Comparing Political Parties

A political party is an organization of people which seeks to achieve goals common to its members through the acquisition and exercise of political power (Political Party). Political parties have four important functions, nominate candidates, gather voters, help governance, and watch the power of the opposing political party. Each party has to nominate and select candidates for political office. They also have to rally voters using advertising such as phone calls, brochures, and media campaigns. By helping governance, each party can aid in policy making. Lastly, if one party sees its opposing party doing something wrong, they can notify the public. The founding fathers did not intend to have political parties when forming the Constitution, …show more content…
In the United States, the two dominant political parties are the Democrats and the Republicans. Democrats are more liberal, while Republicans are more conservative. There are many similarities and differences between the Democrat and Republican parties including their colors, symbols, and views on social, economic, and other controversial issues. First, the Democrat party was founded in 1824. The party's color is blue, and its symbol is a donkey. The Democratic Party’s first association with the donkey came about during the 1828 campaign of Democrat Andrew Jackson. Running on a populist platform (by the people, for the people) and using a slogan of “Let the People Rule,” Jackson’s opponents referred to him as a jackass (donkey). Much to their chagrin, Jackson incorporated the jackass into his campaign posters. During Jackson’s presidency the donkey was used to symbolize his stubbornness by his opponents (Kampion, Helen). Thomas