POLS 125 Chapter 1: Party Politics in America:

• School: University of Vermont
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 125
• Professor: Deborah Lynn Guber

Document Summary

Political polarization doesn"t just stem from bad manners or reality tv: reflects that americans disagree on how to reach common goals such as freedom and national security, despite agreeing on the goals themselves. Hostility between parties is nothing new, and neither is hostility to parties themselves: george washington and the founding fathers viewed parties as divisive and dangerous entities that would encourage self-interest at the people"s expense. Political parties do necessary things for people that wouldn"t get done otherwise and bring voters to the polls. American politics in defined by the ways in which these three overlap. The party organization is charged with promoting all of the party"s candidates and its stands on major issues. The party in government consists of candidates for public office and those holding office: these members do not always cooperate smoothly with those in the party organization, but often work together towards shared goals.