Purpose, Reason, & Function

POLITICAL PARTIES &

INTEREST GROUPS

What are they?Associations or organizations of individuals who share a particular view in common

What do they do?Use their collective strength to accomplish their goal politically

How do they impact politics?Can place their support behind a candidateOffer assistance/help to a candidate running for office

Can persuade public officials to take actions on the issues the group is concerned with

INTEREST GROUPS

PETA

NAACP

ASPCA

INTEREST GROUPS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF:

Promote a political agenda to influence government and citizens

Select candidates for electionEducate votersFinance election campaignsFill government positions

POLITICAL PARTIES: WHAT DO THEY DO?

Both Republicans and Democrats are considered “Big Tent” parties because there are many different groups that support unrelated issues who associate with the same party. Different people with different views supporting the same party

Often in American politics third parties limit their interests to a single issue. For example, the Green Party is a political party that puts environmentalism at the center of its agenda.

2 “BIG TENT” PARTIES

ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

Role Description

Select candidates Parties select candidates, present them to voters and work to win elections

Educate voters Parties inform people by presenting information about issues or beliefs through pamphlets, newspapers, radio, tv, speeches, conventions

ROLES, CONTINUED…

Govern Those who govern are chosen on the basis of party

Finance campaigns

Parties raise funds to ensure that candidates have financial support to run their campaigns

ROLES, CONTINUED…

Watchdog The party that is not in power criticizes the policies of the party in power. This party plays the role of the “loyal opposition.”

Both parties were combined into one party known as the Democratic-Republican Party

Democratic-Republican Party broke apart around 1825

FUN FACT!

Oldest political party in the U.S. Formed in the 1830’s from the Democratic-

Republican Party Formed by Martin Van Buren Originally opposed Civil

Rights and tolerated slavery Underwent transformation in

the mid-20th century and became more of what we know today as the Democrat party

Andrew Jackson – first Democrat president of the U.S.

THE HISTORY OF DEMOCRATS

Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the US was a war hero who as a general defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

He was the first presidential candidate to run as a Democrat.

History knows him as the first President to frequently veto laws passed in Congress.

Jackson was responsible for enfranchising all white males (giving them the right to vote), large Indian removal projects and the distribution of land to white southern farmers.

Jackson’s Democrats were also considered the party in favor of slavery and as a result typically won elections in southern states.

ANDREW JACKSON - THE FIRST DEMOCRAT ELECTED

PRESIDENT

ANDREW JACKSON USED A DONKEY TO SYMBOLIZE HIS WORKING CLASS ROOTS AND EVER SINCE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE

BEEN KNOWN AS THE PART OF THE DONKEY.

Where did the Democrat Donkey come from?

Democrats evolved into the party that represented mainly the working classes of cities in the North and predominantly white agricultural workers in the South until 1932.

DEMOCRAT HISTORY CONTINUED

Franklin D. Roosevelt Took presidency in 1932 led the United States out the Great Depression by expanding government services like welfare, social security, jobs programs and to a lesser extent supporting civil rights laws.

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson continued the tradition set by FDR in pushing forward civil rights laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and expanding the welfare state (a type of government designed to take care of its citizens)

TRANSFORMING THE DEMOCRATS

Today the Democrats are commonly perceived as the party of big government, civil rights, women’s rights, environmentalism, the poor and pacifism (slow to go to war).

Our current president is from the Democrat Party

DEMOCRATS TODAY

- Former Secretary of State and First Lady: Hillary Clinton

- Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren - Maryland Governor: Martin O’Malley

- Vice President: Joe Biden

2016 ELECTION: POSSIBLE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

The Republicans were born in 1854 with support of abolitionists (people against slavery) and those who supported a strong federal government.

Known as the GOP or the Grand Old Party because they were the party that “won the war” during the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican to be elected President. Later, in the late 1880s Republicans became known as the party of big business.

HISTORY OF THE REPUBLICANS

In the 1920s Republicans such as Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover were known for laissez faire economics (free market) and isolationism (the US should mind its own business and stay out of world affairs).

They favored small government, Were against taxes Thought that the economy could take care

of itself if left to its own devises.

HISTORY OF REPUBLICANS

REPUBLICANS CAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ELEPHANTS DUE TO THE POLITICAL CARTOONS OF

THOMAS NAST IN 1874.

Where did the Republican Elephant come from?

The modern Republican Party was born out of Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy Nixon appealed to southern white voters by proclaiming his support of states rights and promised to make the US safer.

