Every four years, the presidential election cycle sparks renewed interest in American politics. While the candidates debate what seems to be a weekly event, the public itself fights over who best aligns with its interests. Rhetoric resembling that of Kennedy and Reagan reappears and talk of “change” evokes a sense of optimism. However, many fear that candidates are simply trying to win over the electorate and that what started as a promise on the campaign trail will turn into the status quo in Washington. Looking at the past can provide insight into the future and give direction to a political party. I chose to compare the positions of four distinct groups: Colorado Democrats, Libertarians, and the Democratic Party's '28, '68, and 2008 platforms. 2008 State Party vs. National Party (Health Care Reform)One of the most intriguing core values ​​of the Colorado Democratic Party is its stance on health care. They believe that the health of its citizens is the top priority. The State Party indicated that the health system “should be proactively focused on wellness, preventive medicine, public health and disease prevention, as well as primary care” (CO Democratic Party, 2010 ). Additionally, the party supports President Obama's health care reform legislation "as a first step toward a high-quality, single-payer, employment-independent, universal health care system" (CO Democratic Party, 2010). Nationally, the Democratic Party's platform for 2008 bears a strong resemblance to that of Colorado. President Obama campaigned on promises to increase coverage while reducing costs and the social burden. Affordable, quality health care for all Americans was the cornerstone of...... middle of paper ...... The issue can be defined as a controversial one: "political concerns that have the potential to divide the voting bloc of the opposing party” (Liscio et al. Typically, a pro-choice position is supported by Democrats, but Libertarians tend to vote Republican and are fiscally conservative. In the past, minority parties have sought to create divisions to regain control (Liscio et al. 256), Republicans were relegated to the sidelines. In 1968, Richard Nixon campaigned to restore “law and l. 'order', attracting conservative white Democrats unhappy with their party's stance on race (Liscio et al. 257). but they “were quite successful in hiding their differences in order to win elections and govern” (Reiter). 43).