POLITICAL PARTIES

ORGANIZATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITHCOMMON INTEREST WHO ORGANIZE TO WIN ELECTIONS, TO OPERATE THE GOVM’T & THEREBY INFLUENCE GOVM’T POLICY

EARLY AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

• AMERICA HAS HAD A TWO PARTY SYSTEM FOR MANY YEARS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEMS:– TWO PARTY

– Democratic and Republican

– MULTI PARTY– Three or more parties Canada (3) Germany (5)

Israel (20+)

– ONE PARTY– People and government are the same China

(Communist Party)

EARLY AMERICAN PARTIES

• FEDERALIST– LED BY ALEXANDER HAMILTON– STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT– LIKE/WANTED CONSTITUTION

EARLY AMERICAN PARTIES

• ANTI- FEDERALIST– THOMAS JEFFERSON LED– LIMIT POWER OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

(FEDERAL GOVERNMENT)– BELIEVED IN STATES RIGHTS– BELIEVED IN INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS (BILL OF

RIGHTS)– BECAME THE DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICANS

EARLY AMERICAN PARTIES

• WHIGS:• 1830s OPPOSITION TO DEMOCRATIC-

REPUBLICANS

• DEMOCRATS:• WHAT WAS LEFT OF DEMOCRATIC-

REPUBLICANS

• THESE SPLIT OVER ISSUE OF SLAVERY IN 1854

EARLY AMERICAN PARTIES

• DEMOCRATS: 1854• PRO SLAVERY SOUTHERN PARTY

• REPUBLICANS• ANTI SLAVERY NORTHERN PARTY• PARTY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN - NO SOUTHERN

STATE VOTED FOR LINCOLN - SO FELT HE DID NOT REPRESENT THEM - SO THEY SECCEEDED FROM THE UNION (CIVIL WAR)

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• SMALL PARTIES THAT DO NOT WIN MAJOR ELECTIONS BUT DO INFLUENCE OUT SOCIAL, ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL LIFE – SINGLE ISSUE: 1 THING– IDEOLOGICAL: IDEALS– INDEPENDENT

CANDIDATES: PERSON

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• POPULIST PARTY– FARMERS & LABORERS– DIRECT ELECTION OF

SENATORS: 17 AMEND– 8 HOUR WORKDAY

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• PROGRESSIVE PARTY– BULL MOOSE PARTY– DIRECT PRIMARY TO

GIVE MORE VOICE IN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

– POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY

• INITIATIVE

• REFERENDUM

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• PROHIBITION PARTY– SINGLE ISSUE PARTY

– DON’T LAST LONG

– FADE AWAY WHEN ISSUE NO LONGER IMPORTANT

– AGAINST DRINKING ALCOHOL

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY– IDEOLOGICAL PARTY

BASED ON SOCIALISM WHERE GOVERNMENT HAS MUCH CONTROL OVER LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• COMMUNIST PARTY– IDEOLOGICAL PARTY

BASED ON KARL MARX COMMUNIST IDEALS WHERE GOVERNMENT OWNS ALL MEANS OF PRODUCTION

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• LIBERTARIAN PARTY– IDEOLOGICAL PARTY

BASED IDEA THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN PEOPLES LIVES

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• INDEPENDENT – NO PARTY AFFILIATION – RUN WITHOUT PARTY

BACKING– H. ROSS PEROT 1992

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• REFORM PARTY– IDEALOGICAL PARTY

THAT PROMOTES REFORMS IN SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT

– ROSS PEROT 1996

THIRD PARTIES ROLE IN USA

• THESE DO NOT WIN MAJOR ELECTIONS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY OR NUMBERS TO WIN BUT THEY ARE GAINING POWER

PARTY SYSTEMS IN WORLD

• TWO PARTY SYSTEM:– USA & GREAT BRITIAN

• MULTI PARTY SYSTEM:– GERMANY (5), ISREAL (20+), CANADA

(30)– COALITITION GOVERNMENTS

• ONE PARTY SYSTEM:– CHINA, CUBA, NORTH KOREA,

VIETNAM

DIFFERNCES IN TWO PARTIES OF USA

• WHAT PARTY’S SYMBOL?

