Membership

-who can be a member of a party?

-requirements?

-What Party Members Do?

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Political Philosophy

-Conservatives-- person who favorsless government or a governmentthat is less involved in people’slives and is less open to reformingideas

-Liberals-- people who are in favorof more government involvementand may be more open to reform

-Moderates-- person who issomewhere in-between the majorpolitical parties and may have somebeliefs which favor one side andother beliefs that favor the otherparty

Republicans

-beliefs?

-demographics?

Democrats

-tend to believe in?

-demographic features

Organization

-local

-precincts-- Term for a district orarea

-state

-national

-political machine– when a party sostrongly controls an area that theopposing party offers littleresistance

Local Level

-most important level

-all voting takes place here

-most volunteers work at this level

-elections here affect people themost

State, National Level

-Focuses on several elections

-Lots of funds spent at this level

-party goals developed at this level

-National Conventions-- Meetingheld every four years whenPresidential candidates are chosenand the party develops officialpolicy beliefs

Party Platform

-statement of a party’s beliefs andgoals

-planks-- what the party’s policy ison a single issue

-developed at National PartyConventions

-not representative of all partymembers

Party Platform

-statement of a party’s beliefs andgoals

-planks-- what the party’s policy ison a single issue

-developed at National PartyConventions

-not representative of all partymembers