OK, so what do the various political parties in the United States actually BELIEVE?
Let's find out where they stand on at least one issue of your choice.
Choose an issue from the following list. Be sure to pick one that you feel is an interesting and/or important:
Crime
Drugs
Economy and Taxes
Education
Election Reform
Energy Independence
Environmental Issues
Families and Children
Foreign Policy
Government Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Iraq War
Afghanistan War
Social Security
Welfare and Poverty
Next, using the links below research each party's position on the issue of your choice:
Major Parties*:
3rd Parties**:
Use the information that you find to fill out the chart and answer the questions on the paper given to you in class (a blank copy of the chart can be found here).
* As we discussed in class, the two major parties are really more geared toward winning elections than toward a specific set of beliefs, so on SOME issues (especially the really controversial ones) it may be difficult to figure out exactly where the major parties stand. But please, give it a try. Finding out that a party is vague on an issue often tells you as much about that party's belief as a very specific statement. Third parties are usually more clear on their beliefs and positions because they are trying to appeal to a narrower group of people.
** There are certainly lots of other 3rd parties that could have been included on this list, but the Greens and the Libertarians are currently the two biggest 3rd parties, so let's keep it simple and stick to those two.
