Political Parties and Communications PMA Review

Political Parties and Communication

Objectives: Compare current political parties’ ideas about government. Evaluate the impact political parties have on society, government, or the political system. Identify and evaluate methods of influencing and monitoring government.

​What do you know about Political Parties and Political Communication?

Defense: Keep peace by having a strong military 

Health Care: The government should not pay for people’s health care 

Energy: The U.S. should rely on oil as well as renewable sources to be independent 

Education: Schools must have high standards, and students should be able to use public education funds to attend private schools if those schools are better than public schools

Economy: Businesses will create jobs and opportunities for people to prosper

Republican party

Environment: The environment is important and it should be protected and kept clean

Health Care: The government should help make health care available to people who can’t afford it 

Energy: The U.S. should focus on renewable energy sources to achieve independence 

Education: The government should support teachers and public school funds to make existing public schools better 

Economy: During hard times, the government should help create jobs 

Democratic Party

Political Party Platform

Multiple Choice

What political parties make up the United States' two-party system?

• Libertarian and Democrat

• Democrat and Republican

• Republican and Socialist

• Socialist and Communist

Multiple Choice

Which of the following reflects the Libertarian Party's ideas about the government?

• The only purpose of the federal government is to protect individual rights.

• The federal government is needed to provide social programs for the people.

• The state governments should have less power than the federal government.

• The government only exists to provide for the common defense of its citizens.

Multiple Choice

Below are statements from two different news stations:

Hound News: Big government is terrible for business and individual rights. People need to vote for a smaller government.

CBN News: Big government is necessary for the safety and well-being of Americans. People should vote to expand the government's power.

What is this an example of?

• Bias

• Metaphor

• Symbolism

• Propaganda

Multiple Choice

What would be the desired outcome of this propaganda poster?

• a decrease in the manufacturing of weapons

• an increase in the manufacturing of weapons

• a decrease in people enlisting in the United States armed forces

• an increase in people enlisting in the United States armed forces

Scenarios

Select the correct political party that would agree with the issues.

Multiple Choice

Congress has just passed a bill to increase the military's funding.

Which political party most likely has a majority of seats in Congress?

• Democrats

• Republicans

• Libertarians

• Socialists

Multiple Choice

Which party’s candidates are Bob and Lou most likely to support?

Lou: I am going to vote for the candidate who will support cutting government spending.

Bob: Yes, we spend too much on some programs.

-Conversation about political parties

• Socialist

• Democrat

• Communist

• Republican

Multiple Choice

The Social Security Administration is tasked with collecting taxes from all citizens. This agency uses taxes to ensure that elders can have a dignified retirement after working till the age of 62. Which political party would support more funding to this program?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Conservative

Multiple Choice

This party is submitting a plan to decrease taxes on private companies so that companies can contribute more money to their employees private 401k retirement plans. Which party would support this policy?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Communist

Multiple Choice

The American government needs to decrease regulations on oil companies, so gas is more affordable for people to drive their vehicles to work. This is a part of what political party's platform?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Communist

• Socialist

Multiple Choice

The dangers of oil spills needs to be prevented by more government regulation on oil companies. Which political party would agree with this?

• Socialist

• Communist

• Democrat

• Republican

Multiple Choice

The different points of view on oil and what the government should do about it are examples of what?

• propaganda

• bias

• media

• watchdog

Multiple Choice

Which political party would use this image as propaganda to pursued people toward their protective environmental policy?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Monarchy... Great Britain, please take us back!!!

Multiple Choice

The propaganda to the left demonstrates that not all schools are equal. Which of the following political parties would use this propaganda and why.

• Democrats because they believe in families choosing to send their children to private or public schools

• Democrats because it shows how public schools need more funding to increase equality in education for all

• Republicans because they believe in freedom of school choice

• Republicans because they believe in increased funding to public schools.

Multiple Choice

Which political party would use this data to influence more people to work for the federal government?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Conservative

Multiple Choice

The following is a speech from an American President:

 "We fought to make sure that in America, health care is not just a privilege, but a right for every single American."

Which political parties candidate would say this to his party member to be re-elected?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Conservative

Multiple Choice

Which political party would perform the speech below?

Working together, we’ve cut the unemployment rate in Florida by more than half.  Across the country, we turned years of job losses into the longest streak of job creation on record.  We slashed our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our production of renewable energy.  Incomes are rising again -- they rose more last year than any time ever recorded.  Poverty is falling -- fell more last year than any time since 1968.  Our graduation rates from high school are at record highs.  College enrollment is significantly higher than it was when we came into office.  Marriage equality is a reality in all 50 states.

• Democrat

• Republican

• Libertarian

• Socialist

Multiple Choice

Which political party does this quote match?

