Political Parties and Politicians

Political parties link the general public to the government by representing a set of political opinions or actions and influencing policy and elections. A linkage institution is a structure that connects the people to the government, they include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. Political parties are important to linkage institutions because they directly represent the general public’s interests through policy and leadership.

The political party I chose to write about is the Democratic party. I chose to write about this party because it is one that I most strongly associate myself and my beliefs with and although it is hard to fully agree with everything a political party says the democratic party aligns with many of my political beliefs. The Democratic party beliefs in supporting an economy that benefits as many people as possible, equal education, addressing climate change through promoting clean energy, working towards equality for all individuals as well as protecting the civil rights of ALL United States citizens. The Democratic party differs in beliefs from many of the beliefs of the Constitutional party which prioritizing American citizens through military strength, decreasing national debt, and increasing the power of the people and decreasing government involvement.

An issue that has been at the forefront of the national debate, specifically in politics is the issue of abortion. This is a debate because there can be laws prohibiting abortion as well as debate cutting or supporting institutions like planned parenthood or other sex ed programs. The Democratic Party believes in the woman’s right to decide whether or not to abort a pregnancy (pro choice). They believe in the government not having a say in this decision.

The democratic party can influence public opinion by supporting institutions like Planned Parenthood.

The politician I chose to write about was former United States President Barack Obama. Barack Obama is affiliated with the Democratic party. Barack Obama believes in strengthening international diplomacy and cooperation between people, moving toward clean energy, and equality for all individuals. I chose Barack Obama because he is a highly relevant politician even though he is no longer in office, many of his actions in office or laws passed are now being called into question or in the process of being undone by the current administration. I stand with a lot of Obama’s viewpoints both politically and socially. He was a great leader that stood up for peace, equality, and improving America.

In 2006 Glamour’s New’s and Culture column released a statement from Barack Obama titled “ President Barack Obama Says, "This Is What a Feminist Looks Like". Obama talks about the perks of being President, the most notable, being able to see his daughters grow and get ready to go out into the world as well as being able to make changes in the world that make it a better place for women to live and thrive. The article is an extremely positive view on the Obama administration and gives a personal insight into the administration.