)
Usually vote against programs to increase the size of the welfare state.

20. Donald Trump 2016 Democrat Candidate Credentials: Scandals:
Host and co-producer of TV reality show The Apprentice ( )
Chairman of The Trump Organization
Scandals:
Discrimination Lawsuit
Was sued by the Justice Department for refusing to rent his rental utilities to minorities.
The Great Wall of Mexico
Trump’s plan for immigration was to build a wall along the Mexican border and have Mexico pay for it

21. What are the differences between Republicans and Democrats today?
vs.
Democrat

22. The Economy and Taxes Democrats Republicans
Are generally in favor of large government and a progressive tax system in which the wealthy pay a larger share than the poor
Tend to believe in a balanced budget and are willing to raise taxes if needed
Tend to make laws to protect American businesses from international competition
Republicans
Are generally in favor of a smaller government
Vehemently against raising taxes even if it means a budget deficit
Tend to believe in global trade and don’t tend to protect US businesses from international competition

23. National Defense and Security
Democrats
Tend to cut the military budget
Generally want to avoid American military intervention unless supported by the United Nations
Tend to believe in diplomacy(solving problems without fighting) and are slow to go to war
Republicans
Believe in a strong military and are willing to pay for it with government money
Believe in confronting American enemies with or without UN support
Believe in using military intervention when American interests or security is threatened more quickly than Democrats

24. Entitlements- Welfare, Medicaid, Social Security, Health Care
Democrats
Generally think that the government should provide a broad safety net (health care, education, welfare, food stamps) for the poor and others.
They generally think these policies help the common good and are compassionate
Republicans
Generally think the government should limit or reduce the “safety net” for the poor.
They believe that private businesses and non-profit charities can provide the same services

25. Crime and Punishment Democrats Republicans
Tend to focus on rehabilitation programs over long prison sentences for convicted criminals
Usually against the death penalty
Focus on rights of the accused
Republicans
Tend to focus on prison sentences as a deterrent to crime
Usually for the death penalty
Usually for stiffer penalties for convicted criminals

26. Environmental Protection
Democrats
Favor stricter regulations on businesses to protect the environment
Believe global warming is a real threat
Republicans
Favor fewer restrictions on businesses in the hopes that wealthier companies will be able to be more environmental
Many do not believe global warming is a real threat

27. Abortion and Stem Cell Research
Democrats
Tend to be pro-choice- believe that a woman should always have the right to choose to have an abortion
Tend to favor stem-cell research
Republicans
Tend to be pro-life- do not believe that women have a right to have an abortion and instead call abortion a form of murder
Tend to be against stem-cell research

28. Values- Same Sex Marriage and Civil Rights Laws
Democrats
Tend to support the right for same-sex couples to marry
Republicans
Tend to oppose the right for same-sex couples to marry

29. Education Democrats Republicans
Oppose using tax money for school choice (vouchers and charters)
Republicans
Favor using tax money for school choice (vouchers and charters)

30. Immigration Democrats Republicans Favor looser immigration laws
Some favor “Amnesty” for illegals already in the country
Republicans
Favor stricter immigration laws
Some favor punishment or deportation for illegals already in the country

31. Sources