DIFFERNCES IN TWO PARTIES OF USA

• WHAT PARTY’S SYMBOL?

• NICKNAME: GRAND OLD PARTY

DIFFERNCES IN TWO PARTIES OF USA

• WHAT PARTY’S PLATFORM?– PRO LIFE– DEATH PENALTY GOOD– LESS INVOLVEMENT– TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT

ECONOMY– RIGHT TO GUNS– AGAINST GAY

MARRIAGES

• WHAT PARTY’S PLATFORM?– PRO ABORTION– LIMIT DEATH PENALTY– GOVM’T REGULATION

OF ECONOMY– HIGHER TAXES– MORE INVOLVEMENT IN

LIFE– GUN CONTROL

DIFFERNCES IN TWO PARTIES OF USA

• WHAT PARTY’S PLATFORM?– REPUBLICANS

• WHAT PARTY’S PLATFORM?– DEMOCRATS

WHAT PARTY?

WHAT PARTY?

CH 9 SECT 2:

ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

NATIONAL PARTY ORGANIZATION

• EACH PARTY HAS A NATIONAL COMMITTEE

– RAISE FUNDS PRESIDENT AND ORGANIZE NATIONAL CONVENTION

– DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

– TIM KAINE NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON

– REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE

– REINCE PRIEBUS NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON

NATIONAL CONVENTION

• MOST IMPORTANT JOB IS TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE TO RUN FOR THE PARTY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

• HELD ONE EVERY __ YEARS• USUALLY ONLY WORK ON NATIONAL

ELECTIONS

STATE PARTY ORGANIZATION

• 50 OF THESE FOR EACH PARTY– NC DEMOCRATIC PARTY– NC REPUBLICAN PARTY– KEY JOB: GET CANDIDATES ELECTED

TO STATE OFFICES AND SOMETIMES HELP IN NATIONAL ELECTIONS

– GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, STATE LEGISLATORS, ETC

LOCAL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

• 1000s OF THESE FOR BOTH PARTIES– ROBESON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC

PARTY– ROBESON COUNTY REPUBLICAN

PARTY– WORK ON ALL THREE LEVEL

ELECTIONS• NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL

LOCAL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

• DIVISIONS OF LOCAL LEVELS– PRECINCT: GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

THAT CONTAINS A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF VOTERS

• ONE MAN, ONE VOTE• SMALL TOWN/CITY, NEIGHBORHOODS

– WARDS: SEVERAL PRECINCTS TOGETHER

LOCAL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

• POLITICAL MACHINES:– STRONG LOCAL PARTY ORGANZATIONS

THAT HAVE LITTLE OR NO OPPOSITION– NYC: TAMMANY HALL: «BOSS TWEED »– RICH: KICKBACKS AND BRIBES – FAILS TO REPRESENT/LISTEN TO THE

PEOPLE– MOST MEMBER ENDED UP IN PRISON

MEMBERSHIP IN POLITCAL PARTIES

• DO NOT HAVE TO JOIN• DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR PARTY

CANDIDATE IF YOU ARE A MEMBER• REPUBLICAN COULD HAVE VOTED FOR

OBAMA IF THEY WANTED TO• STATES DIFFER ON WHEN YOU REGISTER

FOR PARTY MEMBERSHIP– SOME WHEN YOU REGISTER TO VOTE**

ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

• MAIN ROLE: – GET THEIR CANDIDATES

ELECTED TO OFFICE– OR NOMINATED TO RUN FOR

OFFICE SO THEY CAN GET ELECTED

ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

• ELECTION PROCESS– PRIMARY ELECTIONS

• 5/6 MONTH BEFORE GENERAL ELECTIONS

• OPEN OR CLOSED• RUNOFFS IF NO ONE RECEIVES A

MAJORITY IN SOME STATES

– GENERAL ELECTIONS• NOVEMBER FIRST TUESDAY

AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

• NO PARTY AFFILIATION SO HOW DO THEY GET ON THE BALLOT?– PETITION

ROLES OF POLITICAL PARTIES

• GET CANDIDATE ELECTED TO OFFICE• CAMPAIGNING FOR CANDIDATE• INFORMING GOVERNMENT OF

PEOPLE’S IDEAS• HELPING MANAGE GOVERNMENT• LINKING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF

GOVERNMENT• ACT AS A WATCHDOG OVER

GOVERNMENT

CH 10 SECTION 1

WHO CAN VOTE????

