A political party is an group of people who share (similar) political beliefs and seek to influence public policy. In his Farewell Address in 1796, George Washington warned the United States of political parties when he stated, “Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party...” Despite Washington's warning, political parties were established. Every four years during the presidential election, Democrats and Republicans battle until a president is elected and one party wins. So are political parties good or bad for America?
Political parties allow people to identify with a group that has similar political beliefs as them. They also help voters choose which presidential candidate or other officials to vote for in elections because these candidates represent a political party. On the other hand, political parties can cause divide in our nation, and people can get trapped in voting for candidates because of their political party rather than their beliefs. For example, a voter might vote for a presidential candidate just because they are a Democrat or a Republican, even though the other candidate is the better choice. Often, the presidential candidates of each Party represent the majority of that Party's beliefs, but in cases such as the 2016 election, many people believe that both Clinton and Trump are poor choices, so they will just vote for the one that represents their political party.
As a nation that emphasizes unity, political parties have the potential to tear us apart. While diversity is important and people are allowed to have different opinions, the constant battle between Democrats and Republicans impedes on that unity. We need to be extra cautious with these parties, using them to support individual beliefs and embrace diversity in opinions, while still remembering that we are all part of the same country--and beyond that, we are all human.
Hannah, in your blog "Political Parties" you discuss the good and bad of political parties, but you don't go far into depth with your topic. For example a large majority of Americans do not know the difference in Republicans and Democrats, and many more of the Americans that know of the difference, do not know what Liberals and Comservatives are. Another point is a decent percentage of American citizens choose their politics party off of what party their parents follow. This can lead to people voting for beliefs that they don't even follow, which will ultimately lead to biased elections.
ReplyDeleteIn the end you need to add more supporting evidence and add sources to prove your facts and points. You need to have statistics in your paper to to back up your ideas, also don't have a question in your paper ("so are political parties good or bad") and don't answer it at the end. You do clarify that we are all Americans and they are dangerous but you never fully say what they are.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday June 30th, 2016 my classmate Hannah McKenzie posted a Blog 7 titled: Political Parties. This blog is about political parties, a group of people who share similar political beliefs and seek to influence public policy. Hannah starts with a good point about political parties and how George Washington warned the United States in his Farewell Address in 1796 that in his comprehensive view, there will be baneful effects of the “Spirit of Party” but despite Washington’s warning political parties were established. Every four years during the presidential elections Democrats and Republicans battle until a president is elected and one party wins.
So there’s a question of whether political parties are good or bad for America. Hannah’s argument is that political parties can cause a division in our nation because people get caught up in voting for candidates because of their political parties rather than focusing in their beliefs and the candidates. To back up her point even further, Hannah gives an example of how that might happen, the case is this year, the year of 2016 election, many believe that both Clinton and Trump are poor choices so people will end up voting for the candidate that represents their political party.
We are the nation that emphasizes unity, and political parties have the potential of tearing that apart. Diversity and opinions are important but the constant battle is dangerous and we need to be cautious and remember that we are all a part of the same country and we want what’s best for our country. After reading Hannah’s blog I agree with the facts and believe that we need to be more aware of this situation since the political parties are already established.
I was able to see the connections McKenzie made and agreed fully with them. I made a point in my commentary on the U.S. Government about the gridlock Congress has found themselves in due to political party division and what kind of effect Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump would have on fixing this problem. However, McKenzie makes a great point by starting with George’s Washington warnings against political parties and how they allow people to gather with others who share similar ideals, morals, and values. Yet, McKenzie also makes a great point that political parties have the potential to destroy our country. Something which seems to already be occurring with Congress’s inability to make political decisions due to party devotions and fixed votes. How is this something that can be fixed? The majority of Americans don’t associate themselves with a specific party because Republicans and Democrats are on opposite sides of the spectrum, yet there are many that fall on spectrum somewhere on the middle either leaning left or right. It is important for our country to realize that if we truly want the people to have the power to elect and vote, then there has to be more options. There has to be more education for the lower class. There has to be more encouragement towards the younger generations to vote as that our younger generation votes less than the older generations. This is a problem for the future of our country, it makes it increasingly more difficult to make modern changes when the older generation makes the decisions (when it comes to voting). Of that older generation, they don’t want change as much as the younger generation does. The older generation finds comfort in falling into the liberal or conservative categories or the Democrat or Republican parties. While our generation do not agree with the idea of a binary party system (for the most part). I think it’s important that when this topic is brought up, that all factors be introduced and all possibilities be considered.
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