Discussion Questions
- Do policy decisions influence current events or do current events prompt policy? What are some examples?
- Between 1900 and 1959, five states joined the United States, and none since. When a new state was being debated, what incentive did the parties have to approve a state’s admission? What, if anything, has changed since 1959 to make the politics of adding states more difficult.
- Over time the party platforms became increasingly longer, with more topics discussed. Why do you think that happened? Is there a correlation between the increasing length of party platforms and the contentiousness of American politics?
- In 1973, the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade. How did that case impact the policies of the political parties?
- Family values first appeared in the Republican Party Platform in 1976. Why did family values become an issue in 1976, and thereafter? How have politics been affected by the emergence of family values as a political issue?
- Immigration has continually been a contentious issue. How have the parties’ views on immigration changed over time and what prompted changes in the parties’ attitudes to supporting or ending immigration?
- Gun control became a topic for party platforms in 1968. What happened in 1968 that caused gun control to become an issue of national prominence? What has been the parties’ respective approach to gun control and how have those positions evolved over time?
- Is major legislation more likely to be passed when one party has full control of the Presidency, Senate and House of Representatives, or when there is a divided government? When was the most productive era for passing legislation, and why was that time conducive to getting legislation passed?
- In analyzing the Party Platforms, what myths of American history, if any, were exposed?
- What are the party positions on topics such as taxes, civil rights, education, and trade, and how have those positions changed over time?
- Politics is either about addition (e.g. creating new laws or programs) or subtraction (e.g. removing regulations or ending government programs). Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? What examples could you cite to support your answer?
- How have wars shaped American politics? What policies (if any) can be traced back to America’s experience with fighting a war?
- Everything old is new again. How does this phrase apply to American politics in general and to the party platforms more specifically?
- How does one party’s control over the Presidency impact on that party’s party platform? Are there similarities or differences between the parties’ platforms when they hold the Presidency or not?
- The platforms are littered with unfilled promises. Why do the parties make proposals that are unlikely to be implemented, and do unrealistic promises lead to further cynicism and mistrust among Americans?
- Do Presidents get too much credit or blame for things that go wrong, and too much credit for things that go right? If yes, can you identify examples in the platforms that represent this theory?
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