Political Parties

4/17/2012

Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form

• Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:– discuss and critically analyze political events in the

United States government– students will be able to identify and explain the

role of informal institutions and their effect on policy.

– students will be able to assess the 2010 and 2012 elections without resorting to partisan bickering.

Office Hours and Readings

• Chapter 7• Office Hours– Today 11-2– Wednesday 10-2

THE PARTIES ARE DIFFERENT

For Groups to Matter

• They must be large

• They must vote

• They Must be loyal

Race

• Race is more important than class

• African Americans form a political self-conscious group. And Identify with the Democratic Party

Unlike other nations, social class doesn’t dominate

• The Parties do not try to exploit social class

• We are all middle class

Social Class and Partisanship

Republicans• Do better with poor whites in

the South

• Do better with Upper Middle Class voters

• Historically have done better with Middle Class voters

Democrats• Do better with poor and

working class

• Do better with the very wealthiest

• Do better with Union Members

Women and Voting

• Women vote more than men

• The Gender Gap– Women vote more for Democratic Candidates– Ranges from 5-10 Points in Presidential elections

– Issue ownership

Gender in 2008

Marital Status

Married vs. Single Women

• Married women vote more Republican

• Self-Identified Feminists are very Democratic

Where are the Votes?

Gender in 2010

• The Gap is Down to 1%, the Republicans fare much better

• Romney needs something similar if he is to win.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvFzgb7wKlc

Religion

• Americans tend to be more religious than other Western nations.

• We belong to churches and go more than other nations

Jewish Voters

• The Exception to the Rule

• Share many Republican characteristics, but are Democratic

• More liberal than other groups, except on Israel policy

• Meet all 3 criteria in 2 states

The Religion Gap

The biggest differences lie in the beliefs of activists on both sides

WHAT ABOUT THIRD PARTIES?

What is it

• Any party other than the major 2

• Can be a third, fourth etc.

How Do Third Parties Emerge

• New Parties come from– The Gap between the

parties– On the fringe– From within the party

• Around an Emerging Issue

What Third Parties Want to Do

Win elections Threaten Existing Parties

Why They Lose

• The System is Geared against them

• It is easy to steal their issues

• They run political nobodies

"In no country of the world, has the principle of association been more successfully used or applied to a greater multitude of objects than in America“

Alexis de Tocqueville

The Interest Groups in the Constitution

• No specific mention

• Feared by the framers

• Lets pray that Madison is right

WHAT DO INTEREST GROUPS DO

All interest Groups Must:

• Share an interest

• Know the Interest

• Be Organized

Political Interest Groups

• Are private

• Non-Governmental

• Seek policy

What do they Do

• Link Members to Government

• Represent Members views

• Educate members and the public

WHY INTEREST GROUPS FORM

Constitutional Reasons

• Protected by the First Amendment

• The right to “peaceably assemble”

• Federalism

Diversity

• Our diverse society creates many differences which give rise to different interests and view on public issues– Issue Diversity

– Ideological Diversity

– Economic Diversity

– Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Traditional Pluralist Theory

• Writings of David Truman (no relation to Harry)

• Groups will form naturally to press their views on government

• Even Unformed groups play a role

Disturbance Theory

• Groups will respond to other groups

• What will they do– Change the Status Quo– Return to the status quo– Go in a new Direction

THE LOGIC OF COLLECTIVE ACTIONAn Alternate theory of Group Formation

Collective Action

• The Writings of Mancur Olson

• Groups form if it is convenient

• Groups form for Benefits

Logistics of Group Formation

• Potential Membership– Big groups form more easily (fewer costs)– Small groups have to share less (more benefits)

• Geography (not as important today)

Direct Benefits

• Benefits that only members get

• Excludes Non-members

• Economic benefits are most lucrative

Collective benefits

• Benefits that the group works for....

• Everyone gets

• No One is Denied

Groups that Provide Collective Benefits

Overcoming the Free-Rider Problem

• You have to offer people some incentive to join

• Appeal to our greed, or appeal to our ideology

• These are selective incentives

Selective Incentives

Tangible Benefits• Real benefits given to

members by the group

• People outside of the group do not get the goodies

• The AARP

Ideological Benefits• Moral incentives

• Appeals to one’s ideology

• Guilt-ing People

Groups that cannot offer any benefits will not be able to form

KINDS OF INTEREST GROUPS

Private Interest Groups

• Limit their Membership and their benefits

• Business Groups

• Labor Unions

Public Interest Groups

• Concerned with that group’s perception of the general welfare of the population

• Anyone can join

• Everyone receives the benefits

Single Issue Groups

• Concerned with a single policy issue

• Ensures that members know what they do

Umbrella Groups

• Concerned with multiple issues within a larger policy area

• Potential for more resources

• Potential for in-fighting

Interest Groups Today

• Fragmentation

• Specialization

• Cannibalization– Greenpeace vs. Whale

Wars

COMPONENTS OF INTEREST GROUP POWER

Money and Size

• This is a recursive relationship

• There is a problem of being “too big”

Cohesion and Intensity

• Does the group stick together

• Are the members willing to fight for the interests of the group

Access

• The Number one goal of an interest group

• If no one hears your message, it is wasted