CE 5a & 5B Functions of political parties & comparing similarities and differences between political parties

Essential Question?

•

What roles do political parties play in the American political process?

Functions of Political Parties • Recruiting and nominating candidates – Example: Finding qualified people to run for office.

• Educating the electorate about campaign issues – Example: Issue based advertising in the media.

– http://www.livingroomcandidate.

org/commercials/issue/welfare

• Helping candidates win elections – Example: Canvassing (going door to door).

• Monitoring actions of officeholders (acting as a watch dog). – Example: Keeping a voting record of how a candidate voted in Congress.

Essential Understanding

• Political parties play a key role in government and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process.

Comparing the similarities and differences between parties

Essential Questions?

• How are the two major political parties similar, and how do they differ?

• How do third parties differ from the two major parties?

• • • • • Watch the Brainpop video and CNN Explain it! Fill in your Venn Diagram with as much information as you can!

Democrats http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2012/09/04/cnn-explains-democrats.cnn

Republicans http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2012/08/26/cnnexplains-gop.cnn

…but what goes in the middle???

• • • • • It often seems that the two major parties have nothing in common with all the bickering they do, but they are actually trying to accomplish the same things!

1. Organize to win elections 2. Influence public policies 3. Reflect both liberal and conservative views 4. Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the political center

And then there were three… What is a third party?

-Any party that is not the Republicans or Democrats What do they do?

-Introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue -Example: The Green Party’s main concern is the environment Third Parties often revolve around a political personality -Example: Theodore Roosevelt created the “Bull Moose” party Sometimes third parties will swing the election -Example: Teddy Roosevelt left the Republican party and took votes away from President Taft, allowing Woodrow Wilson to win.

Essential Understandings

• A two-party system characterizes the American political process.

• Although third parties rarely win elections, they can play an important role in public politics.

Where do you stand???

• Watch Brainpop – Political Beliefs • Take the ideological survey and complete the handout for homework. – Make sure to answer all parts of the homework for full credit!