Today the Republican party stands for many of the issue Richard Nixon supported such as lower taxes, small government, the rights to carry arms, pro-life policies, a strong military and a smaller welfare state.

TRANSFORMING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

The Republican party todayTend to support public policies that limit the size of government and cut taxes.

Typically support the War on TerrorAre generally opposed to the legalization of abortion (pro-life)

Usually vote against programs to increase the size of the welfare state.

REPUBLICANS TODAY!

- New Jersey Governor: Chris Christie

- Governor of Florida: Jeb Bush

- Kentucky Senator: Rand Paul

2016 ELECTION:POSSIBLE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Republican vs.

Democrat

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND

DEMOCRATS TODAY?

Democrats Are generally in favor of

large government and a progressive tax system in which the wealthy pay a larger share than the poor

Tend to be against international free trade agreements because they claim that such trade agreements hurt American workers and in particular unions

Tend to believe in a balanced budget and are willing to raise taxes if needed

Tend to make laws to protect American businesses from international competition

RepublicansAre generally in favor of a

smaller governmentGenerally for free market

agreements with other countries (trade with other countries), like NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement.

Vehemently against raising taxes even if it means a budget deficit

Tend to believe in global trade and don’t tend to protect US businesses from international competition

THE ECONOMY AND TAXES

DemocratsTend to cut the

military budgetGenerally want to

avoid American military intervention unless supported by the United Nations

Tend to believe in diplomacy(solving problems without fighting) and are slow to go to war

RepublicansBelieve in a strong

military and are willing to pay for it with government money

Believe in confronting American enemies with or without UN support

Believe in using military intervention when American interests or security is threatened more quickly than Democrats

NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY

DemocratsGenerally think that the

government should provide a broad safety net (health care, education, welfare, food stamps) for the poor and others.

They generally think these policies help the common good and are compassionate

RepublicansGenerally think the

government should limit or reduce the “safety net” for the poor.

They believe that private businesses and non-profit charities can provide the same services

ENTITLEMENTS- WELFARE, MEDICAID, SOCIAL SECURITY,

HEALTH CARE

DemocratsTend to focus on

rehabilitation programs over long prison sentences for convicted criminals

Usually against the death penalty

Focus on rights of the accused

RepublicansTend to focus on

prison sentences as a deterrent to crime

Usually for the death penalty

Usually for stiffer penalties for convicted criminals

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

DemocratsFavor stricter

regulations on businesses to protect the environment

Believe global warming is a real threat

RepublicansFavor fewer

restrictions on businesses in the hopes that wealthier companies will be able to be more environmental

Many do not believe global warming is a real threat

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

DemocratsTend to be pro-

choice- believe that a woman should always have the right to choose to have an abortion

Tend to favor stem-cell research

RepublicansTend to be pro-life-

do not believe that women have a right to have an abortion and instead call abortion a form of murder

Tend to be against stem-cell research

ABORTION AND STEM CELL RESEARCH

DemocratsFocus on

researching alternative energy sources for the future

RepublicansFocus on securing

existing energy sources for the present and future

ENERGY POLICY

DemocratsTend to support the right for same-sex couples to marry

RepublicansTend to oppose the right for same-sex couples to marry

VALUES- SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS

DemocratsOppose using tax money for school choice (vouchers and charters)

RepublicansFavor using tax money for school choice (vouchers and charters)

EDUCATION

DemocratsFavor looser

immigration lawsSome favor

“Amnesty” for illegals already in the country

RepublicansFavor stricter

immigration lawsSome favor

punishment or deportation for illegals already in the country

IMMIGRATION

SOURCES

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dGd2wM3jp9Q/UYQt3GrggaI/AAAAAAAAGVM/tv8_dPPvUwI/s1600/Hillary+Clinton.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Andrew_Cuomo_by_Pat_Arnow_cropped.jpeg/200px-Andrew_Cuomo_by_Pat_Arnow_cropped.jpeg

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/504759506bb3f74640000002/martin-omalley.jpg

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/first-family/masthead_image/30cc_header_sm.jpg?1250881526

http://www.thegreengirls.com/tgg/wp-content/uploads/LeaMichelePETA.jpg http://www.nycgo.com/images/uploadedimages/devnycvisitcom/articles/

naacp_460x285.gif http://pawzforthecauze.webs.com/ASPCA.jpg http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/615/img/photos/

2012/11/22/4d/a0/108004215.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/

Bobby_Jindal_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/220px-Bobby_Jindal_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg