Chapter 5: Political Parties Honors Classes, Sept. 16, 2013

1. Chapter 5: Political PartiesHonors Classes, Sept. 16, 2013

2. Democrats v. RepublicansAccording to Dave Barry “The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They’re the kind of people who’d stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy. “The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn’t bother to stop because they’d want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club.”

3. Why an elephant and a donkey? The donkey (for the Democrats): The donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass, and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous.

4. Why elephants and donkeys (cont.) The elephant for the GOP: In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled “The Republican Vote.” That's all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

5. Role of Parties • Select candidates. • Recruit, develop, etc. candidates. • FYI, the Alabama Democratic Party is struggling. • “Any Democrats Want to Run for Governor of Alabama? Anyone? Anybody Out There?” (http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/any-democrats-want-to-run-for-governor-of-alabama-anyone-anybody-out-there-20130705) • “Alabama Democratic Party Ranked Most Dysfunctional in Nation” as ranked by Roll Call (http://dateline.ua.edu/2013/08/alabama-democratic-party-ranked-most-dysfunctional-in-nation/) • N.B. This role is becoming less important. • Don’t need to please party bosses to raise money, spread message.

6. Role of parties (cont.) 2. Inform and activate supporters. • Mobile Republican Party site: http://mobilegop.com • Mobile Democratic Party site: http://www.mobiledems.org • Other parties as well; check out Project Vote Smart site (http://votesmart.org/political-parties/AL#.UjXZTxZU5UQ) • But again, the role of the parties here is waning. When was the last time you visited these sites?

7. Role of parties (cont.) 3. Act as a “bonding agent” – ensure good performance of the politicians by selecting good people to begin with and holding them accountable. • But note the increased role of alternatives, like factcheck.org (http://www.factcheck.org), Snopes (http://www.snopes.com) and PoliticFact (http://www.politifact.com) • Beware Internet GIGO (see, e.g., “cattle guard” controversy) • Interest groups also do this. See, e.g., League of Conservation Voters “scorecard” (http://scorecard.lcv.org)

8. Role of parties (cont.) • Participate in governing. • Leaders in Congress selected along party lines. Many decisions made based on partisanship. • But see Syria debate; see also articles like “The House GOP revolts: John Boehner officially has no control over his caucus” (http://theweek.com/article/index/245960/the-house-gop-revolts-john-boehner-officially-has-no-control-over-his-caucus) • Parties also provide channels of communication for all 3 branches. • President will work with the leadership of both parties on issues, enlist their help in communicating with others.

9. Role of parties (cont.) • Act as a watchdog, particularly if you’re in the minority. • Can force the majority to tack to the middle. • See following excerpt from Mitch McConnell interview with the National Journal (10/23/10): • McConnell: The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president. • NJ: Does that mean endless, or at least frequent, confrontation with the president? • McConnell: If President Obama does a Clintonian backflip, if he’s willing to meet us halfway on some of the biggest issues, it’s not inappropriate for us to do business with him.

10. Constitutionality of Political Parties • The U.S. Constitution does not mention political parties. • Federalist #10 by James Madison warned of factions. • George Washington’s Farewell Address warned of partisan politics as well (see next slide). • GW: parties threaten national unity and popular government.

11. Warnings Washington’s farewell address: “The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”

12. First Party System (1800-1860) • Began with Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans (the first two parties) • Jefferson (D-R) defeats Adams (F) (see electoral map, next slide) • Peaceful transition of power

13. Election of 1800

14. Demise of the Federalists • War of 1812 • Democratic-Republicans were war hawks against Britain. • Federalists support Britain, against war • Leads to collapse of Federalists.

15. In first half of 19th century… …the Ds won 13 of 15 presidential elections. • Ds were led by Jackson; a coalition of the little guys. Jackson ushered in 3 big changes: • Voting rights for all white males • Huge increase in number of elected offices • Spread of the spoils system • Political participation became a mass phenomenon. Grew from 365k in 1824 to 2mm in 1840. • Impending Civil War split both parties. Clay died, taking the Whig Party with him. The Ds split along north/south lines. • Rs successfully courted northern Ds and former Whigs. R Party founded in 1854. Honest Abe their first president.

16. Election of 1860

17. 1860 - 1932 Rswon 14 of 18 presidential elections. • Rs supported by b’ness, farmers, laborers, freed slaves. • Ds had a “solid south” but could elect only one prez – Grover Cleveland, in 1884 and again in 1892.

18. Election of 1932

19. 1932-1968 • FDR wins 4 times • People’s attitudes towards the gov’t start to change • New electoral base for Ds: south, small farmers, blacks, unions (among others) • Since 1968, Rs have won 7 of 10 presidential elections

20. Given these splits should we create two (or more) countries? • Sample of efforts underway: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/12/secession-fever-sweeps-texas-maryland-colorado-and-california.html • Obama Administration response: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/our-states-remain-united

21. Instead, We Have the Two-Party System • In-class debate: Is the current system working, or should we have more than two major political parties?

22. Why just 2 parties? • Tradition. Once established, it is self-perpetuating. We have it b/c we have it. • The Electoral System. Lots of things make 2 the right #. • Single-member districts, i.e., districts where only one winner, based on plurality of votes. This discourages minor party candidates, b/c they’re perceived as wasted votes. • Much of electoral law is stacked a/g minor parties. Ex: getting someone on a ballot, the Electoral College vote. • The American Ideological Consensus. Many think we are basically homogenous in a pluralistic society.

23. Some Pros of 2-party system • It tends to have a moderating and stabilizing influence on politics. To get elected, you need to cater to a wide range of views. • Tends to clarify the issues. • Since there are only two major parties we are assured of having a majority government in the executive and legislative branches. This (theoretically, at least) leads to a more stable government with fewer shifting alliances.

24. Some cons of the 2-party system • It is difficult for third parties to elect officials to public office. The Republicans and Democrats have an effective monopoly on electing officials, so meaningful dissent and new points of view are lost. • Party members and officials are at times accused of being overly partisan. They may put the interest of their party ahead of the interest of the nation. To succeed in Congress, you must play ball with the party leaders.

25. Ds vs. Rs • http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/weekinreview/20061001_HERDS_GRAPHIC.html • For the uber political geek, here is a link to party platforms dating back to 1840: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/platforms.php

26. An overview with more detail… … if you really want to know more about the history of parties in the U.S., check out http://flhspatterson.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/7491564/politicalparties%5B1%5D.htm

27. Party Membership Patterns • Membership is voluntary. The parties try to cast broad nets. Thus, both parties have a lot of diversity, although there are some leanings. Ex: blacks, Jews, unions more D; Protestants, business more R.

28. How do we form our affiliation? This happens for lots of reasons. • Family most important. Children most frequently adopt the views of their parents. • Major events (see Civil War, Depression). • Economic status (the wealthier you are, the likelier it is that you’re a Republican (with exceptions, of course)).

29. Are there minor parties? • Yup. See http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm • Why? • Ideological parties. Based on a set of beliefs. Often built around Marxist ideas, although some at the other end of the spectrum, too. Long-lived, short on votes.

30. Minor parties (cont.) • Single-issue parties. E.g., Right to Life Party. Most fade into sunset, either b/c goal is achieved or interest wanes.

31. Minor parties (cont.) • Economic interest parties. No clear ideological bent. Just mad at someone – fat-cat bankers, foreigners, etc. They disappear when happy times return.

32. Minor parties (cont.) • Splinter parties. See, e.g., TR’s Bull Moose Party, George Wallace’s American Independence Party. Usually formed around a strong personality and thus fade when the “great man” dies.

