Nobody reads party platforms. They're still really important.

Parties still play a vital role in organizing political life and enabling people to understand the choices they have in a representative democracy

It is still important to read your party's platform.
(Image credit: Brain light / Alamy Stock Photo)

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Paul Waldman

Paul Waldman is a senior writer with The American Prospect magazine and a blogger for The Washington Post. His writing has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and web sites, and he is the author or co-author of four books on media and politics.