POLITICAL PARTIESCHAPTER 8 SECTION 2

ORGANIZATION•EACH PARTY HAS AS NATIONAL COMMITTEE LED BY THE NATIONAL

CHAIRPERSON.

• CHOOSE PARTY CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENTS

• SOMETIME THROUGH A CAUCUS – SPECIAL CLOSED MEETING

•EACH PARTY HAS A STATE COMMITTEE AS WELL.

• AT THIS LEVEL THEY ELECT GOVERNORS, STAT LEGISLATORS ETC.

•LOCALLY – DIVIDED INTO PRECINCTS (ELECTIONS DISTRICTS)

• POLITICAL MACHINES – STRONG LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAS A BIG SAY IN WHO WINS THE ELECTIONS

• HOW CAN POLITICAL MACHINES BE HARMFUL?

SELECTING PARTY CANDIDATES• DIRECT PRIMARY – VOTERS CHOOSE CANDIDATES TO REPRESENT THEIR

PARTY

• CLOSED PRIMARY – ONLY PARTY MEMBERS CAN VOTE

• OPEN PRIMARY – ANYONE CAN VOTE IN OR OUT OF THEIR PARTY

• USUALLY HAVE TO WIN BY PLURALITY (MOST VOTES) BUT SOME STATES REQUIRE A MAJORITY

FUNCTIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES

• SUPPORT CANDIDATE

• COMMUNICATE WITH CITIZENS

• RUN THE GOVERNMENT

• LINK DIFFERENT PARTS OF GOVERNMENT

• ACT AS A WATCHDOG

   

Abortion Pro-Choice Pro-Life

Same-sex Marriage No national federal same sex marriage ban. Propose a Constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.

Death Penalty Do not support the death penalty. Supports the death penalty.

Energy & Oil Government should develop renewable energy. Private sector, not the government should respond to energy needs.

Gun Control Authorize assault weapons ban. Support Second Amendment rights.

Health Care Expand coverage and cut healthcare costs. Universal healthcare is inefficient and too expensive to taxpayers.

Immigration Have a path for aliens to become citizens. Only legal immigrants can come through controlled borders.

Government Big central government; government meets the needs of its citizens through agencies to help the disadvantaged.

Limited government; supports private/nonprofit organizations to help the disadvantaged. 

Spending Supports spending on domestic social programs. Supports spending on defense.