Political Parties
^^Incumbent^^: Someone who is already in office and running for re-election, generally has the advantage in elections.
^^Constituent^^: The people that the politicians represent.
Fun fact! Ralph Nader has run as part of the Green party, Reform party, Natural Law Party, and as an Independent.
Progressive Party
The founder of the Progressive Party is Theodore Roosevelt.
- He founded the party because he wanted to run again after his second term, but was not nominated as the Republican candidate.
- The party is a break off of the Republican party
Woodrow Wilson ended up winning the election Roosevelt had entered because Republican votes were split between Taft (the Republican candidate) and Roosevelt (Progressive candidate).
The progressive party had managed to get the Hepburn Act (1906) passed, which is what allowed the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission), the Pure Food & Drug Act, and the Meat Inspection Act after journalists had been exposing the meat industry for poor working conditions.
The Progressive Party declined after Roosevelt fell ill and became unable to represent the party, and the party was unable to find a suitable replacement for him.
Green Party
The four pillars of the Green Party are peace, ecology, social justice, and democracy.
Whig Party
The Whig party was made to oppose the Democrat party and was considered a major party at the time. They were ^^conservative and anti-slavery^^.
After the party had disbanded, many of the anti-slavery people went on to form the modern day Republican party, with Abraham Lincoln as the first president.
Republican Party
The Republican Party was first established after the Whig party fell apart to stop the spread of slavery to the west. John C Fermont was the first candidate for president in the Republican party and the first president from the Republican party was Abraham Lincoln. They are a ^^conservative party.^^
Peace and Freedom Party
The Peace and Freedom party is a ^^left-wing party^^ that started because of civil rights issues and anti-war sentiments. They were disappointed that the Democrat party helped with the Vietnam war effort and so broke off into their own party. They value feminism, racial equality, ecology, democracy, and socialism. Their symbol is a dove with broken chains to show it gaining freedom.
Democratic-Republican Party
Democratic-Republican party was formed during George Washington’s administration to oppose Hamilton and the Federalist party. They advocated for a smaller, de-centralized government. The party was split into two during the Era of Good Feelings due to a debate about slavery sparking. The Democrat party and the National Republican party formed following this.
Notable presidents the party had were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams.
Natural Law Party
The Natural Law Party believes harmony with natural law can be achieved and believes in equal rights, reducing stress, and reducing crime. They are a ^^left wing party^^.
Socialist Party
The Socialist Party was started by workers who felt they were underpaid and exploited by the system and is a ^^left wing party^^. They were inspired by people like Karl Marx. Howie Gershen Hawkins III is the most recent presidential candidate this party has run.
Constitution Party
The Constitution Party is a ^^far-right conservative Christian party^^. They believe global warming is not a threat to society and only exists to control people, a government re-written to fit the Bible, and for all documents and voting ballots to be written in English.
Federalist Party
The Federalist party is the first party to have been established in America, in support of Hamilton. It helped to create the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and to establish Federalism.
Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party is a ^^far-right party in terms of government^^ and ^^far-left party socially^^. They believe in limiting government, civil liberties, and Laissez-faire capitalism (opposing government involvement in the free market). Andrew Tate is a libertarian.
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA formed as a break-off from the Socialist Party and believes in making the US a communist country and are a ^^left wing^^ party.They received support from the Soviet Union until they had opposed perestroika and the party continued to decline due the McCarthyism, the Second Red Scare, etc.
- ^^McCarthyism^^: the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner)
The Democratic Party was founded by Martin Van Buren and Andrew Jackson. Although they were a right-wing party in the past who were a reigning party in the south due to their beliefs about slavery, they are now a left-wing party who fights for equality and civil rights. They also support a mixed economy with a progressive tax system and higher wages.
They helped to establish the social security act and helped to fight for women’s rights.