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POLITICAL PARTIES

POLITICAL PARTIES. Chapter 12 O’Connor and Sabato American Government: Continuity and Change. POLITICAL PARTIES. In this chapter we will cover … What is a Political Party? The Evolution of American Party Democracy The Roles of American Parties One-Partyism and Third-Partyism

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POLITICAL PARTIES

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  1. POLITICAL PARTIES Chapter 12 O’Connor and Sabato American Government: Continuity and Change

  2. POLITICAL PARTIES In this chapter we will cover… • What is a Political Party? • The Evolution of American Party Democracy • The Roles of American Parties • One-Partyism and Third-Partyism • The Basic Structure of American Political Parties • The Party in Government • The Party-In-The-Electorate

  3. What is a Political Party? A political party is a group of voters, activists, candidates, and office holders who identify with a party label and seek to elect individuals to public office.

  4. The Evolution of American Party Democracy • Hamilton and Jefferson, as heads of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist groups respectively, are often considered 'fathers' of the modern party system. • By 1800, this country had a party system with two major parties that has remained relatively stable ever since.

  5. Democrats and Republicans: The Golden Age • From the presidential elections of 1860 to the present, the same two major parties have contested elections in the United States: Democrats and Republicans. • Reconstruction -- Republican dominance • Republican party formed 1854 by anti-slavery activists • 1876-1896 -- closely competitive • 1896-1929 -- Republican dominance • 1930s and 1940s -- Democratic dominance • 1950s and 1960s -- closely competitive • 1970-present -- neither party dominant

  6. The Roles of American Parties • The two party system has been used to resolve political and social conflicts. • Mobilizing Support and Gathering Power • A Force for Stability • Unity, Linkage, Accountability • The Electioneering Function • Party as a Voting and Issue Cue • Policy Formulation and Promotion

  7. One-Partyism • A significant trend of recent times is the demise of one-partyism (one party dominance of elections in a given region). • The formerly "Solid South" is no longer only Democratic. • There are no Republican or Democratic states at this time. • Many individuals split their vote between the parties, and sometimes vote for third parties.

  8. Minor Parties: Third-Partyism • Minor parties are not a threat to the two major parties. • Only eight third parties have won any electoral votes in a presidential contest. • The third parties that have had some success are: • 1996 and 1992: Ross Perot’s Reform Party • 1968: George Wallace’s American Independent Party • 1924: Robert LaFollette’s Progressive Party • 1912: Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party • 1856: Millard Fillmore's American Party

  9. The Golden Age 1874-1912 • Party stability- rare • Big city and big party organization-political “machines” Chicago • Party was viewed as government-party provided social services directly=patronage and allegiance • Intense devotion=high voter turnout 76% or better in elections form 1876-1900

  10. Modern Era • 1930s-social services began to be provided by national gov. not parties • Direct primaries meant power of party diminished • Loose ties between candidate and party • Post WWII- issue oriented politics • Individual candidate became focus • Interest groups rather than party stepped into void • More ticket splitting-voters vote for candidate as much as the party

  11. Realignment • A shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections • Jefferson formed Dem-Rep party • Whig dissolved, Republican emerged won pres. 1860 • Great Depression-many voters realigned to Dem

  12. Crashing the Party • Winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing • Two party domination b/c need 50% +1 and you win • Third parties do best when there is declining trust in two parties

  13. The Basic Structure of American Political Parties

  14. Party organization • National Committees • estab. National governing bodies Dems 1848(DNC) , Rep (RNC)1856 • Congress estab party committees to help candidates • DNC & RNC have national chairpersons • Republican National Committee chair Dem • Regulation of party is up to STATES • 100,00 precincts primary dates

  15. Show Me the $$$$$$ • Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) McCain Feingold Act • Attempted to limit $ spent on campaigns, but opened a tax loophole=527 • 527s can raise unlimited funds used to influence voters through ads-can’t ask for votes • some 527s have been fined for being too political and breaking rules • Soft $ virtually unregulated banned by BCRA but Supreme Court had muddied the waters-527s filled the void • -Citizens United v FEC-unions and corporations can spend unlimited $ on issue ads, not express advocacy • Hard Money-can only be used for direct electioneering-regulated by FEC Federal Elections Commission

  16. http://www.opensecrets.org/parties/index.php

  17. The Party-In-The-Electorate • The party-in-the-electorate is the mass of potential voters who identify with specific party. • American voters often identify with a specific party, but rarely formally belong to it. • Party identification is often a voter's central political reference symbol. • Party identification generally come from one's parents. • However party id can be affected by a number of factors such as education, peers, charismatic personalities, cataclysmic events, and intense social issues.

  18. Loyalty Trends - Republican • Chambers of Commerce tend to vote Republican • The West tends to be more Republican • Men tend to split fairly evenly between the two parties • Cuban Americans are generally Republicans (anti-Castro) • Professionals, executives, and white collar workers tend to be Republican • High status Protestants tend to be Republican • Married couples tend to be Republican • Conservatives tend to be Republican

  19. Loyalty Trends - Democratic • Labor union members tend to vote Democratic • Democrats have a lead in garnering the women's votes • Over 80% of African Americans • Hispanics vote 3 to 1 Democratic • Young people are again more Democratic • Most blue collar workers and unemployed are Democrats • Catholics and Jews are mostly Democrats • The widowed are mostly Democrats

  20. Declining Party Loyalty? • Dealignment-general decline in partisan id • The number of independents in the U.S. rose from 19% in 1958 to 37% twenty years later. • Identification with the two major parties today is in the mid 80% range. • Pollsters often find that many self declared independents often 'lean' quite strongly to either the Democrat or Republican party. • “Leaners” do feel party affiliations, but choose not to self-identify with a party.

  21. http://www.mysterypollster.com/main/2006/04/rasmussen_and_p.htmlhttp://www.mysterypollster.com/main/2006/04/rasmussen_and_p.html http://www.electionstudies.org/nesguide/toptable/tab2a_1.htm

  22. 2008 http://www.mysterypollster.com/main/2006/04/rasmussen_and_p.html

  23. Websites Major Parties • Democratic National Committee • www.democrats.org • Republican National Committee • www.rnc.org Third Parties • Third Party Central • www.3pc.net/index.html • Libertarian Party • www.lp.org • Reform Party. • www.reformparty.org

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