POLITICAL PARTIES SS.7.C.2.8 Identify America’s current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LESSON SUMMARY………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2 ESSENTIAL CONTENT BACKGROUND……………………………………………………………………………. 4 CIVICS CONTENT VOCABULARY…………………………………………………………………………………... 6 SUGGESTED STUDENT ACTIVITY SEQUENCE…………………………………………………………………... 7 STUDENT ACTIVITY RESOURCES/HANDOUTS………………………………………………………………… 10 SOURCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15 ANSWER KEYS………………………………………………………………………………………………………..16

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 1 Lesson Summary

Essential Questions What are America’s current political parties? What are their ideas about government?

NGSSS Benchmark SS.7.C.2.8 Identify America’s current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government.

Florida Standards LAFS.68.RH.1.1 LAFS.68.RH.1.2 LAFS.68.RH.3.7 LAFS.68.WHST.1.1 LAFS.68.WHST.1.2 LAFS.68.WHST.2.4 LAFS.68.WHST.3.8 LAFS.68.WHST.3.9 LAFS.68.WHST.4.10 LAFS.7.SL.1.1 LAFS.7.SL.2.4 MAFS.K12.MP.5.1

Overview In this lesson, students will learn about the current political parties in the United States, understand their ideas about government and evaluate the impact of these parties on society, government and the political system.

Learning Goals/Benchmark Clarifications  Students will compare current political parties’ ideas about government.  Students will evaluate the impact political parties have on society, government, or the political system.

Benchmark Content Limits  Items will not require students to identify specific individuals associated with political parties.  Items will not ask students to evaluate the efficacy of any specific political party.

Civics EOC Reporting Category Reporting Category 3 – Government Policies and Political Processes

Suggested Time Frame  Four 45-50 minute class periods

Civics Content Vocabulary  bias, candidate, Communist Party, Democratic Party, government, Libertarian Party, party platform, political party, political system, Republican Party, Socialist Party, society, third party, two-party system  Instructional Strategies  Video as text  Cooperative  Comparing  Research  learning complex texts skills   Materials  Computer with internet access to project handouts, video from http://agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com/2012/07/17/maine-politics/video-whats-the- difference-between-democrats-and-republicans-ethan-phil-take-us-to-political-summer-school/ and images from www.nytimes.com  Media center or computer lab time for students – optional  Student activity sheets and reading materials  Political Party Logos  Comparing Perspectives  Political Party Functions 

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 2    Lesson Activities and Daily Schedule  Please use the chart below to track activity completion.    T  St  Description  Com Da a e plete s p d? k s  Yes/ in No # L es so n  T  Overview of Political Parties  a  1- s 6 k 1  T  Democrats & Republicans Video   a  7- Da s 1 k 0 2  T  Party Platform Activity  1  a 1- s 1 k 9 3  T  Party Platform Activity  1  a 1-  Continued s 1 k  9 3 Da  T  Checking for Understanding A  a  2 s 0 k 4  T  Political Party Functions Activity  2   a 1- Da s 3 k 1 5   T  3  Political Party Functions Research  Da a 2- s 3 k 5 6

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 3  T  Checking for Understanding B  a  3 s 6 k 7

