Question

Political parties are a principal means by which the people’s will is made known to the government and government is held accountable to the people. Briefly describe party functions that achieve these goals.

Answer 1

1) Hogwash. Political Parties are THE principal means by which the Party's will is made known and enforced.
2) The Party will not allow running for major elections unless they believe they have a winner. What? I thought people chose to run. Nope. Parties choose who gets to run.
3) Parties are the most powerful Special Interest Groups in our government. They seek their own power and very little else. Until the Parties admit that they are the powerful Special Interest Groups with the most to lose, we will not fix the U.S. Government or establish any kind of accountability.
4) The ONLY real and effective check that could be called accountability is the desire of the Party to GAIN power. The Party not in power will stop at no effort to discredit the Party in power. And the behavior is mutual.
5) The will of the people is made known only through a very, very difficult process. It is long and arduous - well, unless the issue du jour will get the Party elected - then they will listen a little.