Objective 26c summarize the role of

political parties in American politics

Salmeen Hemani & Ruma Ali

• Political Parties- a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

•Major parties- Democratic and Republican parties in American politics.

• The Republican and Democratic parties are not primarily principle or issue-oriented

•What do parties do?

• Parties are the major mechanism behind the development of broad policy and leadership choices; they are the medium through which those options are presented to people

• Political parties connect the people and the government

• Democratic parties modify and encourage compromise

•They work to blunt conflict they are “power brokers”

•Nominating Candidates- Nominate candidates for public office

• Parties work to help their candidates to win elections

• Informing and Activating supporters- Parties inform the people and inspire and activate their interest and participation in public affairs

•They campaign for their candidates, takes stands on issues, and criticize the candidates and positions of their opponents.

• Bonding Agent Function- In politics, a political party acts as a bonding agent, to ensure the good performance of its candidates and office holders.

• Governing – Government in the US is government by party

• Congress and State legislatures are organized on party lines, and do much of their business on the basis of partisanship

•Partisanship- the strong support of their party and the policy stands

• The Constitutions cumbersome system for electing the President works principally because political parties reshaped it in its early years and have made it work ever since.

•Acting as Watchdog- act as watchdogs over the conduct of the public’s business.

• Party in power – is the party that controls the executive branch of government—the presidency at the national level or the governorship at the State level

• The party out of power plays the important role of “the loyal opposition”– opposed to the party in power but loyal to people and the nation

Campaign 2004

Criticizing Bush during the election

Current party in power- Democratic