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 4  Essential Content Background   This section addresses the following issues:  1. Political Parties in the United States 2. Political Parties as Guides to Political Socialization 3. Political Party Organization Roles 4. Political Parties as Public Policy Guides 5. Political Parties in the United States: Conclusion   1. Political Parties in the United States  Political parties serve several interconnected roles in American politics. They serve a socializing role for the public, where they impact political knowledge and political activity. Party organizations oversee nominations and elections, contribute resources to political campaigns, and shape party messages. Parties also impact policy making and political decision making among elected officials. These roles are interconnected in that, how the public perceives political parties will impact their vote choice and campaign contribution decisions, which impacts who wins elections. How elected officials create and shape public policy impacts how the public perceives political parties because most elected officials are identified as political party members.   Political parties serve critical roles in democracies because they combine individual citizens’ political views and communicate them to government. In combining these views, the public’s voice is more readily heard by public officials. In the U.S., there are two major political parties. The two-party system emerged in response to the arguments over the development of a federal system. Those supporting the proposal to create a shared powers system between the national and state governments formed the Federalist Party while those who wanted to retain the Articles of Confederation or, at least, key components of the confederal system, formed the Democratic-Republican Party. The Democratic and Republican parties have served as the two main U.S. political parties since 1860.   2. Political Parties as Guides to Political Socialization  Political socialization is the process of learning about politics. Parties act as filters through which the public learns about, sees and understands the political process. For example, positive or negative feelings about Republicans and Democrats may lead to positive or negative feelings about office holders, candidates, and proposed and actual public policies. Political parties also act as a vote guide because voters more often select candidates who represent their own party identification or party registration.   3. Political Party Organization Roles  Party organizations function as a loose confederation in the United States because most party activity takes place at the state and local level. There are far more elected seats at the state and local levels when compared with the federal level, so it makes sense that political parties are more active where there are more elected offices.   Party organizations serve many electoral functions. They raise and spend money in order to help candidates get elected, and they shape and represent the party’s message on its core values and policy positions. Party organizations also recruit candidates to run for various offices, and recommend potential appointees to governors and presidents. Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 5   Party organizations are best known for their least frequent activity—nominating candidates for president and vice-president. Each party holds its nominating convention every four years. The purpose of these conventions is to nominate the presidential and vice-presidential ticket, and to adopt the party’s platform. Party platforms are written documents that include the party’s policy positions and past policy and election successes, and attacks on the opposing party.   Parties usually (though not always) hold their nominating conventions 6-12 weeks after the June primary so that the last nominating convention is over before the unofficial start of the general election campaign on Labor Day weekend. Conventions normally last 4-5 days; they begin on a Sunday or Monday and end the following Thursday. For various reasons, including media logistics, Democrats and Republicans nominate their presidential tickets during separate weeks.   4. Political Parties as Public Policy Guides  The role of parties as policy guides functions particularly well within the systems of separation of powers, checks and balances and federalism.   All elected offices are tied to party labels at the national and state levels although this does not preclude independents from seeking office. For example, as of 2013, two Congress members were elected as independents. At the local level, counties and cities decide if their public officials will seek election under party labels.   Members of Congress who share a party label tend to shape public policy together while different parties tend to take opposing views on key policy issues. Similarly, the president tends to spend more time with members of his own party in Congress compared with members of the opposite party.   5. Political Parties in the United States: Conclusion  Political party roles are connected to one another such that each impacts the other. How the public perceives the parties working together in their policy making capacities, and in the policies that the parties support and oppose, impacts public support levels in terms of identification, registration, and vote choice. As the number of Democrats and Republicans increases or decreases, party organizations are similarly impacted. A party with fewer members, registrants or voters will have more difficulty raising money and recruiting good candidates compared with a party that is strong in these areas. Similarly, a party that has fewer members in legislatures, governorships, or does not hold the presidency, will have a more difficult time achieving its policy goals compared with a party that enjoys majorities in state and national legislatures, governorships and the presidency. Thus, even though these three roles impact different populations (the public, party activists, office holders) they are interconnected to one another as success or failure in one arena impacts how well a party does in other arenas. 

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 6  Civics Content Vocabulary   Word/T  Part of  Definition erm Speech  bias  noun  a preference, opinion or attitude that favors one way of thinking or feeling over another  candida  noun  a person running for political office te  Commu  proper  a political party that believes the government nist noun should control the entire economy, and there Party should be no private ownership of business  Democr  proper  a political party that believes that the federal atic noun government should take a more active role in Party people's lives, particularly those who are in need  govern  noun  a system or organization for exercising authority ment over a body of people  Libertar  proper  a political party that believes in individual freedom ian noun and believes the only purpose of government is to Party protect this freedom  party  noun  a written statement of the goals of a political party platfor m  political  noun  an organization that tries to get political power by party electing members to public office so that their political ideas can become laws or policies  political  noun  the members of a social organization who are in system power  Republi  proper  a political party that believes that the federal can noun government should play a less active role in Party people's lives and that individuals can take care of themselves without government help  Socialist  proper  a political party that believes in democratic Party noun government but also that the government should run some of the largest parts of the economy  society  noun  a body of individuals living as members of a community  third  noun  a political party that is not one of the two major party parties in the country; a minor party  two-  noun  a political system consisting primarily of two major party parties, more or less equal in strength system 

