“Political Parties”

Development of Political Parties A political party is a group of citizens (voters) with similar views on public issues who work to put their ideas into effect through government action and who band together to elect candidates.

Development of Political Parties Parties pick candidates who agree with their beliefs and try to persuade voters to support their candidates who are running for office. The United States today has a two-party system, which means that we have two main political parties.

Political Spectrum Generally, parties are often labeled as “liberal” or “conservative,” depending on their views. Parties fall somewhere on the political spectrum (a range referring to differences in political views). Most people fall somewhere in the middle and are known as “moderates.” They generally lean toward one side or the other. video totalitarian

Today’s Major Parties A basic difference between the major parties is their belief in how much the government should be involved in the lives of Americans. video

Democratic Party Democrats are generally said to be more liberal. They favor more government programs that offer services in housing, education, healthcare, and economics. These programs would be funded through taxes.

Republican Republicans are generally said to be more conservative. Republicans tend to believe that they can help the nation’s economy grow by reducing the amount of taxes that people have to pay. They favor less government regulation of the economy. They are opposed to raising taxes.

Third Parties Although they sometimes challenge the two major parties, a Third Party has never won a Presidential election and has rarely won any other major elections.

Third Parties Third Parties, however, can affect the outcome of elections and may also influence government policy.

Third Parties Third Parties rarely win major elections because of the two-party tradition. For example, while the names of Republican and Democratic candidates are automatically placed on the ballot, Third-Party candidates must obtain a large number of signatures to get on the ballot.

Examples of Third Parties The Libertarian Party would like to increase individual freedoms by cutting the size of the U.S. government. According to the Libertarian party, they are “more liberal than Democrats, socially; yet more conservative than Republicans, econimically.”

Party Platforms To know where a party stands on the major issues, voters can look at the party’s platform.

Party Platforms A platform is a series of statements expressing the party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on issues. Each individual part of a platform is called a plank.

The Electoral College The Electoral College - the process by which a presidential candidate is elected to office. Presidents are not chosen by direct popular vote, but by the Electoral College.

The Vote and Electoral College SHR SHR The number of electors per state = the number of Senators + the number of Representatives for that state. (Florida currently has 29 electors - 27 House Members + 2 Senators) The candidate who receives the majority of the electoral votes wins the election (270 or more of the 538 electoral votes). Video video Videovideo

Influencing Government There are three major groups that influence our government. Individuals Interest Groups Media

Individuals Impacting the Government Individuals influence the government by Contributing to or working on campaigns Running for political office Voting in elections Petitioning the government for change

Interest Groups An Interest Group is an organized group of individuals who share a point of view about an issue. (Interest groups are not a part of the government – they are made up of individual people!)

Types of Interest Groups Economic interest groups try to influence government policies that affect their industry or profession. (Ex- American Farm Bureau Federation) Issue-oriented interest groups focus on a specific issue or cause (Ex-NAACP, NRA) Public-interest groups promote the interests of the general public (Ex – National Wildlife Federation)

How Interest Groups Influence Government Participate In Election Activities Interest groups often supply workers/money to election campaigns. Political Action Committees (PACs) are organizations set up by interest groups primarily to collect money to support favored candidates.

The Influence of Interest Groups Bringing Cases to Court – Interest Groups influence public policy by bringing cases to court to test the constitutionality of laws.

How Interest Groups Influence Public Policy – Lobbyists might argue for/against bills. – Government officials often rely on lobbyists for information/opinions. – Lobbyists sometimes help write bills. Lobbying Lawmakers Lobbyists are paid representatives of interest groups who contact lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making.

Media There are two types of media: - Print media – newspapers, magazines, newsletters and books. - Electronic media – radio, television, and the Internet (social networking, Facebook, Twitter) Mass media – forms of communication that transmit information to large numbers of people

How the Media Influences Government Shapes Public Opinion – Individuals and groups use the media to shape public opinion, or the total of the opinions held concerning a particular issue. – Ideas that are spread to influence people are called propaganda.

How the Media Influences Government Impacts Elections Media is used by candidates for campaigning (advertisements, etc.) Various groups/individuals provide campaign coverage (news/updates) via television, newspapers, radio, internet, etc.

How the Media Influences Government Provides a Medium for Elected Officials to: - Hold press conferences - Stage media events - Be interviewed by people in the media - Leak information to test public reaction

How the Media Influences Government Serve as a Watchdog Journalists play an important role in exposing government corruption and waste.

How the Media Influences Government Media and National Security There are tensions regarding American citizens’ right to know and the need for the government to protect national security.

How the Media Influences Government Political Bias – or prejudice – in the media might or might not be obvious. Responsible citizens must – Think critically about what they see, hear, and read in the media, as information can be inaccurate or misleading. – Be able to distinguish between fact and opinion.

Techniques of Influence Propaganda – an attempt to promote a particular person or idea. Often found in print or electronic media

Types of Propaganda Endorsements/Testimonial - “I’m voting for Candidate A and so should you.” Stacked Cards - “Candidate A has the best record on the environment” Name – Calling - “Candidate A is a dangerous extremist”

Types of Propaganda Glittering Generality - “Candidate A is the one who will bring us peace and prosperity” Transfer Symbols - “I pledge allegiance…..”

Types of Propaganda Just Plain Folks - “My parents were ordinary, hardworking people…” The Bandwagon - “Polls show our candidate is pulling ahead” - video video