33. Do Third Parties Matter? Yes, for several reasons. • Can change the logistics. See, e.g., Anti-Masons and their first-ever party nominating convention. • Can be a spoiler. Think Ralph Nader in FL, TR in 1912. • Can be important voices as critics and innovators. They are unencumbered by the risk of winning and thus can speak their minds. If they are on to something, their ideas often get co-opted by the Ds and Rs.

34. Will 3rd Parties Ever Get Invited to the Debates? • Unlikely. • http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=candidate-selection-process

35. Third-Party Success (or lack thereof) Third-Party and Independent Presidential Candidates Receiving 5 Percent or More of Popular Vote since 1900 CANDIDATE PARTY YEAR % OF POP VOTE ELECTORAL VOTE Ross Perot Reform Party 1996 8.5 0 Ross Perot Independent 1992 18.9 0 John Anderson Independent 1980 6.6 0 Geo. Wallace American Ind. 1968 13.5 46 Rob’tLaFollette Progressive 1924 16.6 13 T. Roosevelt Bull Moose 1912 27.4 88 Eugene Debs Socialist 1912 6.0 0

37. Party Organization • Both parties are highly decentralized. • No chain of command from RNC and DNC to the states and cities. • The main thing that flows back and forth is money. • Why decentralization? • In part, federalism; lots of gov’ts in the U.S. The parties as decentralized as the gov’ts. • In part, the national parties have very few ways to enforce discipline.

38. Party Machines No: Yes:

39. 3 Parts to the National Party Machines • The national convention. • Used to be meaningful. • We’ve had brokered conventions, leading to lots of floor votes (like, 103 of them in 1924). • Last one in 1952 (Adlai Stevenson) • Largely a big party now (in the celebration sense). • Parties hate public spats. Ds changed rules to make them less likely. Rs tend not to fight as much. (Ds fall in love; Rs fall in line.) • “In their current form, conventions are exercises in collective vanity, an excuse for the party’s settled nominee—who has already garnered enough delegates to make his competitors drop out—to get media exposure and some prime face-time with party big-wigs.” The American Prospect. • Platforms are adopted, but largely irrelevant.

40. Party Platforms

41. National Conventions (cont.) • The National Committee sets the time and place of the party’s convention (the challenger always goes first), and it tells each state how many delegates it gets. • Ds reward loyalty and large states; Rs reward more loyalty. As a result, southern and southwestern states have more delegates at the R convention; Ds have more delegates from northeast and western states. • D rules also result in more women, minorities as delegates than you’ll see at the R convention.

42. 3 Parts to Nat’l Party Machines (cont.) • The National Committee and National Chairman • ReincePriebus head of the RNC, and our own Wells Griffith was a senior aide to Mr. Priebus. (Debbie Wasserman Shultz head of the DNC.) • These folks represent the parties in the media, raise money, plan the conventions, etc.

43. 3 Parts to Nat’l Party Machines (cont.) • The Congressional Campaign Committee • Hugely important in Congress. Each chamber has a D and an R Congressional Campaign Committee. • They raise lots of money. • They use this money to help candidates from their party.

44. The President’s role • The President is always the head of his (her?) party. • Has greatest access to the media, controls appointments, sets policy agenda for the executive branch, etc.

45. The Future of Parties We still have them, but they’re getting weaker. 1. Fewer people identify themselves as D or R. See http://www.people-press.org/2012/06/01/trend-in-party-identification-1939-2012/

46. The Future of Parties (cont.) 2. More “split-ticket” voting (i.e., voting for candidates of different parties during same election; example: voting for R presidential candidate and D congressman).

47. The Future of Parties (cont.) • Less reliance on parties for money. • The rise of the “super pac” has made candidates less beholden to parties. • Koch brothers, Adelsens, and others have spent 100s of millions of their own dollars through super pacs.

48. The Future of Parties (cont.) • Changes in technology. • No longer need the parties to get the message out. • Internet the great equalizer.