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 7  Suggested Student Activity Sequence  1. Project and pass out the “Political Party Logos” handout and ask students to consider the questions on the handout: “Does anything look familiar to you in each of these pictures? What do you think these pictures represent?” 2. Provide students with a few minutes to brainstorm in their groups and then share out. 3. Lead students to the understanding that they are looking at the logos for some of the political parties in the United States: Communist Party USA, Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, Republican Party, and Socialist Party USA. 4. Ask students to share anything they think they know about the five political parties listed. 5. Instruct students to take notes on their activity sheet while you provide them with key points about the political parties. Teacher note: Utilize the Sample Answers section to provide definitions for each party. Explain the following key points about each political party, the two-party system and third parties in the United States. Instruct students to take notes on their activity sheet.  The U.S. has a two-party system. There are mainly two political parties competing for control and running for elections in the U.S.  The Democratic and Republican parties have been the two major parties since the 1860’s.  As of January 2015, all members of Congress are members of the Democratic or Republican parties, except for the following people: i. Senator Angus King, Independent from Maine ii. Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont  Third parties typically nominate a presidential candidate but so far, none have won.  The Communist and Socialist parties both see the working class playing an important role in government. People considered to be part of the working class are those who often work manual labor jobs and often work paycheck to paycheck.  The Libertarian and Republican parties both believe that government should be limited in its use of its powers.  The Democratic and Republican parties both view the economy as an important issue, but differ in the approach to the government’s role in the economy. 6. Instruct students to create a title for their activity sheet. 7. Direct student attention back to the descriptions for the Democratic and Republican parties. 8. Explain to students that they will watch a video to understand the basic ideas of the Democratic and Republican parties. While watching the video, their task is to write down main ideas they hear about each party on their “Political Party Logos” activity sheet or on their own notebook paper. 9. Play the “What’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans?” video from the Bangor Daily News: http://agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com/2012/07/17/maine- politics/video-whats-the-difference-between-democrats-and-republicans-ethan-phil-take- us-to-political-summer-school/ Teacher note: This video is 7:55, stop after 4:17. The video outlines the basic ideas of both parties. The Democratic perspective is presented first. Pause after the Democratic perspective is presented and give students time to write down main ideas they hear. After the Republican perspective is presented, stop the video at 4:17 and provide students time to write down main ideas. 10. Review the main ideas as a whole class. Teacher note: Some of the main ideas from the video include the following key points:

