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U.S. Political Parties. Political Parties. Political parties provide a key role in government and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process. Why do we have political parties?. Recruit and nominate candidates Educate the electorate about issues
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Political Parties • Political parties provide a key role in government and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process.
Why do we have political parties? • Recruit and nominate candidates • Educate the electorate about issues • Help candidates win elections • Monitor actions of office holders (watch dog) Electorate: everyone that is qualified to vote
How many political parties do we have? • Republicans • Democrats • Third Parties Why are we called a two-party system? http://www.270towin.com/
Third Parties • Rarely win elections, however they play an important role in public policies • Introduce new ideas or press for a particular issue • Often revolve around a political personality Teddy Roosevelt Bull Moose Party
Being Independent • Ex: Green Party • environmentalism and social justice • Constitution Party • restore gov’t to constitutional limit and law to Biblical foundations • Libertarian Party • less regulated markets, strong civil liberties, non-interventionism
Party Similarities • Organize to win elections • Influence public policies • Reflect both liberal & conservative views • Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the political center
Party Differences • Stated in a party’s platform and reflected in campaigning