chapter 9 political parties. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.how has...

Chapter 9Chapter 9Political Political PartiesParties

Copyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. How has AmericaHow has America’’s two-party system s two-party system

changed, and how does it differ from changed, and how does it differ from the party systems of other the party systems of other representative democracies?representative democracies?

2.2. How much do parties affect how How much do parties affect how Americans vote?Americans vote?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. Did the Founding Fathers think Did the Founding Fathers think

political parties were a good idea?political parties were a good idea?

2.2. How, if at all, should AmericaHow, if at all, should America’’s two-s two-party system be reformed?party system be reformed?

Parties - Here and AbroadParties - Here and Abroad

Political Party Political Party – – A group that seeks to A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office.elect candidates to public office.

A political party exists asA political party exists as• A labelA label• An organizationAn organization• A set of leadersA set of leaders


Figure 9.1 Decline in Party Figure 9.1 Decline in Party Identification, 1952–2008Identification, 1952–2008


Source: American National Election Studies, Table 2A.1, “Party Identification, 1952–2008.”

The United States Versus EuropeThe United States Versus Europe In Europe, political parties tend to In Europe, political parties tend to

have more influence because:have more influence because:• Candidates for elective office are usually Candidates for elective office are usually

nominated by party leadersnominated by party leaders• Campaigns are run by the party and not Campaigns are run by the party and not

the candidatethe candidate• Once in office, the elected official is Once in office, the elected official is

expected to vote and act together with expected to vote and act together with the members of his partythe members of his party


There are so many political parties in France thatThere are so many political parties in France thatin 2007 a woman could study pictures of twelvein 2007 a woman could study pictures of twelvecandidates to be president.candidates to be president.


CHARLES PLATIAU/Reuters/Corbis

Create a political party with a defined platformCreate a political party with a defined platform

Task #1Task #1: Party Name & Platform (30 min): Party Name & Platform (30 min)

Groups of 3Groups of 3

Build a political party platform reflecting a distinct political Build a political party platform reflecting a distinct political ideologyideology for a federal election. You and your group members for a federal election. You and your group members must research and formulate policies on the following issues:must research and formulate policies on the following issues:

National Defense National Defense International Relations International Relations Criminal Law/Capital PunishmentCriminal Law/Capital Punishment The Environment The Environment Marriage and Divorce Marriage and Divorce Health Care Health Care Education Education Economy Economy Taxation Taxation Campaign financeCampaign finance


ExamplesExamples

Democratic Republican Platform

List of Political Parties


The Rise and the Decline of the The Rise and the Decline of the Political PartyPolitical Party

The Jeffersonian RepublicansThe Jeffersonian Republicans The JacksoniansThe Jacksonians The Civil War and SectionalismThe Civil War and Sectionalism The Era of ReformThe Era of Reform Party RealignmentsParty Realignments Party DeclineParty Decline


When Andrew Jackson When Andrew Jackson ran for president in 1828, ran for president in 1828, over a million votes were over a million votes were cast for the first time in cast for the first time in American history. This American history. This poster, from the 1832 poster, from the 1832 election, was part of the election, was part of the emergence of truly mass emergence of truly mass political participationpolitical participation, p. , p. 207.207.


Tennessee Historical Society

The Election of 1828. The Election of 1828.



William Jennings Bryan giving a campaign speechduring one of his three unsuccessful presidentialcampaigns.

Historical/Corbis

Figure 9.2 Split-Ticket Voting for Figure 9.2 Split-Ticket Voting for President/Congress, 1952–2008President/Congress, 1952–2008


Source: American National Election Studies, Table 9B.2, “Split-Ticket Voting for President/Congress, 1952–2008.”

The The NationalNational Party Structure Today Party Structure Today

National conventionNational convention National committeeNational committee Congressional campaign committeeCongressional campaign committee National chairpersonNational chairperson



a American Independent party.

b United We Stand American or Reform Party.

Figure 9.3Figure 9.3Cleavages and Cleavages and Continuity in the Continuity in the Two-Party SystemTwo-Party System

Figure 9.4: Cost of Winning a Figure 9.4: Cost of Winning a Congressional Election, 2002–2010Congressional Election, 2002–2010


Source: Campaign Finance Institute, updated data from Vital Statistics on Congress, ed. Michael J. Malbin, Norman J. Ornstein, and Thomas E. Mann (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2008).


President Obama in 2011 used an e-mail and a video to tell his followers that he was going to run for reelection in 2012. Digital communication has become more important for both parties.

O/Reuters/Landov

Who Are the Who Are the Party Delegates?Party Delegates?


Source: 2008 CBS News/New York Times delegate polls.

State and Local PartiesState and Local Parties

The MachineThe Machine Ideological PartiesIdeological Parties Solidarity GroupsSolidarity Groups Sponsored PartiesSponsored Parties Personal FollowingPersonal Following


Ex-Senator George Washington Plunkitt of Tammany Hall explains machine politics from atop the bootblack stand in front of the New York County Courthouse around 1905, p. 217.

