American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

THE ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN AMERICAN POLITICS| 181

In theory, party platforms describe diff erences between the major parties, cap-

ture each party’s diagnosis of the problems facing the country, and present the

party’s plan for solving those problems. In this way, party platforms give citizens an

easy way to evaluate candidates. However, candidates are not obligated to support

their party’s platform, and many take divergent stances on some issues. For exam-

ple, notwithstanding the consistently strong prochoice position on abortion in the

Democratic Party’s presidential platforms over the last generation, some Demo-

cratic congressional candidates, such as Pennsylvania senator Robert Casey, have

promised to vote to restrict abortions if elected—a position closer to the Republi-

can platform.^30 For some of these candidates, this position has refl ected personal

or religious beliefs; for others, it has been driven by the desire to refl ect the opinion

of voters in their district or state.

Cooperation in Government

Parties also play an important role in enabling like-minded politicians to coop-

erate on policy plans and strategies for enacting these proposals. Parties in gov-

ernment develop agendas, coordinate the actions of members across branches of

government, and provide accountability to voters.

Note: Figures are based on Federal Election Commission data released on November 2, 2012.

Source: Federal Election Commission data provided by the Center for Responsive Politics, http://www.opensecrets.org/parties/index.php (accessed 11/2/12).

DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN FUND-RAISING IN THE 2011–12 ELECTION CYCLE

In the 2011–12 election cycle, party committees raised more than $1.7 billion in campaign funds. Although most of this
money was raised by the national committees, the state, local, and candidate committees also raised signifi cant sums. To
what extent might these funds allow the national committees to force candidates to run on the party platform?

FIGURE » 6.4

$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $350 $400 $450
Total receipts (in millions)

$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $350 $400 $450

Total receipts (in millions)

Other Republican state

and national committees

National Republican

Senatorial Committee

National Republican

Congressional Committee

Democratic Congressional

Campaign Committee

Democratic Senatorial

Campaign Committee

Other Democratic state

and national committees

Democratic National

Committee

Republican National

Committee