Talk politics.

To be fair, the construction of the platform is hardly the most important thing parties do. While it's a sign of the growth in power within the central bureaucracy, it doesn't necessarily reflect the majority of voters. It's like primaries - this sort of internal party maneuvering generally only draws the super-involved, super-interested individuals, who tend not to form a majority of the electorate come election day. And in the American democratic process, variations from platform are the norm, and toeing the line 100% is the exception.

But then I wager you already knew that.