By permission of the Houghton Library/Harvard University

The personal following of former President George Bush was passed on to his The personal following of former President George Bush was passed on to his sons, George W. (left) and Jeb (right), both of whom became governors of large sons, George W. (left) and Jeb (right), both of whom became governors of large states, and the former of whom became president, p. 220.states, and the former of whom became president, p. 220.


Reuters/CORBIS

The Two-Party SystemThe Two-Party System

WHY HAS THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM WHY HAS THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM PERSISTED IN THE UNITED STATES?PERSISTED IN THE UNITED STATES?

Plurality SystemPlurality System Voter OpinionVoter Opinion State LawsState Laws



Source: Data from CNN exit polls for each year.

Minor PartiesMinor Parties

Ideological Ideological One-Issue One-Issue Economic-ProtestEconomic-Protest Factional Factional


The Socialist party and the Progressive party The Socialist party and the Progressive party were both minor parties, but their origins were both minor parties, but their origins were different. The Socialist party was an were different. The Socialist party was an ideological party; the ideological party; the ““Bull MooseBull Moose”” Progressive party split off from the Progressive party split off from the Republicans to support Theodore Roosevelt.Republicans to support Theodore Roosevelt.

Library of Congress/LC-DIG pga-01130

Nominating a PresidentNominating a President

Are the delegates representative Are the delegates representative of the voters?of the voters?

Who votes in primaries?Who votes in primaries? Who are the new delegates?Who are the new delegates?



Source: 2008 CBS/New York Times polls.

M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: Elizabeth Ramos, campaign managerElizabeth Ramos, campaign manager

From: From: Isaac Marx, political consultantIsaac Marx, political consultant

Subject: Subject: Independent voters in the upcoming Independent voters in the upcoming presidential election presidential election

As you prepare for the upcoming presidential As you prepare for the upcoming presidential campaign, you need to consider how your candidate campaign, you need to consider how your candidate can build support among the growing number of can build support among the growing number of independent voters. To do so, she must establish a independent voters. To do so, she must establish a centrist party platform that will appeal to voters centrist party platform that will appeal to voters beyond the party faithful.beyond the party faithful.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. Independent and third-party voters can garner votes for 1. Independent and third-party voters can garner votes for president or tip an election result. In 1992, Ross Perot won president or tip an election result. In 1992, Ross Perot won nearly a fifth of the votes. In 2000, Green party candidate nearly a fifth of the votes. In 2000, Green party candidate Ralph Nader got only 3 percent, but that included 100,000 Ralph Nader got only 3 percent, but that included 100,000 votes in Florida where Republican Bush was credited with votes in Florida where Republican Bush was credited with only 600 votes more than Democrat Gore.only 600 votes more than Democrat Gore.

2. Third-party voters can make a mark on American politics. 2. Third-party voters can make a mark on American politics. Third parties have advocated policies later championed by Third parties have advocated policies later championed by the two main parties: abolishing slavery (Free-Soil party), the two main parties: abolishing slavery (Free-Soil party), womenwomen’’s right to vote (Womans right to vote (Woman’’s party), direct election of s party), direct election of U.S. senators (Progressive party), and many others. The U.S. senators (Progressive party), and many others. The candidate can break out of the field of contenders by candidate can break out of the field of contenders by advocating far-reaching policy change that will appeal to advocating far-reaching policy change that will appeal to independent voters.independent voters.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. Independent and third-party voters do not direct the 1. Independent and third-party voters do not direct the national agenda. It is virtually impossible for their national agenda. It is virtually impossible for their candidates to win, thanks to the winner- take-all candidates to win, thanks to the winner- take-all system of elections. Since the 1850s, over a hundred system of elections. Since the 1850s, over a hundred third parties have come and gone. Better to be third parties have come and gone. Better to be attentive to concerns within the major party than to attentive to concerns within the major party than to be distracted by issues that are not central to victory. be distracted by issues that are not central to victory. The two major parties have a long history of taking The two major parties have a long history of taking issues that are important to independent voters and issues that are important to independent voters and making them more palatable to the larger electorate, making them more palatable to the larger electorate, which is more effective than appealing directly to which is more effective than appealing directly to independent voters.independent voters.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

2. In the 1930s, the Democrats plucked Social 2. In the 1930s, the Democrats plucked Social Security from the Socialist partySecurity from the Socialist party’’s far-reaching s far-reaching plan. In the 1980s, the Republicansplan. In the 1980s, the Republicans’’ position on position on taxes only faintly echoed the Libertarian partytaxes only faintly echoed the Libertarian party’’s.s.

3. In a close election, building support among likely 3. In a close election, building support among likely and predictable voters is a more effective and predictable voters is a more effective strategy than reaching out to possible but strategy than reaching out to possible but unpredictable voters.unpredictable voters.



Your decision:Your decision:

Create a centrist platform?Create a centrist platform?

Keep the platform focused on core Keep the platform focused on core party issues?party issues?



chapter 9 political parties. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.how has...

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political party platform

cengagethe election

party identification

abroadpolitical party

party systems

party leaderscampaigns

federal election

distinct political ideology