Chp. 5: Political Parties

Objectivesp. 000

The student will demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and national elections bya.describing the organization, role, and constituencies of political parties;b.describing the nomination and election process;c.examining campaign funding and spending;d.examining different perspectives on the role of government

Essential Understandingsp. 000

•Political parties are organized to win Elections.•At each level of government, candidates for elective office are chosen using a variety of nominating methods.Candidates must appeal to an increasing number of independent voters to win elections.

1. Political parties are organized to win elections.2. At each level of government, candidates for elective office are chosen using a variety of nominating

methods.3. Candidates must appeal to an increasing number of independent voters to win elections.

Essential Questionsp. 000

1. How do political parties organize to win elections?2. How do political parties nominate candidates for national, state, and local offices?3. How do the major political parties select presidential candidates?4. Is there a common “profile” of the major candidates?

Party Systems

p. 037-39

Functionsp. 037

1. political party – group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

2. what do they do?a. nominate candidates for public officeb. inform the people, and inspire/activate them to participate in public affairs

• information is skewed to fit that party's needs• try to shape positions that will attract as many voters as possible

c. tries to ensure the good performance of its candidates and officeholdersd. govern

• partisanship – the strong support of their party and its policy e. act as watchdogs over the conduct of the public's business

• party out of power scrutinizes every action of the party in power (control the executive branch)

One Party Systemp. 037

1. really a “no party” system; the party is the government; tolerates no opposition2. authoritarian government3. communist countries – Cuba, North Korea and China

Multi-Party Systemp. 037

1. a country with 3 or more major political partiesa. parties are based on particular interests

2. no one major party can control the governmenta. form coalitions with other political parties to gain controlb. coalitions often break down due to ideological differences

3. examples – France (5) and Italy (10)a. Italy has had a new government on average of once a year since World War II (61 times since 1945)

Two-Party Systemp. 039

1. all minor parties are called third parties2. the Framers originally opposed parties2. Why the US has the Two Party-System

a. tradition – the two party system just developedb. electoral system – usually only one person can win

• that usually means only two viable optionsc. American ideological consensus

• there is a broad consensus among most Americans on fundamental matters• the US is free of long-standing, bitter disputes• both major parties in the US are built on compromise and try to be moderate

Two-Party System

Minor Parties

p. 039-041

Four Types of Minor Partiesp. 039

1. ideological parties – based on a particular set of beliefsa. Examples – Socialist, Socialist Labor, Communist parties

2. single issue parties – concentrate on only one public policy mattera. Example – Right to Life Party

3. economic protest parties – no clear ideological base; proclaim their disgust with the major parties and demanded better timesa. usually disappear as the nation climbs out of difficult economic periods

4. splinter parties – have split away from one of the major partiesa. form around a strong personality who failed to win his major party’s nominationb. Examples – Bull Moose Party (Theodore Roosevelt split from Republican), Progressive Party

(Henry Wallace from Democrat)

Theodore Roosevelt

Why Minor Parties are Importantp. 039-41

A. the AntiMasons were the first party to use a national convention to nominate a presidentB. a strong third party candidate can play a spoiler role

1. even if the candidate does not win, he can pull votes away from one of the major partiesa. Examples – Bull Moose party cost the Republicans the election of 1912,

the Green Party cost the Democrats the election in 2000C. important critics and innovators - willing to take clear-cut stands on issues the major parties won't

touch – sometimes the major parties “steal” their popular ideas1. Examples - women's suffrage; progressive income tax

D. Obstacles1. not popular2. no money 3. difficult to get on the ballot

What are the two major political parties in the US?

A: Democrat and Republican

How many third parties can you list?1. Constitution

2. Green

3. Libertarian

4. American

5. America First

6. American Independent

7. American Nazi

8. American Reform

9. Boston Tea

10. Christian Falangist Party

of America

11. Communist

12. Democratic Socialist

13. Freedom Socialist/ Radical Women

14. The Greens

15. Independence

16. Independent American

17. Labor

18. Light

19. Moderate

20. National Socialist

21. Natural Law

22. New

23. New Union

24. Party of Socialism and

Liberation

25. Peace and Freedom

26. Prohibition

27. Reform

28. Socialist

29. Socialist Action

30. Socialist Equality

31. Socialist Labor

32. Socialist Workers

33. U.S. Marijuana

34. U.S. Pacifists

35. Veteran’s Party of America

36. Workers World

37. American Patriot

38. American Socialist

39. Constitutionalist

40. Libertarian National Socialist Green

41. Multicapitalist

42. Pansexual Peace

43. Pot

44. Progressive Labor

45. Social Democrat USA

46. The Third

47. Worker’s Party USA

48. World Socialist Party of the USA

Party Organization

p. 041-43

Decentralized Nature of the Partiesp. 041

A. neither major party has a chain of command that runs from the national through the State

to the local level

B. Role of the Presidency

1. the President’s party is usually more solidly united than the opposing party

2. the President is automatically his party’s leader

3. there is seldom one person the opposition party can call it’s leader (except for a presidential

nominee every four years)

C. The Impact of Federalism

1. because the government is decentralized, so are the major parties

D. The Role of the Nominating Process

1. nominations are made within the party

2. the nominating process is a divisive one (candidates fight with one another for the

nomination)

National Party Machineryp. 041

A. National Convention

1. held only every four years

2. nominates the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates

3. adopts the party’s rules and the writing of its platform

B. National Committee

1. in theory, supposed to handle the party’s affairs, but most of the work centers on staging the

national convention every four years

C. The National Chairperson

1. leader of the national committee

a. chosen by the presidential nominee for the party

2. directs the work of the party’s headquarters in DC and works to strengthen the party

