1. Politics and You Positions, Platforms, Ideologies, and Parties

2. What Is a Party? A political party is a group of persons who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office. A political party is a group of persons who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office. The two major parties in American politics are the Republican and Democratic parties. The two major parties in American politics are the Republican and Democratic parties. Parties can be principle-oriented, issue- oriented, or election-oriented. The American parties are election-oriented. Parties can be principle-oriented, issue- oriented, or election-oriented. The American parties are election-oriented.

3. What Do Parties Do? 1. Parties pick candidates 2. Parties run campaigns 3. Parties give cues to voters 4. Parties articulate policies 5. Parties coordinate policymaking Importance of Parties: Major mechanisms behind the development of broad policy and leadership policies; medium for public options Link between the governed and those who govern; will of people is made known to government and government held accountable Promote compromise, blunt conflict, help to unify rather than divide?

4. Factors that can influence party membership: Party Membership Patterns

5. Political Party Contacts Major Political Parties Major Political Parties Republican Party Republican Party www.rnc.org www.rnc.org www.rnc.org General Platform: Lower taxes, socially conservative, smaller government, moral issues, free market, personal responsibility General Platform: Lower taxes, socially conservative, smaller government, moral issues, free market, personal responsibility Government should play more of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should not play as much of a role in economic issues Government should play more of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should not play as much of a role in economic issues Democratic Party Democratic Party www.democrats.org www.democrats.org www.democrats.org General Platform: Civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, equal opportunity, fiscal responsibility, larger government, safety-net General Platform: Civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, equal opportunity, fiscal responsibility, larger government, safety-net Government should not play as much of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should play more of a role in economic issues Government should not play as much of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should play more of a role in economic issues

6. Minor Parties in the United States

7. Significant Minor Parties Libertarian Party Libertarian Party www.lp.org www.lp.org www.lp.org Stresses individual liberty; opposes taxes, foreign involvements, government intrusion into private lives Stresses individual liberty; opposes taxes, foreign involvements, government intrusion into private lives Reform Party Reform Party www.reformparty.org www.reformparty.org www.reformparty.org Advocates trade agreements to protect American jobs, balanced budget, tax and electoral reforms, term limits Advocates trade agreements to protect American jobs, balanced budget, tax and electoral reforms, term limits Constitution Party Constitution Party www.constitutionparty.org www.constitutionparty.org www.constitutionparty.org Anti-tax party; strongly pro-life; pro-school prayer; opposes gun control, immigration, free trade, UN, gay rights Anti-tax party; strongly pro-life; pro-school prayer; opposes gun control, immigration, free trade, UN, gay rights Communist Party USA Communist Party USA www.cpusa.org www.cpusa.org www.cpusa.org Promotes Communist ideology; seeks complete restructuring of American political and economic institutions Promotes Communist ideology; seeks complete restructuring of American political and economic institutions Natural Law Party Natural Law Party www.natural-law.org www.natural-law.org www.natural-law.org Natural law is supreme organizing priniciple; Preventions compared to reactions; lower taxes but keep services; “Bring the light of science into politics.” Natural law is supreme organizing priniciple; Preventions compared to reactions; lower taxes but keep services; “Bring the light of science into politics.” America First Party www.americafirstparty.org Splinter from Reform Party; promotes Christian beliefs, and originalist interpretation of the Constitution; opposes immigration, free trade, UN Green Party of the United States www.gp.org Committed to “environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, and grass-roots democracy.” Socialist Labor Party www.slp.org Marxist party; seeks “a classless society based on collectivist ownership of industries and social services.” Socialist Party USA www.sp-usa.org Staunchly anti-Communist; advocates democratic socialism; seeks “a non-racist, classless, feminist, socialist society.”

8. Why Minor Parties Are Important Minor parties play several important roles: “Spoiler Role” Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party. Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.Critic Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore. Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.Innovator Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties. Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.

9. Political Ideology System of beliefs in which one or more general organizing principles connect your views on a wide range of particular issues System of beliefs in which one or more general organizing principles connect your views on a wide range of particular issues Political ideologies have two dimensions: Political ideologies have two dimensions: Goals: How society should work (or be arranged). Goals: How society should work (or be arranged). Methods: The most appropriate ways to achieve the ideal arrangement. Methods: The most appropriate ways to achieve the ideal arrangement.

10. Psychological Factors Party Identification The loyalty of people to a particular political party is the single most significant and lasting predictor of how a person will vote. The loyalty of people to a particular political party is the single most significant and lasting predictor of how a person will vote. Candidates and Issues Candidates and issues are two short-term factors that can influence even the most loyal Democrat or Republican. People may vote out of their chosen party if they dislike a candidate or the party’s stand on a particular issue. Voters’ perceptions of their party, the candidates, and the issues significantly affects their voting.

11. Sociological Factors Voter preferences can’t be predicted by just one sociological factor. Voter opinion is a combination of all of these factors and more.

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13. Rational Choice Theory Popular theory in political science explaining actions of voters and politicians Popular theory in political science explaining actions of voters and politicians It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives Agree? Agree? Opposing thought- What’s A Matter With Kansas? By Thomas Frank Opposing thought- What’s A Matter With Kansas? By Thomas Frank Vote for issues that actually hurt own’s interest because of other issues that are moral/values based Vote for issues that actually hurt own’s interest because of other issues that are moral/values based

14. Typology- Beyond Red and Blue Enterpriser- Individuals responsible for own well-being Enterpriser- Individuals responsible for own well-being Social Conservatives- Moral, religious based Social Conservatives- Moral, religious based Pro Government- Religious, populist economics Pro Government- Religious, populist economics Upbeats- Favorable views on government Upbeats- Favorable views on government Disaffecteds- cynical, unsatisfied; oppose immigration, immigration, environmental policies Disaffecteds- cynical, unsatisfied; oppose immigration, immigration, environmental policies Conservative Democrats- Oppose gay marriage, morality, oppose war, want social “safety net” Conservative Democrats- Oppose gay marriage, morality, oppose war, want social “safety net” Disadvantaged Democrats- Anti-business, help society Disadvantaged Democrats- Anti-business, help society Liberals- Liberals- Bystanders- choose not to participate or pay attention Bystanders- choose not to participate or pay attention

15. The Political Spectrum People who have similar opinions on political issues are generally grouped according to whether they are “left,” “right,” or “center” on the political spectrum.

17. Liberalism and Conservatism Liberalism Liberalism Political current embracing ideologies that promote change Political current embracing ideologies that promote change Promote social and economic equality/equity Promote social and economic equality/equity Individuals should have freedom of choice Individuals should have freedom of choice Conservatism Political philosophy embracing ideologies that oppose change Reject the proposition “Change is good in itself” Set of traditional values that the government should protect

18. Politics and You? Do people vote and/or make decisions: Do people vote and/or make decisions: Based on Party affiliation? Based on Party affiliation? Based on individual issues? Based on individual issues? Based on political ideology? Based on political ideology? Combination of the three? Combination of the three? What about you?

19. Political Participation and Awareness in America