1. Chapter 8 Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Policy
Government Alive!
Chapter 8
Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Policy

2. What do Political parties do in Society?
Recruit candidates and support campaigns
Help organize elections and inform voters
Organize the government
Unite diverse interests and make collective action possible
Parties serve as a loyal opposition to the political party in power

3. Two-Party System Federalists: Strong national government
Evolved into the Whig party and eventually the Republican party
Democratic-Republicans: favored weaker national government and strong state governments
Became known as Democrats

4. Two-party system today
United States has become deeply divided among political lines

5. Third parties
People frustrated with the status quo have formed 3rd parties to express opinion s in constructive ways
4 main types of third parties
Single-issue
Economic protest parties
Ideological parties
Splinter parties

6. Interest groups
Groups that seek to influence government
Good or bad?

7. Political Action Committees
Political funding organizations
Run by corporations, unions, or other interest groups
By law, these groups are allowed to funnel money into political campaigns
Most money comes from the people making up these groups

8. How do these groups influence policy?
Lobbying: an attempt to influence the policy process by persuading public officials to favor or oppose action on a specific issue
Flow of information allows for informed debate on policy making