1. Political Parties and their functions
Fill in your outline with the words highlighted in RED.

2. Democratic Party
Tends to be liberal
Symbol is the Donkey

3. Republican Party Tends to be Conservative Symbol is the Elephant
GOP -Grand Old Party

4. Political Parties Seek to control the government by winning elections
Major Goal is to elect their members to governmental offices
Tend to have the same beliefs and goals on major issues.

5. The party that controls the executive branch is known as the PARTY IN POWER.
So who is the party in power right now?
Party Identification
Has decreased over the years. Most Americans are registering as independents

6. To join a Political Party:
Personal Choice
Volunteer
Split ticket voting – voting for both parties in an election
Strength of a party
Straight ticket voting- voting for one party in an election
Weaknesses of a Political Party

7. The Republican Party of Texas
Which Texas Political Party am I?

8. The Democratic Party of Texas
Which Texas Political Party am I?

9. Historical Basis for 2 parties
Why a Two-Party System?
Historical Basis for 2 parties
We started with 2 parties
Began with ratification of the Constitution.
The Federalists and the Antifederalists.
Tradition
It’s custom and there is resistance to change.
“If it ain’t broke; don’t fix it.”

10. Electoral System Ideological
Election laws are designed to “discriminate” against 3rd parties.
Ideological
Because Americans agree on most fundamental issues, the conditions to create strong rival 3rd parties does not exist?
Is this still true??? What about all the people in the middle???

12. The 2 Party Identification has decreased over the years

13. Who is more likely to vote…
Democrat?
Middle/lower income
Less education
Manual labor
Women/younger
Catholics/Jews
Minorities
NE states/inner cities
Republican?
Higher income
More education
Professional
Men/older
Protestants
Whites
South/Midwest/rural/
suburban
2008 EC Map

14. Functions of Political Parties

15. #1 ELECT Candidates
Political Parties nominate people to office in hopes of promoting the values and agenda of the political party’s platform. The platform is the stated goals and values the political party wishes to see realized as government policy.
Who did the Republican Party Nominate?
Yes….there were more candidates running

16. #2 EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
Political parties bring important issues to the publics attention.
Each party publishes its positions
Taxes
pollution
Energy
Environment
Unfortunately most Americans are not very well informed about candidates or their views

17. #3 Involve People in Politics
Parties inform the people and inspire and activate their interest in active participation in public affairs by:
A) Campaigning for Candidates
B) Taking Stands on issues
C) Criticizing Candidates of opposite positions
Strongly and unequivocally support Roe v. Wade
The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way. We also recognize that health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. We strongly and unequivocally support a woman's decision to have a child by providing affordable health care and ensuring the availability of and access to programs that help women during pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including caring adoption programs. Source: 2012 Democratic Party Platform, Sep 4, 2012

18. #4 Dispensing Patronage
Patronage- Favors given to reward party loyalty
Jobs
Contracts
Appt to positions
Allows the party in power to be sure there are loyal people in gov’t to carry out the party’s vision

19. #5 Operating Government
Elected officials are members of a political party. They are chosen on the basis of party affiliation (membership), with the intent on promoting the party values through the institutions of government.
Ex: Promotes a national Health care plan
Ex: Withdrawing forces from overseas
President Barack Obama (D) of Illinois

20. # 6 Watch Dog Function
The Party OUT of power plays the watch dog role over the party in power.
In this role the party out of power attempts to convince the voting public why the party in power should not be in power.

21. # 7Providing Stability
When one party loses power in gov’t, the transfer of power takes place peacefully
No revolutions occur after elections
Losing party accepts the outcome