"No nation in history has ever survived a tax burden that reached a third of its national income. Today, 37 cents out of every dollar earned in this country is the tax collector's share, and yet our government continues to spend 17 million dollars a day more than the government takes in. We haven't balanced our budget 28 out of the last 34 years. We've raised our debt limit three times in the last twelve months, and now our national debt is one and a half times bigger than all the combined debts of all the nations of the world. We have 15 billion dollars in gold in our treasury; we don't own an ounce. Foreign dollar claims are 27.3 billion dollars. And we've just had announced that the dollar of 1939 will now purchase 45 cents in its total value."

• Democrat

• Republican

• Socialist

• Communist

The Media, as the "Watchdog"

What role does the media play?

Multiple Choice

In the Bill of Rights, the founding fathers included freedom for the media to say and print what they want; this is freedom of the press. 

Why do you think they included this freedom?

• to limit public opinion

• to monitor the citizens

• to limit citizens' knowledge

• to monitor the government

Multiple Choice

Below is a newspaper headline.

“Local leaders found to have spent tax money on personal expenses”.

What role is the media playing?

• Audience

• watchdog

• gatekeeper

• Agenda-setter

Multiple Choice

What is this poster an example of?

• bias

• artwork

• campaign ad

• propaganda

Multiple Choice

Which political party would use this poster as propaganda to increase the funding to the military to protect the country?

• Democrat

• Socialist

• Republican

• Communist

Multiple Choice

A Twitter post from Jane Doe:

I am going to vote for the candidate that will increase government spending and improve the lives of people. Which political party's view is this?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Communist

• Socialist

Multiple Choice

A Twitter post from John Doe: I am going to vote for the candidate that will decrease spending and allow the private citizens to control their own lives.

Which political party's candidate will John vote for?

• Democrat

• Republican

• Socialist

• Communist

Multiple Choice

Who do lobbyists represent in their work influencing the government?

• citizens

• interest groups

• military officers

• elected officials

Multiple Choice

Which option is an example of how multiple perspectives are represented in the political process?

• newspaper article

• school board meeting

• television campaign ad

• State of the Union Address

Supreme Court Cases

What was the impact of the United States vs. Nixon and Bush vs. Gore?

United states vs. nixon

In 1972, five burglars broke into the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. Republican President Richard Nixon tried to protect the burglars from an investigation claiming they were sent for national security. However, at a hearing about the break-in, Nixon revealed he taped all his White House conversations.

The Supreme Court demanded that President Nixon release the audio tapes. However, Nixon refused to turn the recordings over, claiming they were protected under his EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE and fourth and fifth amendment rights. Nixon eventually turned the tapes over, but they were partially erased.

The audio tapes showed that Nixon was behind the Watergate “cover-up.” The Supreme Court ruled. Presidential executive privilege does not outweigh Constitutional rights. Furthermore, no one is above the law, not even President Nixon. Due to incriminating evidence, Nixon resigned as President pending facing impeachment charges.

Multiple Choice

Which government principle was confirmed in the United States v. Nixon (1974) decision?

• The President is not above the law.

• That Congress has the power to make a declaration of war.

• The President does not have to follow the law in special circumstances.

• The Supreme Court has the power to declare executive order unconstitutional.

Multiple Choice

What role did the media play in exposing President Richard Nixon's participation in the Watergate scandal?

• Reporter

• Dog watcher

• Propagandists

• Watch dog

Bush vs. GOre

The 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was very close. It all came down to the state of Florida’s Electoral College votes. Unfortunately, the result of Florida’s votes was delayed due to problems counting the ballots. Due to the disputed votes, a recount began in some Florida districts. George W. Bush tried to get the recount stopped, but the Florida Supreme Court ruled against him. Finally, a recount was ordered because Florida voters had problems with the electronic voting machines.

The recount was also due to different vote-counting standards in each county. The manual recount of ballots violated the Due Process and Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. The Equal Protection Clause requires the national government to respect and uphold the legal rights of all citizens of the United States. This case determined that Florida’s recount was unconstitutional.

George W. Bush filed a petition to have the recount stopped. By a 5 to 4 decision, the Supreme Court stopped the recount due to the inconsistent standards and processes of counting ballots.

Al Gore had received a majority of the popular vote, but in the end, George W. Bush won more electoral college votes.

Elections | Civics

What was the decision of this case? States could not violate the equal protection of votes.

Multiple Choice

What is the lasting impact of Bush v. Gore (2000)?

• Citizens have the right to vote regardless of age.

• Citizens have the right to vote regardless of gender.

• States cannot violate the equal protection of each vote.

• States cannot violate the right to vote based on education.