1. Political Expression Political Science II

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3. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Introduction to Political Expression of Political Parties and Interest Groups 3

4. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Political parties – are groups of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control government, and thereby influence government policies (Remy, 2003) Political parties – are groups of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control government, and thereby influence government policies (Remy, 2003) Have the political power to elect, campaign, and actually work in government Have the political power to elect, campaign, and actually work in government Are subject to laws and regulations that define what a political party can and cannot do in politics Are subject to laws and regulations that define what a political party can and cannot do in politics Represent the people through elections and voting Represent the people through elections and voting 4 Political Parties

5. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Interest Groups Interest groups – a group of people that share common goals and organize to influence government Interest groups – a group of people that share common goals and organize to influence government Interest groups are usually made up of powerful people who come together because of a common interest, (e.g. gun control) and attempt to influence government to make laws that help their cause Interest groups are usually made up of powerful people who come together because of a common interest, (e.g. gun control) and attempt to influence government to make laws that help their cause They do not have actual political power to force through laws on their important issues They do not have actual political power to force through laws on their important issues 5

6. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Primary Concerns of Political Parties and Interest Groups What is the purpose of government? What is the purpose of government? How does the government protect the people? How does the government protect the people? How does the government allow people to prosper? How does the government allow people to prosper? How does the government keep the US as arguably the most powerful country on Earth? How does the government keep the US as arguably the most powerful country on Earth? 6

7. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Conservative or Liberal? Note: This is an extremely complicated subject that is easy to oversimplify. Please keep that in mind during this discussion. Note: This is an extremely complicated subject that is easy to oversimplify. Please keep that in mind during this discussion. 7

8. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Conservatives Everyone is economically responsible for him or herself Everyone is economically responsible for him or herself Wealth comes to those who work hard and earn it Wealth comes to those who work hard and earn it Government should Government should Remain small Remain small Stay out of business and economy Stay out of business and economy Protect the rights of the people Protect the rights of the people 8

9. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Liberals Government should Government should Take responsibility for helping people who cannot help themselves Take responsibility for helping people who cannot help themselves Be big enough to handle all potential problems Be big enough to handle all potential problems Protect the rights of the people Protect the rights of the people 9

10. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Republicans Conservatives mainly Conservatives mainly People are responsible for their own livelihoods and the government should interfere in business and the economy only to protect that freedom to ensure growth People are responsible for their own livelihoods and the government should interfere in business and the economy only to protect that freedom to ensure growth Government should be smaller—laws and regulations should be minimal Government should be smaller—laws and regulations should be minimal Mainly concerned with adhering to traditional values, which in contemporary society are often but not always Judeo-Christian in nature. These values, to varying degrees, influence Republican beliefs on a variety of issues, such as marriage equality, birth control, the environment, etc. Mainly concerned with adhering to traditional values, which in contemporary society are often but not always Judeo-Christian in nature. These values, to varying degrees, influence Republican beliefs on a variety of issues, such as marriage equality, birth control, the environment, etc. 10

11. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Democrats Liberals mainly Liberals mainly Government should regulate the economy to protect individuals from the power and influence of big businesses and to protect US businesses from global competition Government should regulate the economy to protect individuals from the power and influence of big businesses and to protect US businesses from global competition Government should be big enough to ensure the rights and freedoms of the people Government should be big enough to ensure the rights and freedoms of the people Government should protect social changes in the country Government should protect social changes in the country 11

12. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Interest Groups Work with Political Parties by Creating newspapers, commercials, television interviews Creating newspapers, commercials, television interviews Having national meetings that spread the message of the party Having national meetings that spread the message of the party Using funds and/or social structures to increase public awareness or to sway public opinion about shared issues/concerns Using funds and/or social structures to increase public awareness or to sway public opinion about shared issues/concerns Offering the advice and abilities of members to help create campaigns or influential tools that spread a desired message Offering the advice and abilities of members to help create campaigns or influential tools that spread a desired message 12

13. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Political Expression and Democracy 13

14. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Democracy Democracy – a system of government ruled by the people that allows for political expression Democracy – a system of government ruled by the people that allows for political expression Direct Democracy – the people govern themselves by voting individually on each issue Direct Democracy – the people govern themselves by voting individually on each issue Representative Democracy – the people elect representatives and give them the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct government Representative Democracy – the people elect representatives and give them the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct government Popular Sovereignty – the people give their consent to be governed by a certain government; power flows from the people Popular Sovereignty – the people give their consent to be governed by a certain government; power flows from the people Government is for the people and by the people—it answers to what the people want Government is for the people and by the people—it answers to what the people want 14

15. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Political Expression Political Expression – a way for citizens of any country to express their opinions on any issue by being politically active Political Expression – a way for citizens of any country to express their opinions on any issue by being politically active Examples of political activity include: Examples of political activity include: Voting Voting Protesting Protesting Running for political office Running for political office Supporting a specific political candidate Supporting a specific political candidate 15

16. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Political Expression (continued) Rights that allow for political expression Rights that allow for political expression Freedom of Speech – a citizen’s right to say anything as long as it does not threaten another person Freedom of Speech – a citizen’s right to say anything as long as it does not threaten another person Freedom of the Press – a citizen’s right to write, publish, and/or distribute materials that express his or her opinions to others as long as it does not threaten another person Freedom of the Press – a citizen’s right to write, publish, and/or distribute materials that express his or her opinions to others as long as it does not threaten another person 16

17. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Political Expression (continued) Both of these rights are important because they allow people to Both of these rights are important because they allow people to Express their opinions in society without fear of persecution, imprisonment, or loss of freedom Express their opinions in society without fear of persecution, imprisonment, or loss of freedom Say what they want regardless of whether or not the government agrees Say what they want regardless of whether or not the government agrees Spread their ideas and keep people informed of foreign and domestic events Spread their ideas and keep people informed of foreign and domestic events 17

18. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Importance of Freedom of Speech and the Press in Democracies 18

19. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Why is Free Press and Speech Important in a Democratic Society? People have the right to say what they want as long as they do not threaten or harm others in the process People have the right to say what they want as long as they do not threaten or harm others in the process Without freedom of speech democracy would not work; it allows people to speak out on issues at the polls and voting booths without being coerced by the government Without freedom of speech democracy would not work; it allows people to speak out on issues at the polls and voting booths without being coerced by the government Without these rights the government can control the information that people have and can forbid people from speaking out against the government Without these rights the government can control the information that people have and can forbid people from speaking out against the government Democracy only works if the people have the right to speak their minds freely to others and to their government Democracy only works if the people have the right to speak their minds freely to others and to their government 19

20. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Can the Government Take Away our Freedom of Speech and Press? Technically freedoms of speech and press are in the Bill of Rights, which are unalienable and apply to all people Technically freedoms of speech and press are in the Bill of Rights, which are unalienable and apply to all people If the government wants to control what people say or write, there are methods it has used to censor information temporarily If the government wants to control what people say or write, there are methods it has used to censor information temporarily There have been instances, mainly in times of war, when these freedoms were closely supervised and somewhat stopped by the government There have been instances, mainly in times of war, when these freedoms were closely supervised and somewhat stopped by the government It would be very difficult to control this today because of technology and social media and people being accustomed to these freedoms It would be very difficult to control this today because of technology and social media and people being accustomed to these freedoms 20

21. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2014. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Resources Remy, Richard C. United States Government: Democracy in Action. New York City: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, 2003. Ch. 22. Print. Remy, Richard C. United States Government: Democracy in Action. New York City: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, 2003. Ch. 22. Print. http://debate-central.ncpa.org/ http://debate-central.ncpa.org/ http://debate-central.ncpa.org/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/ quiz/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/ quiz/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/ quiz/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/ quiz/ 21