CAN YOU????

• 18 YEARS OLD

• RESIDENT OF NC FOR 30 DAYS

• CITIZEN OF USA

• REGISTERED TO VOTE

VOTER REGISTRATION

• REGISTRATION: – 30 DAYS

• 1995 MOTOR VOTER BILL– DMV– CLINTON– OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HELP

REGISTRATION

STEPS IN VOTING

• POLLING PLACE: WHERE YOU GO TO VOTE: – MARIETTA COMMUNITY BUILDING– FAIRMONT: POLICE STATION OR

LIBRARY– ROWLAND: POLICE STATION

– 7AM TO 8 PM

STEPS IN VOTING

• PRECINCT: GEOGRAPHICAL AREA MADE UP OF PROPORTIONATLY EQUAL NUMBERS OF VOTERS

• EACH PRECINCT HAS A POLLLING PLACE

AT THE POLLS

• CLERKS TABLE:– TELL NAME, CHECK OFF AND

GIVE BALLOT (ONLY CHECK POLITICAL PARTY WHEN?)

• BALLOT:– THE DOCUMENT YOU VOTE ON – DIFFERENT KINDS EXIST AND

EACH LOCAL ELECTION BOARD DETERMINES THE BALLOT FORMS

CASTING THE VOTE: VOTING MACHINES

• LEVER MACHINE

CASTING THE VOTE: VOTING MACHINES

• PAPER BALLOT OPTICALLY READ (BUBBLES)

CASTING THE VOTE: VOTING MACHINES

• COMPUTER BALLOT

CASTING THE VOTE: VOTING MACHINES

• PUNCH CARD BALLOT

ABSENTEE VOTING

• ABSENTEE BALLOT: USED IF YOU CAN NOT POSSIBILLY GET TO THE POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY– ELECTION BOARD TO GET– MAIL TO YOU TODAY

COUNTING THE BALLOT

• RETURNS: OFFICIAL COURTS OF ELECTION POLLS => CERTIFIED BY STATE– COUNTED AT POLLING PLACE– COUNTED AT COUNTY LEVEL– COUNTED AT STATE LEVEL AND

CERTIFIED

– EXIT POLLS UNOFFICIAL COUNTS

WHY YOUR VOTE MATTERS???

• ELECTORATE: PEOPLE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

• APATHY: LACK OF INTEREST NOBODY CARES

CH 10.2: ELECTION CAMPAIGN

TYPES OF ELECTIONS

GENERAL ELECTIONS

• FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER– SUPER TUESDAY– WHO IS ELECTED?

• OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS

VOTING ON ISSUES

• INITIATIVE: PEOPLE DRIVEN GRASSROOTS PROJECT THAT ENDS UP ON BALLOT

• PROPOSITION: ITEM PUT ON BALLOT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE ON

• REFERENDUM: GOVERNMENT DRIVEN MOVEMENT & PUT ON BALLOT

SPECIAL ELECTIONS

• RECALL: VOTE TO GET RID OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AT STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS

• RUNOFFS: PRIMARY ELECTIONS TO DECIDE WHO WILL WIN MAJORITY IF NO ONE DID IN FIRST PRIMARY

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

• NOMINATION: NATIONAL NOMINATION CONVENTION (NATIONAL CONVENTION)

• CAMPAIGNING • VOTING

– POPULAR VOTE– ELECTORAL VOTE– COUNTED

REVIEW

• List 3 ways the Democratic and Republican Party differ.

Elections and Public Opinion

Chapter 10 Section 3

Paying for elections

• Takes a great deal of money ($3 Billion every 4 years) to run a successful campaign. Campaigns convince the public to vote for a particular candidate. Campaign workers use several techniques to accomplish their goals.

Campaigning

• Canvassing- door-to-door to solicit voters or neighborhoods.