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 8  Democrats believe in equal opportunity for all people. This includes education, infrastructure and health care. The American Dream should be reachable for everyone and everyone should have a chance to achieve what he or she wants.  Republicans believe in personal responsibility and people making the most of the opportunities ahead of them. Individuals should take the responsibility to give back to their community instead of looking to government to provide certain services. 11. Share with students that a party platform outlines a party’s beliefs and perspectives on issues related to government. 12. Pass out the “Perspective Comparison” student activity sheet. 13. Explain to students that they will work as a whole class to read excerpts from the 2012 Democratic and Republican party platforms to understand their perspectives on some of the powers granted to the federal government. Share with students that the excerpts are related to some of the federal government’s powers as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Teacher note: On the activity sheet the italicized text references the federal power as listed in the Constitution. 14. Direct student attention to the “Taxes” row and explain that Congress has the power to lay (create) and collect taxes. Read aloud the text from the Democratic Party’s 2012 platform. 15. Have students think about and share out what the main idea is of the text. 16. Work as a whole class to summarize the text. Instruct students to take notes on their activity sheet. 17. Repeat this process for the Republican Party’s platform. 18. Discuss how the views compare. 19. Repeat Steps 15-19 for the remaining issues. 20. Checking for Understanding A (Formative Assessment):  Instruct students to write a well-crafted informative response using the following prompt:  Prompt  Using the information you learned from the video and by reading text of the party platforms, summarize the main ideas of the Democratic and Republican parties. 21. Pose the following question for discussion: “Now that we know the basic ideas of each party, what do you think they do with these ideas?” 22. Provide students time to share out some things they think they know about the function of political parties. 23. Pass out the “Political Party Functions” student activity sheet. 24. Review the activity sheet as a whole class and explain to students that they will take notes on the five functions of political parties on their activity sheet. 25. Use the Sample Answers section to provide students with a description of each political party function. Teacher note: The political party function notes are from the One Big Party lesson from iCivics: http://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/one-big-party. 26. Pose the following questions for discussion: “What do you think these functions look like in real life? What kind of impact do you think these functions have in society, in government and in the political system?” Have students share out some ideas. 27. Explain to students that they will look at some examples of political party functions through party websites and related images. 28. Display the following images on the board: Democratic National Convention Day 3 - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/07/us/politics/2012-convention-POD-7.html and Republican National Convention Day 4 (scroll down and click on Image #23) - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/30/us/politics/2012-convention-POD- 4.html#/?slide=0. If possible, display the images side by side.

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 9 29. Pose the following questions for discussion: “What do you see in these photos? Based on what you see, what do you think is the impact of political parties nominating candidates? Does this have an impact on government? On society? On the political system?” 30. Explain to students that they are looking at images from the 2012 Democratic and Republican national conventions. In both images, the candidates have just accepted their party’s nomination for president. 31. Instruct students to take notes on their “Political Party Functions” graphic organizer in the “Impact” box in the same column where they have listed Nominate Candidates. Use the Sample Answers section to guide the discussion. 32. Place students into pairs and provide them with time in the media center or computer lab to conduct research on either major party’s website (Democrats.org and gop.com) to find examples for the remaining four functions. Teacher note: As an alternative approach, complete this activity as a whole class. 33. Instruct students to list notes of the examples they find in the “Example” row of their graphic organizer and to think about and take notes on how this function might impact government, society and the political system. Instruct students to make note of where on the websites they found their examples. 34. Have students share out the examples they found from either site. 35. Engage students in a class discussion about the impact of these functions. Instruct students to add notes in the “Impact” box during the discussion. Teacher note: See the Sample Answers section as a starting off point for this discussion. 36. Checking for Understanding B (Formative Assessment):  Instruct students to write a well-crafted informative response using the following prompt:  Prompt  Using what you have learned during this lesson and using specific examples gathered during your research, write an argument explaining the impact of political parties on society, government or the political system. Use specific examples and evidence to support your argument.  

Government Policies and Political Processes | SS.7.C.2.8 – Updated 7/15 | 10  NAME:______DATE:______  ______ 

      Does anything look familiar to you in these pictures? What do you think these pictures represent?     

    

