AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

1. AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

2. PARTIES-ORGANIZATIONS THAT SEEK TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY BY WINNING ELECTIONS & PUTTING THEIR OWN MEMBERS INTO POSITIONS OF GOVT. AUTHORITY

3. "political parties created democracy and democracy is impossible without them" -E.E. Schattschneider

4. “…parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly on what should be said on the vital issues of the day.” -- Theodore Roosevelt

5. “Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule--and both commonly succeed, and are right.”- H.L. Mencken

6. “There is not a dime’s worth of difference between the Democratic and Republican parties.” - Gov. George Wallace

7. THREE COMPONENTS PARTY MODEL

8. PARTY-IN-THE- ELECTORATE CITIZENS WHO IDENTIFY WITH THE PARTY

10. PARTY-IN-GOVERNMENT THOSE ELECTED OR APPOINTED TO OFFICES AS MEMBERS OF A PARTY

11. PARTY-AS-AN- ORGANIZATION DAY-TO-DAY "PROFESSIONALS" WHO ORGANIZE & RUN THE PARTY

12. Howard DeanDNC CHAIRMAN Ken Mehlman RNCCHAIRMAN

13. Boyd Richie and Wife Betty -TDP Chair STATE PARTY

14. The Collin County Republican Party2520 Avenue K Plano, Texas  75074Plano, Texas 75074-5342Phone: (972) 424-2122E-mail: chairman@collincountygop.com LOCAL PARTY

15. PARTY FUNCTIONS

16. BUSH ACCEPTS IN 2000 NOMINATION FUNCTION

17. FUND-RAISING FUNCTION

18.  ”YES! I want to help support President Bush and his agenda of reform and renewal. Here is my contribution in support of President Bush, the GOP Congress and our candidates.” FROM RNC WEB PAGE

19. CAMPAIGNING FUNCTION

20. "George W. Bush says he has a plan for children's health care. But why hasn't he done it in Texas? Texas ranks 49th out of 50 in providing health coverage to kids. The needs of abused kids are neglected. Texas failed to inform families of health coverage available to children. The Bush record: It's becoming an issue."

22. "THIS IS WHY HE IS THE BEST!" INFORMATION FUNCTION

23. PUBLIC OPINION SHOWS THAT MORE AND MORE AMERICANS ARE GETTING FED UP78% of Americans Think the Economy Is in Bad Shape; 74% Say It's Not Getting Better

24. VOTERS CAN RECOGNIZE THE LEANINGS OF CANDIDATES- THIS HELPS TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS & MAKES IT ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WITH LIMITED KNOWLEDGE

25. MOBILIZATION FUNCTION

26. Join the Sign War- Place a sign in your yard or office window. Drive around your neighborhood to make sure signs didn’t come down overnight. Make sure candidate signs are up and looking sharp. FROM RNC WEB PAGE

27. Act as a Designated Driver- Drive volunteers to targeted precincts and get voters to the polls.  Mail in Absentee Ballots-Make sure your friends and neighbors send in their absentee ballots early. FROM RNC WEB PAGE

28. VARIED OPINIONS BROKERAGE FUNCTION PARTY UNIFIED POLICY

32. NATIONAL STATE & LOCAL GOVERNING FUNCTION

33. PROCEDURES, POLICIES, & PROCESSES ARE ALL ORGANIZED ALONG PARTY LINES PARTY

34. MAJORITY PARTY CONTROLS CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

35. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) THE SPEAKER OF THE HR IS ALWAYS FROM THE MAJORITY PARTY

36. ARGUMENT- PARTIES ARE IN A STATE OF DECLINE!

37. MANY CLAIM THAT THE MAJOR PARTIES NO LONGER PERFORM MANY OF THEIR INTENDED FUNCTIONS

38. REASON 1 INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE PRIMARY

39. PRIMARIES CREATE MAVERICK CANDIDATES

40. 6 CANDIDATES? PRIMARIES CREATE DISUNITY WITHIN A PARTY

41. REASON 2 PERSONAL CAMPAIGNS

42. CANDIDATES RELY ON THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION RATHER THAN THE PARTY'S

43. PERSONAL ORGANIZATION

45. REASON 3 PERSONAL CAMPAIGN FINANCING

46. PARTIES GIVE LESS THAN 1% OF $$$ RAISED TO CANDIDATES

47. $$$ IS RAISED BY PERSONAL CAMPAIGN SOLICITING INDIVIDUALS & PACs

48. REASON 4 TELEVISION

49. "TV HAS SUPPLANTED THE PARTY AS THE MAIN CONDUIT BETWEEN CANDIDATE AND VOTER"

50. CANDIDATES CONTROL THE MESSAGE- NOT THE PARTY