Chapter 5: Political Parties

Parties and What They Do Section 1 Parties and What They Do

What Do Parties Do? 1. Nominate candidates for office and work to help their candidates win 2. Inform and activate supporters Campaigning, take stands on issues, criticize opponents, advertisements 3. “Bonding Agents” ensure good performance, make sure candidates are qualified and perform well in office

What Do Parties Do? 4. Governing 5. Acts as Watchdog Officeholders chosen on basis of party Govern on basis of support of party and its political stands (partisanship) 5. Acts as Watchdog Party out of power criticizes the party in power (the party controlling the executive branch)

The Two-Party System Two is a party, Three is a crowd! Section 2 The Two-Party System Two is a party, Three is a crowd!

Tradition The framers didn’t want political parties but they were first formed with the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists The nation has always had a two-party system, and it will continue to have one because Americans accept it

The Electoral System and the Two-party System Single-member districts work to discourage minor parties – encouraging the two-party system Much of American election law is written to discourage minor parties Republicans and Democrats work together to preserve the two-party system Non-major candidates have made it to the ballot everywhere in only seven presidential elections

American Ideological Consensus Over time, Americans have come to share many of the same ideals, principles, and patterns of belief This causes American society and politics to simply not permit more that two major parties This also causes the two major parties to be very much alike, both trying to go down the middle to get the most votes There are however, some significant differences between Democrats and Republicans

Multiparty Systems In many European democracies Consists of several major and many lesser parties Various parties are based on particular interests Economic class, religion, etc. Makes for a broader and more diverse representation Sometimes causes the power to govern to be shared by many parties (coalition)                                          

One-Party Systems In dictatorships Example of states in U.S. having one-party systems is the Democrats until the 1950s in the “Solid South” 1/3 of states still have a modified one-party system in which on major party always wins

Party Membership Patterns Being a member of a party is voluntary Each party comprised of a cross section of the nation’s population African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and union members tend to be more Democratic White males, Protestants, and the business community tend to be more Republican Decide which party by: family, major events, economic status, age, education, and job Americas independent party

Two Party System Disadvantages Difficult for third parties to elect officials to public office. Democrats and Republicans have a monopoly. Party members and officials are at times accused of being overly partisan. May appear that the interest of the party is great than the nation. Advantages Since the Republican and Democratic parties are not based upon common principles they tend to have a moderating and stabilizing influence on politics. With only two major parties we have a majority executive and legislative branches.

Democrats Republicans Individual dignity and responsibility Equal rights, justice, and opportunity Free enterprise Fiscally responsible government Local control/local government Limited central government National strength/security Global peace, freedom and human rights Expanding opportunities Strong economic growth Affordable health care Retirement security Accountable government National security Protection of civil rights and liberties Energy independence

The Two-Party System in American History Section 3 The Two-Party System in American History

Nations First Parties: The Federalists Alexander Hamilton Rich and well-born Wanted a stronger national government Wanted a liberal interpretation of the Constitution

Nations First Parties: The Anti-Federalists Thomas Jefferson Sympathetic to the common man Wanted a limited federal government Wanted a strict interpretation of the Constitution

The Four Major Eras: Era of the Democrats, 1800-1860 Started with Jefferson in 1800 The were unopposed until the 1820s when the party split into factions The Whig party led by Henry Clay were the major opponents until the Civil War During the Democratic Era: Voting for white males was established Huge increase in the number of elected offices Spread of the spoils system

The Four Major Eras: Era of the Republicans, 1860-1932 Started with Abraham Lincoln in 1860 After the Civil War, the Democrats only hold was the “Solid South” McKinley’s victory in 1896 drew a broader range of electorate and helped Republicans to dominate even more In 1912 Republicans nominated Taft and not Theodore Roosevelt so he went to the Progressive Party and the vote was split so Democrat Woodrow Wilson won The GOP regained its ground winning the next 3 elections

The Four Major Eras: Return of the Democrats, 1932-1968 During the Great Depression people voted Democrat FDR FDR’s New Deal strengthened the Democratic Party and got them the support of the African American community FDR won 3 terms until his death Eisenhower won for the Republicans from 1952-56 JFK regained the Presidency for the Democrats in 1960

The Four Major Eras: Start of a New Era, 1968-Present The Republicans regained power in 1968 with Nixon until the Watergate Scandal in 1974 In 1976 Jimmy Carter won for the Democrats after the Watergate Scandal and pardon of Nixon hurt Gerald Ford Republicans won again in 1980 & 84 with Reagan and held it with George Bush in 1988 Democrats won in 1992 & 96 with Clinton Republicans got it back in 2000 & 04 with George W. Bush

Section 4 The Minor Parties

Ideological Parties Based on a particular set of beliefs Many built on Marxist thought Socialist, Socialist Labor, Socialist Worker, and Communist parties Libertarian Party Emphasizes individualism Ideological Parties seldom win many votes

Single-Issue Parties Focus on only one public-policy matter Free Soil Party Opposed the spread of slaver in 1840-50s American Party (“Know Nothings”) Opposed Irish-Catholic immigration in the1850s Right to Life Party Opposes abortion today Most die away as events have passed them by                                                

Economic Protest Parties Rooted in periods of economic disaster No clear-cut ideological base Proclaim their disgust for the major parties Greenback Party, 1876-1884 Populist Party of the 1890s Disappear as the nation climbs out of difficult economic periods

Splinter Parties Have split away from one of the major parties Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party of 1912 Robert La Follette’s Progressive Party of 1924 Henry Wallace’s Progressive Party, 1948 States’ Rights Party,1948 George Wallace’s Independent Party of 1968 Most form around a person who failed to win the major party’s nomination

Green Party Founded in 1996 Began as a single-issue party but has evolved Came to prominence in 2000 with Ralph Nader as its nominee Nader’s campaign built around: Environmental protection, universal health care, gay and lesbian rights, restraints on corporate power, etc.

Why Minor Parties Are Important Minor Party, Anti-Masons, first to use a national convention in 1831 A strong third-party can play a “spoiler role” pulling votes from one of the major parties Take clear-cut stands on controversial issues and draw attention to issues the major parties ignore

Section 5 Party Organization

Decentralized Nature of the Parties Role of Presidency Party leader Uses media and power to make appointments and other favors to his party Impact of Federalism Goal of parties is to gain control of government by winning elective votes Because the governmental system is decentralized, so are the major parties Role of the Nominating Process Nominations made within the party, and that can lead to fighting among party members

National Party Machinery National Convention Summer of election year to nominate Adopt the party’s rules and write the platform National Committee Handle the party’s affairs between national conventions National Chairperson Leader of the national committee Four year term Congressional Campaign Committees Work to reelect incumbents and unseat incumbents of the other party Two year term (In Congress)

State and Local Party Machinery State Organization State central committee, headed by a State Chairperson Work to further the party’s interests in the State Local Organization Follow the electoral map of the State with a party unit for each district Mostly work only in months before the election

Three Components of the Party 1. The Party Organization Party’s leaders, activists and hangers-on 2. The Party in the Electorate Party’s loyalists who vote the straight party ticket 3. The Party in Government Party’s officeholders in executive, legislated, and judicial branches of the government

Future of the Major Parties Political parties have been in a period of decline since the 1960s: Drop in the number of voters identified as Democrats or Republicans Increase in split-ticket voting Making parties more open but having more internal conflict and disorganization Technology of campaigning for office:use of TV and internet Growth of single-issue organizations

Sources Used Magruder’s American Government, revised by William A. McClenaghan, published by Prentice Hall Pictures from http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/PartyLink.htm and http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q=