The U. S. government consists of two major political parties; the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. While there are other political parties active in the U. S., they are not influential in the American political sphere. Almost all elected officials
belong to one of these two political parties. This includes members of Congress, members of a state legislature, and even
members of a city council.
There is a lot that goes on in the life of a political party. The elected officials are just one small part of the process.
Members of political parties choose candidates to run for office, inform and organize voters to vote for their candidates,
create policies around political issues, and seek support for those policies from individuals and groups. Opportunities exist
to participate in political party activities at the local, state, and national levels.
Members of political parties have a number of decisions to make. Which candidate will be endorsed? How will the
candidate be endorsed? What issues are the most important to citizens at the local, state, and national levels? What actions
can be taken to address those issues?
Today, you will be engaging in the decision-making process to take action on a political issue. The issue can be a local,
state, or national issue. After engaging in the decision-making process, you will write a brief essay reflecting on the
process and evaluating your decision. By using the decision-making process to take action on an issue, you will develop a
better understanding of ways in which individuals can become involved in political party activities.