Political Science 10
Exam #2
11/5/2014
Political parties, having a direct role in the organization of Congress,……………………………………………………
Political parties are a way for people to organize to choose their representatives. They are organized groups of people with common political interests who are able to gain power in the government by electing officials of choice into office. They are able to bring groups of people together who may have conflicting agendas under the same umbrella of a political party. By joining these organized groups, we are able to vote for party leaders in order to have our voices heard in Congress. Political parties have a direct role in the organization and operation of Congress. The Houses are organized …show more content…
Their purpose, internal politics, and methods for accomplishing their goals are all varied. To begin with, the purpose of a political party is to gain power by winning elections by supporting candidates, and to help them win by advertising and fundraising. Unlike political parties, the purpose of interest groups is not to elect members into public office, but instead have a much narrower objective and seek to promote a position on a specific issue, such as gun control or agriculture. For political parties, internal politics is much more flexible than it is within interest groups. Single issues, such as gay marriage, may not be agreed upon by members, but they generally agree on the majority of issues. Political parties also consult with members to establish new platforms based upon majority viewpoints. Interest groups are different in this regard. Their position is based around a single issue, and members do not necessarily have common viewpoints outside of the …show more content…
The purpose of the Sierra Club is to preserve the environment and enjoy the outdoors (Sierraclub.org). Past successes have been protecting millions of acres of wilderness, helping to pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. They also are leading to change toward a clean energy economy and move away from fossil fuels. Neither the Sierra Club nor the NRA is after profit. They instead seek to protect rights and have a strong political influence on specific