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POLITICAL PARTIES: ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRACY

Parties as Institutions (Not in Text) . Parties have been broadly defined as

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POLITICAL PARTIES: ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRACY

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    1. POLITICAL PARTIES: ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRACY CHAPTER 7

    2. Parties as Institutions (Not in Text) Parties have been broadly defined as a group whose members propose to act in concert in the competitive struggle for political power in order to get their candidates elected. Election oriented parties Issue oriented parties. Minor parties and European parties

    3. Major Parties are Big Tents Democrats and Republicans are election oriented. No single issue on which all members agree. Democrats and Republicans are big-tent parties. Consequences

    4. Functions of Political Parties Organize the Competition recruit candidates nominate candidates register and activate the electorate Provide help through volunteers and information

    5. Organizing the Competition (Not in Text) Type of nominating system impacts influence of party. Influence of Party on overall election is affected by the type of ballot used Party-Column Office block ballot

    6. Office Bloc Ballot

    7. Party Column Ballot

    8. Functions of Political Parties Unify the Electorate Parties must work to forge compromises within their own parties. To win election, must get behind the candidate and the platform of the party. Parties work toward consensus. Working to bring new voters into the party. Impact on policy proposals

    9. Functions of Political Parties Help Organize Government President is leader of the party Congress is organized on party lines. Appointments to cabinet positions are almost always based on party affiliation. Patronage

    10. Functions of Political Parties Translate Preference into Policy The winning party can rarely do anything very radical. Winning parties sometimes have the opportunity to translate public preference into policy. FDR in 32, Reagan in 1980 Responsible party system v. candidate centered system

    11. Functions of Political Parties Provide loyal opposition Party out of Power acts as a watchdog on the party in power. Alternative proposals Point out defects and alternatives. Keeps democratic choice alive.

    12. The Nomination of Candidates Partys are the mechanism through which candidates for public office are chosen. Caucus Earliest method Problems. Mixed Caucuses Problems Conventions How they work Problems?

    13. The Nomination of Candidates Primaries Started in Progressive era to make nominations more inclusive and democratic. Most common form of nomination today. Types: Open Advantages Disadvantages Closed Advantages Disadvantages Run-Off Small majority of states used closed.

    14. Effects of Primary System (not in text) Weakens party system. Interest groups more important and puts more demands on fundraising. TV and media increase independence of candidates. Why?

    15. Nomination by Petition Can get on the ballot without a party nomination through petitions. State law governs Ross Perot, Jessie Ventura. Rare for an independent candidate to win Why?

    16. Multi-Party Systems US has a two-party system. Most other democracies have multi-party systems. Usually exist is parliamentary democracies (define) Legislature is usually the most important branch and the executive is the leader of the majority (or ruling) party.

    17. Multi-Party Systems Often no single party has a majority of the seats and thus must create a coalition with small minor parties to create a majority. Usually, elections have multi-member districts and proportional representation. Minor parties have more power Why? Issue-Oriented parties more common Governments can be less stable

    18. Two-Party System (Not in Text) Elections are based on single-member districts with Winner-Take-All vote. Discourages votes for minor-party candidates. Why? Minor parties tend to be fringe parties and rarely elect candidates. Minor party votes tend to be protest vote. Reaction to minor party success

    19. Minor Parties Have never won a Presidential election, have won very few congressional seats. Have influenced elections by splitting the vote. Notable third parties Bull Moose-TRwon electoral votes Populistswon electoral votes American Independent Party( Wallace in 1968) --won electoral votes Ross Perot and the Reform Party

    20. Death of Minor Parties Most minor parties are short-lived. Reasons: Issues go away Economy gets better Party heals Phagocytocis Exception: Ideological parties

    21. Types of Minor Parties (Not in Book) Economic protest(short lived) Dissolve when times get better Ideologicalsocialist, libertarian, Green (long lived) Splinter partiesBull Moose (short lived) Often center on particular candidate; usually split vote Single Issue(short lived) Green Back Free Soil

    22. Minor Parties Essential to Democracy Despite our two party system, minor parties are essential to American Government. Why?

    23. History Of American Political Parties Founders didnt want or anticipate permanent parties. Why? Arose almost immediately in Washington Administration. Jefferson and Hamilton Stable two-party system has existed ever since. When parties fail, a new one springs up immediately. Federalists to Whigs to Republicans Parties are moderate and accommodative Party affiliation is very stable and changes very slowly

    24. Realigning Elections Realigning elections defined Characteristics of realigning elections Have been four major realigning elections 1824Andrew Jackson and the Democrats 1860: The Civil War and the Rise of the Republicans. 1896: A Party in Transition 1932: Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal

    26. The Texas Example

    27. Cause of Regional Realignment in South (not in text) Civil Rights Vietnam War Social Issues and 60s youth movements. At first effect was Southern Democratic Parties that were much more conservative Starting in 1980s, movement to republicans, first in voting booth and then in party registration. Challenge for modern Democrats?

    28. Cause of Regional Realignment in New England (not in text) Republican use of social issues Republican alignment with Christian conservatives Iraq war

    29. How divided is America? (2004)

    30. 2008

    31. Divided Government Since the 1950s the American electorate has shown a clear predilection for divided government. Since 1953 twice as often as one-party control. Generally this was due to Republicans controlling the presidency while Democrats maintained control over Congress. Causes?

    33. American Parties Today Today American Parties are weaker than ever. Why? How do Americans view political parties? Both the Democratic and Republican parties are moderate in their policies and leadership. Why? Senators tend to be more moderate than House Members. Why?

    34. National Party Leadership National Party Convention. National Committee National Party Chair Congressional and Senatorial Campaign Committees

    35. Party Platforms and Party Differences Platforms tend to be Dull Ponderous rarely read rarely controversial more likely to harm than to help Recently, nominees have been able to exert much more control over platform to ensure that it wont hurt them. Reason more control recently.

    36. Parties at the Grass Roots Major parties are decentralized. Degree to which National party has control over local party affairs. Goals and ideology of State parties. Each state has a state committee and a state chairpersonGovernor controls his party. Some states have very active and strong third-parties Below state committees are the County Committees-vary widely from state to state and county to county.

    37. Parties in Government Political parties play a key role in the operation of government In the Legislative Branch having your party be in the majority is very significant. Why? In the Executive Branch Presidents staff and cabinet are almost always from his party He also has about 4000 positions in government to fill, which are also almost always filled on a partisan basis.

    38. Parties in Government In the JudiciaryJudges usually from the same party as President and often with clear ideological flavor.

    39. Parties in the Electorate Party Registration Party Activists: Three broad types. Party Regulars Candidate activists Issue activists Issue and candidate activists are considered purists. Why?

    40. Party Identification Most identify with a party without being active in it. Party Identification defined Impact of party identification on voter behavior. Stability of party identification over last 40 years. More people identify with the Democrats than the Republicans. Why do Republicans do so well?

    42. Presidential Vote by Party. Source: Data obtained from CQ Voting and Elections Collections, at library.cqpress.com/elections/.

    43. Affiliation by Demographic

    44. Dealignment Some argue that has been a major abandonment of both parties in favor of Independent status. Evidence for? Evidence against?

    45. How Parties Raise And Spend Money Purpose and use of party money The Soft Money Problem. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

    46. Are the Political Parties Dying? Criticisms of Parties Party Reform

    47. End of Chapter

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