Political Parties

Learning Objectives• 8.1 Identify the functions that political parties

perform in the American democracy• 8.2 Determine the significance of party

identification• 8.3 Describe how political parties are organized in

the US• 8.4 Differentiate the various party eras in

American history• 8.5 Asses the impact of third parties on American

politics and their limitations

Political Parties: The Basics

• Group of people who join together to CONTROL the government– Similar ideas– Want their ideas to become public policy– Gain power by winning elections– United States

• Dominated by two Parties

• Coalition – large group with various interests

• Third/Minor parties play various roles

What Party do you Identify With?

I side with Activity

• I Side With

Political Party Presentation

• Complete “I Side With” Activity

• Write down the Party you identify with

• Go to politcs1.com to research your party

• Construct a PowerPoint presentation of your party.

Functions of a Party

• Nominating• Government Business• Informer-Stimulator• Seal of Approval• Watchdog

Nominating

• Chooses candidates for office

• Picks those who can “win”

Government Business

• Conducts the business of government

Informer-Stimulator

• Informs and stimulates interest and discussion

Seal of Approval

• Approves candidates

Watchdog

• Party out of power criticizes party in power

State of the Union 2014• President Obama provided his vision for the

coming year and the current “state” of our Union.

– Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash) – GOP response

– Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) – Tea Party Response

The Two Party System

• Two Party System – A system in which two parties dominate the electoral/governmental system

• US has always had a two party system

• Minor parties exist, but the have a difficult time wining in national elections; minor parties have had success at the local level

Historical Origins

• The Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans were the first American parties.

• The Jeffersonian Republicans would evolve into the Democratic Party in the late 1820s.

• The Republican Party grew out of the antislavery movement in the 1850s.

Electoral Alignments and Realignments

• An electoral realignment occurs when a new party supplants the ruling party.

• Punctuating each party era is a critical election – new coalitions form

• Realignments occur roughly every thirty years. – the displacement of the majority party by the minority party

• Caused by new issues or new voters

American Third Parties

• Third parties have played an important role in American politics.

• Spoiler role – (2000 Election Bush V Gore) Nader Green Party

• The ideas of the third party may be adopted by one of the major parties.

American Third Parties

• Third-party success in the United States is limited by — the electoral system

• single-member district

• winner take all

— socialization

— belief that voting for third party is a wasted vote.

Political Parties

• One Party Systems– Usually found in authoritarian gov’ts.– Power through force - Communist China.

Theocracies are also usually a one party sys. Iran

Political Parties

• Multi Party Systems

• Most common system in the world

• Represent widely different ideologies

• One party rarely gets enough support for control

• Often combine to form coalitions

• These systems can be politically unstable• Lebanon, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands,

New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and Philippines

Political Parties

• Two Party Systems– About a dozen nations have two party systems– Two parties dominate– Minor parties exist

Political Parties

• Linkage Institutions– Translate inputs from the public into outputs by

the policy makers– Four Main Linkage institutions

• Parties

• Elections

• Interest groups

• Media

Parties

• Parties as linkage institutions– Nominate candidates

• Party endorsement

• Primary elections

– Coordinate Campaigns• TV has made it easier for candidates to campaign on

their own

– Provide cues for voters• Knowing candidate’s party provides information to

voters

Parties

• Articulate policies– Party’s platform advocates specific policy

alternatives

• Coordinate policy making– Coordination among the branches of

government– Party Members look for support among party

members

Parties

• Three Headed Monsters– Party in the electorate– Party as an organization– Party in government

The Party in the Electorate

• Voters who cast their ballot on the basis of party identification – party image

• Largest “part” of the party

• People who vote a straight ticket have a high party identification– Party identification is dying. More voters are

declaring themselves as independents and splitting their vote (ticket splitting)

The Party in the Electorate

• Party Coalitions– The groups who identify with party, often

described in demographic terms• NASCAR Dads middle age white man

• African Americans

• Soccer moms – woman; swing voter

• Evangelical Christians

• Latino vote?

The Party in the Electorate

• In other countries being a party member involves:– Formally joining a party– Carrying a membership card– Paying dues

• In America– There is no formal membership– If you believe you are, you are

The Party in the Organization

• National party, State Party, local party organizations

• Very decentralized and fragmented

• Formal organizations have little power

• Local political machines were once the main power of political parties – Patronage played a major role in this

The Party in the Organization• The 50 State Party Systems

– No two are alike– Wide discretion in the regulation of party

activities and how they chooses to organize elections

• Primaries – intra party nominating elections– Open – Open to all registered voters

– Closed – Open only to party members

– Blanket –Voters are allowed to pick members from both parties

– Caucus – local meeting where preferences are expressed

The Party in the Organization• National Party Organizations

– National Committee – Keeps the party operating between elections

– The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee raise campaign funds, manage the party’s image, and head off factional disputes.

