Political Parties

Chapter 5

Parties and What They Do

• “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”– Vince Lombardi

• “If you aren’t cheating, then you aren’t trying.”– Anonymous

What is a party?

• A group of people who seek to control government through winning elections and holding public office– Like minded – Similar goals– Joined together on common principle

• Want to bring about the adoption of public policy

2 Major Parties – “Big Tent”

• Republicans– Conservative– Closer ties to business– Personal

Responsibility– Limited Government– 2 schools of thought

• Western – limited gov’t• Southern – moral

issues

• Democrats– Liberal– Free Enterprise– Civil Liberties– Equal Rights /

Opportunities– Big Government– Progressivism

Major Parties

• NOT issue oriented

• Election oriented– Each major party is a coalition – Many, many, many, many, different ideologies

What do parties do?

• Political parties serve as a vital link between citizens and government

• Modify and compromise opposing views

• Soften the impact of extremists

Nominating Function

• Brining forth their cream of the crop to run for office

• The one function that sets them apart

Informer-Stimulator

• Inform and stimulate votes

• “Educational” process

• Prove their side is right / Provide some doubt in the opposition

“Seal of Approval”

• Grants approval to candidates

• Tries to ensure good performance from its candidates

Governmental Function

• Government is organized on party lines

• Serve as channels of communication– Executive Legislative – Legislative Executive

• Informal amendments

Watchdog Function

• “Throw the rascals out”

• “The loyal opposition”

• Watchdogs of the opposing side

• Watchdogs of themselves

2 Party System

• Minor party – less widely supported (list in section 4)– Too idealistic? Not broad enough?

• The two major parties dominate American politics

Reasons

• The Historical Basis:– The framers were opposed to parties– The ratification of the Constitution saw the

creation of parties– Unavoidable?

Force of Tradition

• Because there has always been one (TPS)– “In other words, America has a two-party

system because America has a two-party system.”

Electoral System

• Winner take all elections

• The winning candidate has a plurality (more votes)

• Is a vote for a minor candidate a wasted one?

• Let’s find out!

Electoral System

• Considered lucky if you make it on a handful of the national ballots

Ideological Consensus

• Americans: same ideals, principles, patterns of belief (most)

• There is a general agreement on fundamental matters

• America is free of disagreements that plague other societies

• Is the political struggle one of personality or one of competing ideas?

• “Middle of the road”

Multiparty Systems

• Argument for: it’s a more representative sample– Voters would now have a “real choice”

• Majority may become a forgotten concept

• Coalition of power

One-Party Systems

• Dictatorships – only one party is allowed– No contrasting views

• Similar things have happened in America

Party Membership

• Parents affiliation

• Major events in history – Wars, depressions

• Higher income groups – GOP

• Lower income – Dems

• Other Factors:– Education, residence, work environment, etc.

Section 5: The Organization of Political Parties

• Both major parties are highly decentralized and fragmented

The Reality of Political Parties

• There is no chain of command in federalism– Local parties are more often independent

Role of the Presidency

• The President’s party is most often more organized– He is the leader of his party, asserts this in

various ways

• No one of the other party is comparable to the President– A loose mix of personalities

The Impact of Federalism

• Half a million elected offices in U.S.

• Major parties are highly decentralized– Main goal is to win seats, be in control

The Role of the Nominating Process

• Candidate selection is an intraparty process

• This process can be highly divisive – Causes fragmentation

National Party Machinery

• 4 Elements drive the national party– National Convention– National Committee– National Chairperson– Congressional Campaign Committees

National Convention

• Meets in the Summer of every Presidential election year– Nominate presidential and vice presidential

candidates– Also, party rules and writing of platform

National Committee

• Most of its work centers on the Convention

• Party’s affairs are handled by this committee between conventions

National Chairperson

• Head of national committee

• Work to strengthen the party in various ways:– Raise money– Promote unity– New voters– Prepare for next election

Congressional Campaign Committee

• Work to reelect incumbents

• Also take a hand to unseat incumbents of other parties

• Chosen by colleagues for 2 years

State and Local Machinery

• State:– Built around state central committee and its

chair– Work to further the party within the state

• Unity, funds, find candidates

– Fragmentation

State and Local Machinery

• Local:– Mostly inactive except for the months

surrounding election time• Ward – unit into which towns are divided for

election of city council• Precinct – voters that report to an individual polling

place» Breakdown can be as small as city blocks

– Many “insignificant” offices to be filled on local level

Three Elements of Party

• 1. Punch

• 2. Snacks

• 3. Music and Games

Three Elements of Party

• 1. The party organization

• 2. The party in the electorate

• 3. The party in government

Future of Major Parties

• Period of decline and split interest– Party identification– Split-ticket voting– Reforms (conflict and disorganization)– Technology of campaigning– Single issue organization growth

• The rise of PAC’s