political parties 4.3 the role of government & citizenship timpanogos high school
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POLITICAL PARTIES4.3 THE ROLE OF
GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL
4.3A POLITICAL PARTIES
» An organized group of individuals who seek to shape public policy by winnning elections and controlling government
» Parties develop political “platforms”.
GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL
WHAT ARE POLITICAL PARTIES?
4.3B & C POLITICAL PARTIES
• Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution
• However…
• Political parties shape almost all aspects of modern politics and are essential to the workings of modern government.
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4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES• Are parties a good thing?
• Political parties can promote democracy:• Help define and focus the issues for the voters
• Gives some predictability to the candidates
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4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES• The minority party = watch dog
• Criticize… offer alternative policies / solutions
• Democrats = War in Iraq
• Republicans = national debt and the size of government.
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• In Congress, the party in power (majority) sets the agenda and thus shapes public policy.
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4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES
» The Fight for Majority Control :
• Jim Jeffords breaks from the Republican party (2001)
• 2002 election, brings power back to the Republicans
• 2006, Democrats win back both the House and Senate
• 2008 Democrats gain more seats in Congress & elect a president!!
• 2010, Republicans take back the House
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4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES
BALANCE OF POWER
2004-2006
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BALANCE OF POWER (2006 ELECTION)
• Post 2006 House
• 202 R
• 233 D
• Post 2006 Senate:
• 49 R
• 51 D
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BALANCE OF POWER (2008 ELECTION)Democrats Clean House (Politico)
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• Pre 2010
• House Balance:• 255 D’s
• 178 R’s
• 2 vacancies
• Senate Balance• 59 D’s
• 41 R’s
• Post 2010
• House Balance:
• Senate Balance:
2010 MID TERM ELECTIONS
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Clerk of the House
Pre 2010 Midterms, House
Post 2010 Midterms, House
PARTY SYSTEMSTYPES OF
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PARTY SYSTEMS
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» One-party systems
» Two-party systems
» Multi-party systems
4.3D ONE-PARTY SYSTEMS
• Associated with authoritarian governments
• See Article: Hussein gets 100% of the vote
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4.3D MULTI-PARTY SYSTEMS
» More than two parties have power in government
• European democracies…
• Italy currently has 13 political parties in parliament
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4.3D THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
» In a two-party system, government and politics are dominated by the two major parties
• The U.S. is one of the few nations to have a lasting two-party system
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TWO PARTY SYSTEM?WHY DOES THE U.S.HAVE THE
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4.3E THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
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» Why does the U.S. have a two-party system?
• U.S. has single member districts & winner-take-all system
• Proportional system (Europe)
• Ross Perot won 19% of the popular vote in 1992, but won NO electoral votes.
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4.3E THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
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» Why two-party system cont.
• There are substantial barriers for third-party candidates:
• Ballot access…..Wasted vote principle……Raising money
• Two major parties are “institutionalized”
• Raising money…
• No charismatic third party leaders or platforms
DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES
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• When did political parties first develop?
• Early… Two opposing parties, the Federalists and the Jeffersonian-Republicans in election of 1800
DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES
• The Democratic party was organized under the leadership Andrew Jackson in the 1820’s
• The Republicans ran their first presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln, in 1860
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THIRD PARTIESROLE OF
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4.3F THIRD PARTIES
» What are “Third Parties”?
» How do Third Parties influence the two major parties (i.e. Democrats & Republicans)?
» How can they influence elections?
• Potentially swing elections…
• Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party (1912)
• Ralph Nader and the Green party (2000)
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4.3F NOTABLE THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES
• Ralph Nader = Green
• Ross Perot = Reform
• Politics 1
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CASE STUDY: THIRD PARTIES AND THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
• Political parties
• Party platform
• One, Two, Multi party systems
• Winner-take-all
• Proportional vote
• Third parties
• Abraham Lincoln
• Andrew Jackson
• Teddy Roosevelt
• Progressive party
• Ralph Nader
• Green party
• Ross Perot
TERMS
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