POLITICAL PARTIES IN AMERICA
US Government: Mrs. Lacks
Two-party system
The US is a two-party system Democratic Republican
Most democracies have multiple parties
Multi-Party Systems
Country: # of parties represented in legislature Australia: 7 Denmark:11 Germany: 5 Guatemala: 11 Iceland: 5 Israel: 12 Turkey: 4
Multi-Party Systems Political Parties Represented in Danish Parliament: Venstre (Denmark’s Liberal Party) - The largest party in Denmark with 47
seats in parliament. It is led by ex PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen. Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) -The party has 44 of 179 seats in
parliament. It is led by PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt. Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti) - The party has 22 seats in
parliament. It is led by Pia Kjærsgaard. The Social Liberals (Det Radikale Venstre) - The party has 17 seats in
parliament. It is led by Margrethe Vestager. Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti) - The party has 16 seats in
parliament. It is led by Villy Søvndal. Conservative People’s Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti) -The party
has eight seats in parliament. It is led by Lars Barfoed. Unity List (Enhedslisten) - The party has 12 seats in parliament and has a
collective leadership Liberal Alliance - The party has nine seats in parliament. It is led by Anders
SamuelsenGreenland and the Faroes: two parties from each country have four seats in the Danish Parliament, three of which support the current Government.
Two Party System
We have relied on the two party system since the inception of the Federalists (Alexander Hamilton) and the Democratic Republicans (Thomas Jefferson)
Political parties
Political parties are an essential component of republican government
What precisely is a political party? An organization that sponsors candidates
for public office under the organization’s name, label, title, or banner
Political parties
MOST potential voters do not know the differences between the two parties goals and philosophies, but assume they are quite dissimilar
Because of this, many stereotypes are formed about each party
Political party stereotypes
Democrats: a bunch of “do-gooders” and “bleeding-hearts” Have suspect “management skills” have weaker credentials/less experience in
dealing with the economy
Republicans: less compassionate than Democrats generally wealthier—are they the “country club”
party? Is a background in business useful in dealing
with national economic problems?
What parties do
1. Nominate candidates for public office to represent the party’s message
What parties do
2. Influence Policy Members of the Senate and House of Reps
are also members of political parties Senators and MCs from each party often
work together to create and pass laws that support their party’s platform
What parties do
3. Unite Government an organization/membership federalism
What parties do
4. Create balance – majority and minority
What parties do
5. Inform citizens Run ads Distribute pamphlets Post blogs Give speech advice Bc all this info is biased, citizens must seek
other sources of info
Political parties
Major differences between Dems and Reps… Size/scope of government Military Social services (welfare, unemployment) Health Care Immigration Education Privacy
In the beginning…
Our country has for most of its history been a two-party system, but not in the beginning
There is no mention of political parties in the Constitution
Political parties did not exist during George Washington’s two terms as president, and he warned against forming them in his farewell address
In the beginning…
Federalist Paper #10 James Madison recognized the dangers
inherent with factions (parties) but understood them to be inevitable and
more controllable if housed within the apparatus of existing government
In the beginning…
Ratifying the Constitution Federalists
strong central govt
Hamilton, Madison Anti-Federalists
Stronger state govts
Jefferson, Lee
Original parties Federalists
Strong central govt
National bank Adams, Hamilton
Democratic-Republicans Stronger state
govts Jefferson, Madison
Two-party system
Neither lasted long Oldest continuous political party:
Democrats Started in 1820s 1st POTUS: Andrew Jackson
Second oldest continuous political party: Republicans Started in 1850s after split of Whig Party Founded as the anti-slavery party 1st POTUS: Abraham Lincoln
Political Parties, Historically
Republicans ruled the White House from Lincoln to Wilson North voted Republican for anti-slavery then
switched to Democrat with New Deal South voted Democrat until New Deal and then
became Republican with the expansion of govt Most Black Americans voted Republican
until New Deal (Election of 1936), and have since remained Democrats (today, almost 90% are still dems)
Realignment Elections
critical elections that produce a sharp change in existing patterns of party loyalty which last a prolonged period of time
5 is US history
Realignment Elections
1. Democratic Republican Thomas Jefferson beats Federalist John Adams in 1800
2. Democratic Andrew Jackson beats Democratic Republican John Quincy Adams in 1828
3. Republican Abraham Lincoln wins in 1860 4. Republican McKinley beats Democrat
Bryan in 1896 5. Election of 1932 – Democrat FDR breaks
72 years of Republican domination (holds for 20 years; until end of WWII)
Realignment Elections
Does not always refer to the executive We see this with mid-term elections as well Examples
1994: Republicans seized control of both chambers while Dem. Clinton was in office; Newt Gingrich & Dick Armey’s Contract with America created a coalition of voters supporting states’ rights, lower taxes, reduced federal gov’t intervention, an elimination of the welfare state, and support for Congressional term limits
2006: Democrats took both back due to a public disgruntled by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Assignment
Create page 5 (1932 - Present) of Political Party History
1st four pages have been created for you (see weebly)
