CE.5b - Similarities and Differences of Political Parties

The student will apply social science skills to understand the political process at the local, state, and national levels of government by

b) comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of political parties;

A two-party system characterizes the American political process.

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

Similarities between parties

 Organize to win elections

 Influence public policies

 Reflect both liberal and conservative views on the political spectrum

 Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the center of the political spectrum

Differences between parties

 Stated in party platforms and reflected in campaigning

Third parties (e.g., Green Party, Constitution Party, Libertarian Party)

 Introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue

 Often take votes away from the two major parties

 Often revolve around a political personality (e.g., Theodore Roosevelt)