  Notes  ______ ______  NAME: ______DATE: ______  COMPARING PERSPECTIVES   Powers of the Federal Government  DEMOCRATIC  REPUBLICAN PARTY PARTY  PLATFORM  PLATFORM   TAXES  In order to reduce the  Extend the 2001 and 2003 tax relief packages—  Lays (creates) and collects taxes deficit while still making commonly known as the Bush tax cuts—pending the investments we need reform of the tax code, to keep tax rates from rising on in education, research, income,.. infrastructure, and clean  energy, the President has  We call for a Constitutional amendment requiring a asked for the wealthiest super-majority for any tax increase, … so that future taxpayers to pay their fair Congresses cannot balance the budget by raising taxes. share.    The Democratic Party opposes efforts to give additional tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the middle class and investments in our future.  SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______     BUDGET  … all permanent new  Cutting spending is not enough; it must be  Executes the spending authorized by spending and tax cuts accompanied by major structural reforms, increased Congress must now be offset by productivity, use of technology, and long-term savings or revenue government downsizing that both reduce debt and increases. deficits and ignite economic growth.  This approach includes  tough spending cuts that will bring annual domestic spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years, while still allowing us to make investments that benefit the middle class now and reduce our deficit over a decade.  SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______     MILITARY SPENDING  In our current fiscal  Sequestration—which is severe, automatic, across-the-  Has the power to raise and support environment, we must board cuts in defense spending over the next decade— armed forces also make tough of the nation’s military budget would be a disaster for budgetary decisions national security.... across the board – and that includes within the defense budget.  SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______     TREATIES  …committed to  … we oppose the adoption or ratification of  Approves treaties for ratification strengthening the Nuclear international treaties that weaken or encroach upon Non-Proliferation American sovereignty. Treaty…. As we work to uphold our obligations under the treaty by reducing stockpiles [of nuclear weapons] and recognizing the rights of all rule-abiding states to peaceful nuclear energy, we will insist that countries without nuclear weapons comply with their obligations not to develop them, and we will ensure that violators face real consequences.  SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______     IMMIGRATION  [T]he country urgently  [W]e oppose any form of amnesty....  Regulates immigration and needs comprehensive   The double-layered fencing on the border that was naturalization immigration reform that brings undocumented enacted by Congress in 2006, but never completed, immigrants out of the must finally be built. shadows and requires them to get right with the law, learn English, and pay taxes in order to get on a path to earn citizenship.    SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______     FOREIGN POLICY & AID  We will come to the aid  Limiting foreign aid spending helps keep taxes lower,  Regulate commerce with foreign nations of countries during their which frees more resources in the private and  times of need, just as we charitable sectors, whose giving tends to be more  Declare war did following the 2011 effective and efficient.   earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear  Foreign aid should serve our national interest, an  Raise and Support Armies essential part of which is the peaceful development of  disaster in Japan. And as we did in the aftermath of less advanced and vulnerable societies in critical parts  Provide and maintain a Navy Haiti's catastrophic of the world. The economic success and political earthquake in January progress of former aid recipients, from Latin America 2010, we will provide to East Asia, has justified our investment in their critical aid to countries future. U.S. aid should be based on the model … for facing devastating which foreign governments must, in effect, compete circumstances to meet for the dollars by showing respect for the rule of law, their acute short-term free enterprise, and measurable results. In short, aid needs and foster long- money should follow positive outcomes, not pleas for term recovery. more cash in the same corrupt official pockets.   As we rebalance our foreign policy, we have rebuilt our relationships around the world. From Europe and Asia to the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, we have strengthened the alliances and partnerships that are so central to global security, and we have taken steps to reinvigorate international institutions. All the while, we have built the foundation for sustained American leadership by growing our economy, preserving our unrivaled military strength, and advancing our values.  SUMMARY  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______  Political Party Functions  Directions: Read the Five Roles of Political Parties. List the five functions of political parties in the graphic organizer. For each function, write one or two sentences that summarize the function. To complete the example column, go to one political party’s website and find examples of each function. Be prepared to share your examples with the class.  FUNC  DESCRIPTION  EXAMPLE &  IMPACT TION SOURCE  Nomi    nate Candi dates

 Influe    nce Policy

 Unite    Gover nment

 Creat    e Balan ce

 Infor    m Citize ns

  Sources  Political Party Information: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4706  Political Party logos: Communist Party - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CP_logo.png, Democratic Party – http://www.democrats.org/about/our_party, Libertarian Party – http://lp.org, Republican Party – https://gop.com and Socialist Party - http://www.sp-usa.org/  What’s the Difference Between Democrats and Republicans? Video - http://agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com/2012/07/17/maine-politics/video-whats-the- difference-between-democrats-and-republicans-ethan-phil-take-us-to-political-summer-school/  Party Platform Activity - http://compare2012.returncontrol.com, https://www.democrats.org/party-platform and https://gop.com/platform/  One Big Party? from iCivics - http://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/one-big-party  Convention images: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/07/us/politics/2012- convention-POD-7.html and http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/30/us/politics/2012- convention-POD-4.html#/?slide=0   Political Parties 