D. The Congressional Campaign Committees

1. party committees in each house of congress

2. work to reelect incumbents and to make sure seats given up by retiring members

remain in the party

RNC Chairman – Mike Duncan

DNC Chairman – Howard Dean

State and Local Party Machineryp. 043

A. State Organization

1. party machinery is built around a State central committee, headed by a

State chairperson

B. Local Organization

1. ward – unit into which cities are often dived for the election of city council members

2. precinct – smallest unit of election administration

Brian Moran – Chair of the VA Democratic Committee

Pat Mullins– Chair of the VA Republican Committee

Future of Political Partiesp. 043

1. voters are not willing to identify themselves as Republicans or Democrats

2. increase in split-ticket voting - vote for candidates of different parties for

different offices in the same election

3. structural changes have made parties more "open", but have also led to internal

conflict

4. changes in the technology for campaigning for office have made candidates

much less dependent on party organization

5. growth and impact of single-issue organizations

a. do not have to support all the candidate's views

The Old Political Spectrum

Radical

Democrats

Conservative ReactionaryLiberal Moderate

Republicans

1. Radical (far left) – government should be very active* in implementing changes2. Liberal (left) – government should be somewhat active* in implementing changes3. Moderate (Middle)

a. sometimes wants change, sometimes doesn’tb. decides on an issue to issue basis

4. Conservative (right) – somewhat resistant of government intervention on issues5. Reactionary (far right) – disapproves of government intervention at almost every level

The New Political Spectrump. 043

Democrat

Republican

Green Libertarian

Constitution

Nazis

Communists

The New Political Spectrump. 043

Democrat

Republican

Green Libertarian

Constitution

Nazis

Communists

p. 42

Democrats (liberal) v. Republicans (conservative)- higher taxes are necessary to create government jobs and provide programs

- taxes are necessary, but should be as low as possible to stimulate the economy

- it is the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare and social security

- healthcare and social security should be the primary responsibility of the individual through savings and private investments

- affirmative action is necessary to erase past injustices and inequalities

- affirmative action is another form of discrimination and people should be judged on merit

The Two Major Political Parties in the US

Democrats (liberal) v. Republicans (conservative)- higher taxes are necessary to create government jobs and provide programs - taxes are necessary, but should be as low as possible to stimulate the economy

- it is the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare and social security - healthcare and social security should be the primary responsibility of the individual through savings and private investments

- affirmative action is necessary to erase past injustices and inequalities - affirmative action is another form of discrimination and people should be judged on merit

- the government should balance the current budget through taxes

- the government should be forced to balance the budget without raising taxes

- the death penalty is inhumane - the death penalty is just- supports the regulation of handguns through registration, licensing and waiting periods

- anyone without a felony has the right to own a gun

The Two Major Political Parties in the US

Democrats (liberal) v. Republicans (conservative)- higher taxes are necessary to create government jobs and provide programs - taxes are necessary, but should be as low as possible to stimulate the economy

- it is the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare and social security - healthcare and social security should be the primary responsibility of the individual through savings and private investments

- affirmative action is necessary to erase past injustices and inequalities - affirmative action is another form of discrimination and people should be judged on merit- the government should balance the current budget through taxes - the government should be forced to balance the budget without raising taxes- the death penalty is inhumane - the death penalty is just- supports the regulation of handguns through registration, licensing and waiting periods - anyone without a felony has the right to own a gun

- abortion is a woman’s right - abortions (with exceptions to rape and health risks to the mother) should be illegal

- morals are an individual’s choice - there is a moral standard that everyone should adhere to

- there should be a little more government involvement in the economy

- capitalism is fair and rewards those who work hard

- power should rest in the national government

- state and local governments should be the main authority in people’s affairs

The Two Major Political Parties in the US

Third Parties in the US

p. 045

Green Partyp. 045

1. places a high importance on environmental goals

2. offer “meaningful work with dignity” to all members of the community

3. reject discrimination based on distinctions between class, gender, ethnicity, or culture

4. shift of power from a representative government to the lowest governmental organization and

have a direct democracy

5. 2004 election – finished third David Cobb (even though Ralph Nader seems to be their

“spokesperson”

6. 2008 candidate – Cynthia McKinney (D) – congresswoman from Georgia (finished 6th in 2008)

Libertarian Partyp. 045

1. all individuals are the absolute owners of their own lives and should be free to do whatever they

wish to their selves and property, provided they allow others to do the same

2. reduction of the government’s role in the economy – eventual elimination of taxes

3. privatization of Social Security and welfare

4. reduced regulation of business

5. unrestricted right to the means of self-defense

6. pro-drug legalizations, pro-choice, pro-gay marriage

7. 2004 election – finished fourth (Michael Badnarik)

8. 2008 candidate – Bob Barr (finished 4th in 2008)

Constitution Partyp. 045

1. favors a noninterventionist foreign policy

2. eventual elimination of the role the United States plays in multinational and international

organizations

3. abolishing most forms of federal taxation, especially the income tax

a. views most current regular federal expenditures, such as those for health care, education, and

welfare, as unconstitutional

4. opposes illegal immigration and also seeks a more restrictive policy on legal immigration

5. pro-life and thus opposes euthanasia and abortion, but supports the death penalty

6. 2004 election – finished fifth (Howard Philips)

7. 2008 candidate – Chuck Baldwin (finished 5th in 2008)