– National Convention – meeting of party delegates every four year to choose a president and write the party’s platform

National Primary Elections

• Political Parties have presidential primaries– An election in which voters of each party

choose delegate for the national convention– Rules differ from state to state– Run from January to June in an election year– New Hampshire and Iowa are the first two– A candidate must win the support of more than

half of the party’s delegates in order to get that parties nomination

PA Gubernatorial Race

• Primary Election May 20th

• General Election – November 4th

• Republican – Tom Corbett vs. Bob Guzzardi

• Democratic - Rob McCord, Pennsylvania Treasurer

• Kathleen McGinty, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

• Allyson Schwartz, U.S. Representative

• Jack Wagner, former Pennsylvania Auditor General, candidate for Governor in 2010, and candidate for Mayor of Pittsburgh in 2013

• Thomas W. Wolf, businessman and former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue

Presidential Primaries

• +

• Democratic way of choosing candidates

• -

• Cost time and money

• Inter party “fight among candidates

National Convention

• The National convention is a chance to showcase the unity of the party.

• Presidential candidate is nominated, party platform is drafted, and party rules are enacted.

• The unite behind these candidates to beat the opposing party

The Campaign

• During the late Summer of a Presidential election year

• Travel throughout the country

• Hitting the key states

• Debates are held

Party Platform, 2008Repub vs. Dem

– “War on Terror”– Energy Indep– Abortion– Gay Marriage– Healthcare– Taxes– Education

LO 8.4

To Learning ObjectivesCopyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

The Party in Government

• The elected officials who hold political office after running under a party label

• The party that controls more government offices will have more influence in determining who gets what, when , and how

• Translating campaign promises into public policy• Parties help to form coalitions that support a

particular party objective– Democrats - Caucus in Congress– Republicans – Committee in Congress

Party Eras in American History• Political Scientist divide American history into party-

eras in which one party dominated politics for a significant period of time

• Change when a critical election reveals new issues and a failure of the party in power

• Usually causes party realignment, when a party redefines itself and attracts new voters (dealignment)

LO 8.5

To Learning ObjectivesCopyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

Party Eras in American History• First Party System 1789-1828

– Federalists vs. Jeffersonian “Democratic – Republicans”

• Financial issues

• Federalists Dominated

• Second Party System 1829-1856– Democrats(Democratic– Republicans) and Whigs

• Spoils system, slavery and tariffs

• Democrats dominated

• Big Block of Cheese Day, Mar 4th

Party Eras in American History• Third Party System 1857-1892

– Republicans and Democrats• Slavery and Civil War; Reconstruction and

Industrialization

• Republicans Dominated

• Fourth Party System 1893-1932– Republican and Democrats

• Industrialization, Progressivism, and Immigration

• Republicans Continue to dominate

Party Eras in American History• Fifth Party System

– Republican and Democrats• Government and Economy• New Deal Coalition (poor Southerners, African

Americans, city dwellers, Catholics and Jews)• Democrats Dominate

• Sixth Party System– Republican and Democrats– Civil Rights, abortion, foreign policy– Neither Party has been Dominant – Divided

Government

Party Coalitions – 2000’s

• Female - Dem• African Amer• Hispanic except Cuban• Jewish• White Catholic• Income below 20,000• Union member• Urban

Party Coalitions – 2000’s

• Male –Repub

• Over 50

• White evangelical

• Income above 100,000

• Business owner

• South

• Post graduate

Third Parties/Minor parties

• Very few Americans identify with a minor party

• Very few run under a minor party label• Have little party in government• Have no party in government• Duverger’s Law – voters desert the weak parties

on the grounds that they have no chance of winning

• Single member districts

LO 8.6

To Learning ObjectivesCopyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

Third Parties

Understanding Political Parties

• Role of Political Parties in a Democracy– Recruiting and nominating candidates

– Campaign assistance

– Campaign platforms• Pledges and promises

• Candidates not required to support the platform

– Cooperation in government• Coordination between branches of government

• Accountability – helps us figure who to reward and punish

Parties and Policy

• Political parties must attempt to offer policy proposals that appeal to the greatest number of voters.

• As a result, the two major parties look and sound very similar.????

• differences remain.

Responsible Party Model• Critics of the American system advocate this

model.– ideally candidates should say what they mean

and do what they say. – All to often this is not the case– Parties should:

• Present distinct differences

• Candidates should be committed to that program

• Majority must implement those programs/minority party must state what it would do

• Majority party must accept responsibility for performance

What kind of Democracy do American Political Parties Create?

• Parties can help democracy by– Putting qualified people on the ballot– Helping them to win elections– Giving citizens clear choices– Getting citizens to vote

Parties and Democracy

• Parties are deemed essential for the existence of democracy.

• Democracy is enhanced through strong and responsible parties.

Elvis Has Left the Building!!!