 Does anything look familiar to you in these pictures? What do you think these pictures represent?  Communist  Democratic  Libertarian  Republican  Socialist Party Party USA Party Party Party USA  a political party that  a political party that  a political party that  a political party that  a political party that believes the believes that the believes in individual believes that the believes people government should federal government freedom and the only federal government should own and control all production should take a more purpose of should play a small control industry and distribution of active role in people's government is to role in people's lives; through goods and working lives, particularly protect this freedom they favor lower taxes democratically people should control those who are in need and less government controlled public their own lives and  a third party spending agencies, destinies  one of the two parties cooperatives, or other that make up the two-  one of the two parties collective groups  a third party party system that make up the two- party system  a third party 

  COMPARING PERSPECTIVES – SAMPLE ANSWERS  Powers of  DEMOCRATIC PARTY  REPUBLICAN PARTY the Federal  PLATFORM  PLATFORM Governmen  t  TAXES  In order to reduce the deficit while still making the  Extend the 2001 and 2003 tax relief packages—  Lays investments we need in education, research, infrastructure, commonly known as the Bush tax cuts—pending reform (creates) and clean energy, the President has asked for the wealthiest of the tax code, to keep tax rates from rising on income,.. and collects taxpayers to pay their fair share.  taxes   We call for a Constitutional amendment requiring a  The Democratic Party opposes efforts to give additional tax super-majority for any tax increase, … so that future cuts to the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the Congresses cannot balance the budget by raising taxes. middle class and investments in our future.   SUMMAR  Fairness in tax system, make everyone pay their fair share  Extend tax cuts for the wealthy; propose a constitutional Y  amendment regarding raising taxes to balance the federal budget     BUDGET  … all permanent new spending and tax cuts must now be  Cutting spending is not enough; it must be accompanied  Executes offset by savings or revenue increases. by major structural reforms, increased productivity, use the  This approach includes tough spending cuts that will bring of technology, and long-term government downsizing spending annual domestic spending to its lowest level as a share of that both reduce debt and deficits and ignite economic authorized the economy in 50 years, while still allowing us to make growth. by Congress investments that benefit the middle class now and reduce  our deficit over a decade.  SUMMAR  Balance the budget by making sure that any new spending  More than just spending has to be looked at to balance the Y is balanced with saving or increasing revenue. budget; downsizing the government reduces debt and increases growth     MILITAR  In our current fiscal environment, we must also make tough  Sequestration—which is severe, automatic, across-the- Y budgetary decisions across the board – and that includes board cuts in defense spending over the next decade—of SPENDIN within the defense budget. the nation’s military budget would be a disaster for G national security....  Has the power to raise and support armed forces  SUMMAR  Decreasing the defense budget is necessary.  Cutting the defense budget would be a disaster for Y  national security.     TREATIES  …committed to strengthening the Nuclear Non-  … we oppose the adoption or ratification of international  Approves Proliferation Treaty…. As we work to uphold our treaties that weaken or encroach upon American treaties for obligations under the treaty by reducing stockpiles [of sovereignty. ratification nuclear weapons] and recognizing the rights of all rule- abiding states to peaceful nuclear energy, we will insist that countries without nuclear weapons comply with their obligations not to develop them, and we will ensure that violators face real consequences.  SUMMAR  We need to uphold our side of the Nuclear Non-  We are against treaties that weaken American power and Y Proliferation Treaty and work to reduce our amount of ability to govern. nuclear weapons.      IMMIGRA  [T]he country urgently needs comprehensive immigration  [W]e oppose any form of amnesty.... TION reform that brings undocumented immigrants out of the   Regulates shadows and requires them to get right with the law, learn  The double-layered fencing on the border that was immigration English, and pay taxes in order to get on a path to earn enacted by Congress in 2006, but never completed, must and citizenship. finally be built. naturalizati  on  SUMMAR  We want to work with illegal immigrants and get them on  We do not agree with giving illegal immigrants Y the path towards naturalization. forgiveness for entering the country illegally.  