WHAT ARE THEY? Political parties are the main way that we elect people to public office in the United States. The purpose of any political party is to win elections and influence the government.
WHY JOIN A POLITICAL PARTY? A good reason to join a political party is because it supports values and ideas you believe in. Members of a political party share most of the same beliefs about how the government should work.
WHICH POLITICAL PARTY SHOULD YOU JOIN?
You can join whichever political party or political movement you want. The two major political parties, the Democratic and Republican parties, dominate the electoral process. The Green Party is one of the newest parties in the United States. The Tea Party is one of the newest political movements.
You can choose
NOT to join a political party at all. Then you are called an Independent voter and you just vote for the person you think will do the best job, no matter which party they may belong to.
No matter what you believe, get involved! That way you can be sure your government represents you!
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
The Democratic Party is the biggest and oldest political party in America. There are more than 72 million registered Democratic voters in the U.S. The Democratic Party was started in 1792.
The Democratic Party platform includes equal opportunity, protecting the environment, and healthcare for everyone.
Famous Democratic presidents include: Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama.
A donkey is the symbol of the Democratic Party.
Download your Free Democratic Party coloring page HERE!
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
The Republican Party is one of the major political parties in the United States. There are more than 55 million registered Republican voters in the U.S.
Jackson, Michigan was the site of the first official Republican Party in 1854.
The Republican Party platform includes personal responsibility, free market, low taxes, and a strong national defense.
Free market means you should be able to buy, sell, and trade goods without too much government involvement.
The Republican Party is nicknamed the GOP, which stands for Grand Old Party.
Famous Republican presidents include: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and George Bush.
An elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party.
Download your Free Republican Party Coloring Page HERE.
THE GREEN PARTY
The Green Party is one of the newest parties in the United States.
The Green Party believes that people are part of nature and we should take care of plants, animals, and the environment. They believe that all people have the right to be treated fairly and justly and that healthy people and a healthy environment are very important.
The Green Party also believes that we should think about how our actions today will affect future generations.
California has more registered Green Party Voters than any other state.
A sunflower is the symbol of the Green Party.
Download your Free Green Party Coloring Page HERE.
THE TEA PARTY
Tea Party is a political movement and is also new to the United States.
Tea Party supporters want to change the way people think about how we allow the government to spend tax dollars. They want the government to stay within a budget and only spend what it has.
Tea Party supporters also want to make sure our elected officials in Washington, D.C. listening to the people.