• Endorsements- Famous and popular person supports candidate

• Advertising- Create an image to present to public on TV, posters, ads

• Propaganda-use of emotions to convince citizens to vote a certain way

Financing Campaign

• Public Funding: Presidential Campaign Election Fund

• Private Funding: Individual citizens, party organizations, corporations, interest groups, soft money donations and PAC’s

• Soft Money- Money given to political party and no designed for a particular candidate. Used for National TV ads.

• PAC’s (Political Action Committee)- Way for labor unions, special-interest groups and corporations to donate money legally.

Public Opinion

• Ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, government and political issues

• Helps shape decisions of presidents

• Not uniform-everyone does not hold the same opinion

Influences on Public Opinion

• 1. Personal Background-religion, age, race, socio-economic

• 2. Mass Media-newspapers, TV, radio, Internet

• 3. Public Officials- president, senators, mayor

• 4. Interest Groups

CH 11: PUBLIC OPINION

MISNOMER: WRONG NAMEWATCH

DID EVERYONE HAVE SAME OPINION?

PUBLIC OPINION

• IDEAS OR OPINIONS THAT MOST PEOPLE HOLD ABOUT AN ISSUE

• AREAS THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR PUBLIC OPINION– PERSONAL BACKGROUND– MASS MEDIA– PUBLIC OFFICIALS– INTEREST GROUPS– HOBBIES– ETC

COMPONENTS OF PUBLIC OPINION

• DIRECTION: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

• INTENSITY: STRENGTH OF THE OPINION YOU HOLD ON A GIVEN ISSUE

• STABILITY: HOW FIRMLY PEOPLE HOLD TO THEIR VIEWS

MEASURES OF PUBLIC OPINION

• POLLS: WHERE YOU ARE ASKED HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT A SUBJECT IN A SERIES OF QUESTIONS

• I CAN CREATE WHAT POSITION I WANT BY ASKING THE QUESTION THE RIGHT WAY: LOADED QUESTIONS

• RANDOM SAMPLES: 1500 PEOPLE • POLLS IMPORTANT TO DEMOCRACY

CHAPTER 11.2THE MASS MEDIA

• TYPES OF MEDIA– PRINT MEDIA: NEWSPAPERS, MAG,

BOOKS – ELECTRONIC MEDIA:INTERNET,

PHONES, TV

MEDIA’S IMPACT

• SET PUBLIC AGENDA• CANDIDATES AND ELECTIONS: MEDIA

BIAS IN FAVOR OF WHAT PARTY?????• ELECTED OFFICIALS: LEAKS INFO

ABOUT THEM• WATCHDOG ROLE: • MEDIA & NATIONAL SECURITY: CAREFUL

PROTECTING THE MEDIA

• JOHN PETER ZENGER CASE: FREEDOM OF PRESS

• SCHENCK V. US CASE• FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH

PROTECTS AGAINST GOVM’T ISSUEING PRIOR RESTRAINT: GOVM’T CENSORSHIP OF MATERIAL BEFORE IT IS PUBLISHED: CANNOT DO THIS

• OBAMA’S WAR ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL IS THIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL???? HELD MEETING IN WHITE HOUSE AND DID NOT AND DOES NOT HAVE A CORESPONDENCE WITH THIS MEDIA CENTER????

CHAPTER 11. 3: INTEREST GROUPS

• WHAT IS AN INTEREST GROUP? GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT JOIN TO GETHER TO PROMOTE SOME ISSUE THEY AGREE ON– TYPES:

• ECONOMIC INTEREST GROUPS• PRIVATE INTEREST GROUPS• SPECIAL CAUSE INTEREST GROUPS• PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS

INFLUENCE ON GOVM’T

• ELECTION ACTIVITIES: PACS

• GOING TO COURT

• LOBBYING LAWMAKERS: LOBBYIST

TECHNIQUES OF INTEREST GROUPS

• ENDORSEMENTS• STACKED CARDS• NAME CALLING• GLITTERING GENERALITIES• SYMBOLS• JUST PLAIN FOLKS• BANDWAGON

REGULATION OF THESE GROUPS

• FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACT OF 1971

• FEERAL REGULATION OF LOBBBYING ACT OF 1946