We want to complete the fence on the U.S./Mexico border.     FOREIGN  We will come to the aid of countries during their times of  Limiting foreign aid spending helps keep taxes lower, POLICY & need, just as we did following the 2011 earthquake, which frees more resources in the private and charitable AID tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. And as sectors, whose giving tends to be more effective and  Provide for we did in the aftermath of Haiti's catastrophic earthquake in efficient. the January 2010, we will provide critical aid to countries   Regulate facing devastating circumstances to meet their acute short-  Foreign aid should serve our national interest, an essential commerce term needs and foster long-term recovery. part of which is the peaceful development of less with foreign  advanced and vulnerable societies in critical parts of the nations  As we rebalance our foreign policy, we have rebuilt our world. The economic success and political progress of  relationships around the world. From Europe and Asia to former aid recipients, from Latin America to East Asia,  Declare the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, we have has justified our investment in their future. U.S. aid war strengthened the alliances and partnerships that are so should be based on the model … for which foreign central to global security, and we have taken steps to governments must, in effect, compete for the dollars by  reinvigorate international institutions. All the while, we showing respect for the rule of law, free enterprise, and  Raise and have built the foundation for sustained American measurable results. In short, aid money should follow Support leadership by growing our economy, preserving our positive outcomes, not pleas for more cash in the same Armies unrivaled military strength, and advancing our values. corrupt official pockets.    Provide and maintain a Navy  SUMMAR  We will help countries when needed, provide short-term  We believe in limiting foreign spending, which lowers Y care and help with long-term recovery. We work with taxes and provides private business and charities make countries around the world to maintain relationships. greater contributions. We should make foreign aid  competitive so that it goes to countries respectful of American ideas.    Political Party Functions – Sample Answers  FUNC  DESCRIPTION  EXAMPLE & SOURCE  IMPACT TION  Sample answers provided. The impact of each function varies.  Nomin  Political parties  DEMOCRATS: There is  By nominating ate nominate information about 2016 candidates, political Candid candidates for nominees for both parties - parties provide ates public office.  http://www.democrats.org/ options of The candidates  REPUBLICANS: Link to candidates to believe in the the 2016 nominees - society. Society then party platform. https://gop.com/presidential- determines which  straw-poll/ candidate they will elect and serve in government.  Influen  Members of  DEMOCRATS: There are  A political party’s ce Congress are issues and blog sections on the platform and ability Policy members of website to influence policy political parties http://www.democrats.org/news/ impacts the types of blog and a link to their platform: and they work to laws that are passed https://www.democrats.org/party pass laws that -platform and the issues that support their  REPUBLICANS: Link to receive attention by party’s platform. the platform - government. https://gop.com/platform/  Unite  A party can link  DEMOCRATS: There is a  This function Gover its members at link to state parties provides a way for nment the federal, state http://asdc.democrats.org/sta people that identify and local levels te-parties/ and a “Take with a particular of government to Action” link on the party to connect achieve big goals homepage. with each other and for the party.  REPUBLICANS: Link to for the party to  state leadership expand its influence https://gop.com/leaders/state at each level of s/ and a link to Get Involved government. - https://gop.com/get- involved/  Create  The two parties  DEMOCRATS: Link to the  This function Balanc create balance in platform: impacts how laws e the government https://www.democrats.org/party are made in by working hard -platform government. to protect the  REPUBLICANS: Link to ideas in their the platform - party platform. https://gop.com/platform/ The two parties keep each other in check.  Inform  Political parties  DEMOCRATS: On the  This function Citizen run campaigns homepage impacts the way s for candidates. http://democrats.org there is society views They run ads, a way to donate, take action, candidates for create sign petitions and connect office. pamphlets, post via social media. blogs, and help  REPUBLICANS: There is a candidates give link for volunteering: speeches. http://www.gop.com/volunte er/ at the top of the page there are ways to connect via social media  