Political PartiesUnit Three

The PurposeSection One

Necessary for Democracies

Offer a choice in elections

Help citizens develop a vision for society

Give us a path for political participation

Roles of Political Parties

Find Candidates: help voters choose a candidate that matches a certain platform

Partisanship: politicians often vote with their party, which can keep the majority from taking control

Inform the Public: debates and discussions help the public stay aware of government issues

Predicting Behavior: most politicians stay true to their party’s platform once they’re in office

Why Only Two Parties?

Agreement: regardless the party, Americans tend to share the same values

History: it’s what we’ve always had

Winner-Takes-All: too many parties would give less of a majority to the winner

Why Have a Third Party?

A Third Party is a minor party, other than Democrat and Republican

Act as watchdogs

Raise awareness for specific issues

Can sometimes split the vote and change an election’s results

Dangers

Political Parties can fail to respond to the concerns and needs of the citizens

Are often distrusted by the public

The HistorySection Two

Two Main Parties in the U.S.

We started with the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists

Today, the two main parties are the Democrats and the Republicans

The Federalists

Believed in a strong central government

Wanted ratification of the Constitution

Supported industrialization, a national bank, and government aid to build roads and canals

Eventually becomes our modern Republican Party

The Anti-Federalists

Supported states’ rights

Favored farming over manufacturing

Are soon called the Democratic-Republican Party

Eventually becomes our modern Democratic Party

Historical Parties

Federalist (1789-1820

Anti-Federalist / Democratic-Republican (1792-1824)

Whig (1833-1856)

Free Soil (1848-1855)

Socialist (1901-1972)

Bull Moose (1912-1914)

National Woman’s (1913-1930)

Farmer-Labor (1918-1944)

American Nazi (1959-1967)

Black Panther (1966-1970s)

Major PartiesSection Three

Democratic Party

Founded in 1828

Based on American Liberalism Increase government spending to spur the

economy

Supports same-sex marriage, ease immigration,

Wants strict gone control laws

Focuses on the Middle Class

Republican Party

Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists

Also known as the GOP (Grand Old Party)

Based on American ConservatismSupports free markets

Limits Government intervention

Wants to uphold traditional values (against same-sex marriage, abortion, and drugs)

Has had issues with the influential Tea Party movement which has split Republican votes in recent elections

Constitution Party

Founded in 1992

Focused on restoring the government to its constitutional limited authority

Formerly known as the U.S. Taxpayers’ Party

Views: pro-life, anti-gun control, anti-tax, anti-immigration, trade protection, anti-gay rights, anti-welfare, pro-school prayer

The Green Party

Founded in 1984; follows a similar movement that began in Europe

Ten Key Values: grassroots democracy, social justice & equal opportunity, ecological wisdom, non-violence, decentralization, community-based economics, gender equality, respect for diversity, personal & global responsibility, sustainability

The Libertarian Party

Founded in 1971

Focus on a free-market economy

Are dedicated to personal freedoms (pro-drug legalization, pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-home schooling, pro-gun rights) and total economic freedom (anti-welfare, anti-government regulation of business, anti-minimum wage)

Limit foreign intervention

Communist Party USA

Founded in 1919

Focuses on uniting the working class against oppression, discrimination, and segregation

Supports all races, genders, and sexual orientations

Has a vision of socialism for the U.S.: social ownership of the means of production

Choosing a Party

When to Choose

You “declare” your political party by requesting that party’s ballot in a partisan primary election (held in May in Ohio)

If you want to remain unaffiliated, you won’t be able to vote for partisan contests, but will still vote on issues and tax levies

Can You Change Your Mind?

Absolutely!

The next time you vote in a primary election, you simply say something else