Interest Aggregation in the Current U.S. Republican Party By: Jeanne Almeida, Richard Lynch, Craig Castiglia, and Courtney Hogan

Review of Concepts Interest Aggregation o The process by which political demands are combined into policy programs Political Parties o groups or organizations that seek to place candidates in office that represent the community's interests Party System o The number of parties and the relationships between each party

Division of Political Parties within the United States

The Tea Party: From Articulation to Aggregation

Divisions within the Republican Party Social Conservatives Pro-life Opposed to same-sex marriage Strong gun rights Capital Punishment Generally support stricter punishment and enforcement Economic Conservatives Favor free market o Laissez-faire system Personal responsibility over the welfare system Reduction in taxes as much as possible

Social and Economic Issues of Debate

Social Security Due to Americans' concerns with the sustainability of Social Security, most Republicans are endorsing the issue of social security reform and a plan to partially "privatize" it.

Balancing the Budget - The candidates are overall divided on the best way to balance the budget - Tax Cuts - Cut wasteful spending - "Business Oriented" -Bachmann suggested a "balanced budget" amendment to the constitution This has been ruled out as unrealistic because it could not pass the Senate or survive a Presidential veto -Republicans in the House and the Budget

National Security: Immigration & Securing Borders Source of population growth and cultural change US-Mexico border = most frequently crossed international border Republican Party is in support of: –Tightening the Border –Setting up a fence across the entire border –Preventing illegal immigrants from receiving amenities and citizenship

National Security: War in Afghanistan and Iraq The War on Terror continues to be an important issue and is playing a large role in the 2012 election The majority of candidates support continued fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq until the region is stable

Healthcare All candidates want Democratic Health Care Reform Bill repealed Replace with "patient - centered" and free market approach to health care

Republican Candidates

Michele Bachmann leader of the Tea Party Caucus and US Representative from Minnesota Supports privatizing Social Security, repealing Obamacare, and introducing the Ryan Plan 4-Point Immigration Platform Supports continuing in the Middle East

Mitt Romney Governor of Massachusetts Opponent of Obamacare, supports market-based reforms, and state-funded healthcare Government-run Security program is essential Increased legal immigration, decreased illegal immigration and amenities Supports maintaining troops in the Middle East

Rick Santorum Viewpoint on Social Security o supports voluntary privatization of Social Security o wants to raise retirement age Viewpoint on National Security o strongly opposes the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq o against granting rights to immigrants, supports establishing a fence on the Mexican-American border Viewpoint on Healthcare o strongly disapproves of Obamacare, 1st executive order = repeal o doesn't approve of prescription medicine coverage with Medicare

Rick Perry Governor of Texas Reform Social Security National Security o Immigration o Afghanistan Viewpoint on Healthcare o Wipe out ObamaCare

Herman Cain Born December 13, 1945 in Atlanta, GA CEO of Godfather's Pizza Vice President of Pillsbury Host of the Herman Cain Talk Show Only candidate who isn't a politician On Social Security: o Believes that instead of "reshuffling" Social Security, "restructuring" it is necessary On National Security: o Wants to secure border with fence o Believes War on Terror involves fighting in Iraq On Healthcare: o Wants to repeal and replace ObamaCare with free market approach

Newt Gingrich Viewpoint on Social Security believes that the system has been broken for decades and thinks that instead of "reshuffling", "restructuring" is necessary Viewpoint on National Security o supports putting up a fence, securing the borders and enforcing the laws o wants to continue fighting in Afghanistan and believes that part of the War on Terror involves fighting in Iraq Viewpoint on Healthcare o ObamaCare is health care "deformed": repeal & replace. o Medicaid/Medicare fraud: stop paying the crook s

Ron Paul Doctor and Author, as well as US Congressman for 14 th Congressional District of Texas Six-point plan to stop illegal immigration Foreign policy of non- intervention, neutrality, and independence Against Obamacare and for affordable insurance

Question 1 Of the issues discussed in the presentation, which interest do you think will affect the results of the election the most and why?

Question 2 Why do you think the Tea Party has become one of the biggest groups that the Republican Party aggregates interest from?

Question 3 How has interest aggregation shaped American political culture?

HIGHLIGHTS OF DEBATE -party-debate-zingers.cnn?iref=videosearch

Works Cited Sources: used/ afghanistan-since-911.html higher-taxes

social-security-used/ social-security-used/ troops-to-iraq-and-afghanistan-since-911.htmlhttp:// troops-to-iraq-and-afghanistan-since-911.html one-new-or-higher-taxeshttp://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/opinion-zone/2011/03/obamacare-s-first-birthday-commemorates-twenty- one-new-or-higher-taxes leads-to-cuts/ leads-to-cuts/ DZSPPQa8fXgQ?docId=d7f411fe41d34318af75ef4f9632b370http:// DZSPPQa8fXgQ?docId=d7f411fe41d34318af75ef4f9632b370