Chapter 5

Chapter 5Political Parties1Section 1 Parties and What They DoObjectives:

Define a Political Party

List and describe the functions of a political party

2How would you define a political party?

3What is a Political Party?Definition 1

A group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office.

Definition 2

A group of persons, joined together on the basis of common principles, who seek to control government in order to affect certain public policies and programs.451) Nominate CandidatesMust be a procedure for finding a candidate

Must be a mechanism for gathering support for candidate

*The nominating function is almost exclusively a party function in the United States.

62) Informing, Influencing, and Activating SupportersInform and inspire their interests

Primarily, they campaign for their candidates - - - How?

Inform people to serve their own advantage - - - Examples?

Presents candidate in the best possible light - - - Illustrations?73) Bonding AgentSeal of approval

Qualified and Good Character

Filtering agent

Ensure candidates are qualified

84) GoverningBy and large congress and state legislatures are organized on party lines

Actions on the basis of partisanship: strongly supporting party policy

Political parties must get along to keep things running - - - Examples?95) Act as WatchdogParty not in power criticizes the policies and behavior of party in power - - - examples?

Typically scrutiny and criticism make office holders more careful about their public image and responsive to the concerns of the people

106) Conceptualize VotingNo need for long hours contemplating the issues

Allows for a person to concentrate on a foundation of fundamental or core beliefs

Underlying notion in trusting an expert, with similar core beliefs, to decide like you would on complex issues 11However combinations or associations of [factions] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government - destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.

-George Washington12Section 2 Parties and What They DoObjectives:

Explain why the U.S. has a two-party system

Strengths and Weaknesses of two-party system

Describe the membership patterns in the United States

13Why a Two-Party System?

Whats wrong with this? The colors backwards for the US. CNN created a map that had colors for the first time and the colors were backwards this stuckDemocrats = Donkey names after Andrew Jackson, people thoughts of him as a JackassRepublicans = Elephant once they make a decision, they get stuck and dont move14We started as a 2 party system: Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists. Hamilton didnt believe we should list peoples rights because that limits their rights to only what they have. Jefferson, there are some rights that are so important that we need to list them so the government cannot take it away. Madison crafted the 9th Amendment as a balance: compromise example: Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation (seize property)Just because specific rights are listed, doesnt mean people dont have other rights as well

Electoral system forces a two party system: can only win an election by a majority in the US, not a plurality. 151) Historical Basis

Federalists (Hamilton)

Anti-Federalists (Jefferson)

American party system began as a two-party system

Debate about whether or not a Bill of Rights should be included162) Force of Tradition

Habit

Self-perpetuating

America has a two-party system because America has a two-party systemStarted as a two party system and continues to be so173) The Electoral System

Single member districts : winner take all via plurality

Vote for incumbent or party with best chance: Wasted vote

Bipartisanship: major parties work together on common ground, in this case to preserve, protect, and defend the two party system

Dont want to split your votes get half of your votes in place by joining forces (example: Tea Party and Republicans join to beat Democrats)We have a winner take all systemEvery state gets 2 senators, House is based on population (Iowa: 6 votes 2 senators, 4 House Reps.)Major political parties make it very difficult for a third party to rise up184) American Ideological ConsensusWhile America is a pluralistic society (diverse culture and groups), on the whole Americans are ideologically homogeneous people (share the same basic principles and patterns of belief)

No real unbridgeable political division

Must win over the same population so fundamentally have similar stances

Both parties fight to get Independents19Multiparty SystemsProvides broader representation of the people.More responsive to the will of the people.Give voters more choices at the polls.Cause parties to form coalitions, which can dissolve easily.Failure of coalitions can cause instability in government.Advantages DisadvantagesMultiparty systemsOne-Party systemMost European democracies

Offers more diversity

representation at the expense of stability.

Form coalitions (alliance of several groups)No party system

Dictatorship

Although some states in American history could be considered one-party systems, as the same party wins year in and year out.Multiparty systems: change more often, inconsistent, more representation and wider variety of viewsTwo Party Systems: easier to find a compromise between 2 parties than multiple21Multiparty similar to the 13 states under the articles of confederationHard to find common groundMultiple disagreementsNo strong central pull: so cater to specific interestsMore opinions expressed

Two-Party system similar to federalism While state/federal may have disagreements they both work together to serve the will of the people atop a basic foundation

Multiparty: no central pull, more opinions expressedTwo-Party: one power in the middle, all bind around similar ideas22Party Membership PatternsMembership is voluntary

2/3 Americans follow the party allegiance of their parents

What membership patterns do you see in party membership?

23

Factors that can influence party membership:FamilyEconomic StatusOccupationMajor EventsReligionAgeSection 3 The Two-Party System in American historyObjectives:

Understand the origins of political parties in the United States

Describe the development and shift in philosophy of modern day Democrats and Republicans in America

2526PHILOSOPHICAL SHIFTWhile the Federalist began supporting giving more power to the federal government, Republicans currently prefer government less federal powers and a narrow interpretation of the constitution Why the shift?While the Anti-Federalist began opposing giving more power to the federal government, Democrats currently prefer more federal powers and a broad interpretation of the constitution Why the shift?

27Section 4 The Minor PartiesObjectives:

Identify types of minor parties that have been active in American Politics

Understand the importance/implications of minor parties in America

28Minor Parties

Ideological PartiesMarxist thought

Emphasize individualism30Single-Issue PartiesFocus on one public policy matter

31Economic Protest PartiesGrow out of periods of economic discontent

No clear-cut ideological base

32Splinter PartiesSplit away from major parties

Often formed around strong person who failed to win major parties presidential nomination

Some of the more important minor parties

33Why Are Minor Parties Important?Innovate new ideas

Spoiler role

Critics willing to take clear-cut stands

Draw attention to issues major parties seek to ignore

34Section 5 Party OrganizationObjectives:

Understand why the major parties have a decentralized structureDescribe the national party machinery and how parties are organized at the state and local levelIdentify three components of the parties Examine the future of the major parties

3536Decentralized Nature of the PartiesWhile often described as close-knit, the two major parties are high fragmented and full of internal squabbling.

Local parties are often independent from state parties which are only loosely tied to national parties

While they usually cooperate, this is not always the case

Examples?37PresidencyPresidents party is usually a more cohesive unit then the opposing partyPresident is automatically the party leaderUses his leadership and position to influence decision making

Party not-in-power does not have party leaderThere are a number of personalities that are in competition with each other, and form loose leadership

38Impact of FederalismGoal of major parties is to win elective offices

Because the Federal system is highly decentralized, so too are the major parties that serve it

39Role of the Nomination ProcessNominations are made within the party

Internal squabbles and fights over nomination that pits party members against each other

The winner take all nomination process creates competition among party members

40National Party MachineryCongressional campaign committees41National ConventionsPartys national voice

Meet summer before presidential election to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates

Little authority and no control over selection of other offices, or policy stands those nominees take42National CommitteeCommittee persons are chosen by the States party organization

Expands outside of states

Loaded with many of the partys leading figures

Most of its work centers of staging the partys national convention every four years43National ChairpersonLeader of the national committeeChosen to four-year term by national committeeChoose made by nominated president candidate and ratified by national committeeDirects the work of the partys headquarters and small staff in D.C.Strengthens the party during non presidential election years (raise money, promote, recruit, etc.)Only two women and one African American have ever held the top party post

44Congressional Campaign CommitteesEach party has a committee in each house of Congress

Work to reelect incumbents and make sure their seats remain in the party

Tries to unseat incumbents from other partys, when it is worth the $

2 year terms (term of congress)

45Importance of ConventionsTime.comDo Political Conventions still matter?