AP Government & Politics Chapter Twelve Political Parties

Political Parties A group of people who share common principles who work for the control of government to affect policy What parties do – 1) Nominate candidates 2) Run election campaigns 3) Cue voters – why vote for the party 4) Articulate policy 5) Governing & coordinating policy .

Political Parties Party in the electorate – a political party as it exists with voters that identify themselves as members of a party Party as organization – a political party as it exists with leaders, offices, staff, and budget; keeps the party running Party in government – a political party as it exists with government officials that identify themselves as members of the party

Why do we have a two-party system? The Historical Basis The Force of Tradition The Electoral System a) Single member districts Winner-Take-All Elections Fed b) Bi-Partisan effort to keep control list v. Anti-federalist > conflict over ratification of Constitution and the role of government Electoral College Federal and State Laws  

The Two Party System Emerges John Adams and the Federalists vs. Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans

Democratic Party Coalition Today African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics Jews Social liberals:  pro-choice, pro-gay rights, anti-death penalty Pro-civil rights organizations Labor unions Women College educated professionals  Young people

The Traditional GOP Coalition Business owners & capitalists White men Northeasterners Pro-defense (anti-communists) Fiscal conservatives (small federal government, low taxes) Social moderates

GOP Coalition Today Business community White males White southerners Social conservatives (pro-life, oppose same-sex marriage) Evangelical Christians Pro-military, pro-gun rights, limit immigration Tea Party Libertarians

  Dealignment Reduction of the amount of voters who self-identify with a major party in the United States 72 million registered Democrats 55 million registered Republicans 42 million registered Independents

Facts on Dealignment Of those who label themselves as “independent” 1/3 pure 1/3 lean Dem 1/3 lean Rep Critical Realignments:                                 Southern Dems now Republicans, Gender Gap favors Democrats

The Political Spectrum

Four Major Eras Era of Democrats 1800 – 1860 Era of Republicans 1860 – 1932 Era of Democrats 1932 – 1968 Era of divided Government 1968 –

Critical Elections An election that may polarize voters around new issues and personalities in reaction to crucial developments, such as a war or an economic depression

Critical Elections The Election of 1800 The Democratic Republicans take the White House (Jefferson) and Congress from the Federalists The Federalist party slowly fades away

Critical Elections The Election of 1860 The new Republican Party takes the presidency for the first time (Lincoln) The Whig Party dies The Democratic Party will dominate the South for 100 years

Critical Elections The Election of 1932 F. Roosevelt and the Democrats win in a landslide The country repudiates Republican economic principles Democrats hold the presidency for 20 years

Critical Elections The Election of 1968 Roosevelt Democrats leave the party over social issues: the Vietnam War protests, hippie counter-culture movement, Civil Rights movement The “Solid South” Democrats flip to the Republicans over Civil Rights enforcement in the South

Party Polarization Two parties more ideologically pure (Reps more conservative, Dems more liberal) Fewer moderates in either party (especially GOP) Electorate more polarized

Party Polarization

Party Polarization

Party Polarization

Washington’s Warning However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” ~ Farewell Address, September, 1796  

The Founders Attitude Toward Political Parties Federalist No. 10 - Madison writes that factions are not desirable but probably inevitable in a Democratic system Founding Fathers did not anticipate or desire the existence of political parties, viewing them as "factions" dangerous to the public interest Founders' republican ideology called for subordination of narrow interests to the general welfare of the community Under the ideology of a republic, politics was supposed to be rational and collaborative, not competitive

So You’re saying there’s a chance? Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties So You’re saying there’s a chance? No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency: Only five third party candidates including Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of popular vote

Obstacles to Third Parties in the American Political System Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties Obstacles to Third Parties in the American Political System The Democratic & Republican Parties make the rules Winner-take-all elections Frozen out of the Presidential Debates Lack on easy access to the ballot in all states Lack of media attention Lack of funding $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Third Parties ABC, NBC & CBS Evening News Broadcasts (1/1/16 – 8/31/16) Trump (R) 1,773 minutes Clinton (D) 1,020 minutes McMullen (I) 32 seconds Johnson (L) 11 seconds Stein (G) 3 seconds Source: Media Research Center

The Importance of Third Parties #1 Though very rare, a Third Party may replace one of the major parties 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party vs.

Purpose of Third Parties #2 Third Parties bring in new ideas and innovations to American politics Often if these ideas become very popular – one or more of the major parties may adopt the idea Once a major party assimilates the idea – the Third Party dies out

Third Party Innovations Abolition of Slavery in the United States: The 1840/1844 Liberty Party and 1848 Free Soil Party. Women’s Suffrage, Prohibition, Direct Election of Senators, the Secret Ballot, the Initiative, Compulsory Education: The Progressive Party 1900 to 1920 Balancing the Budget:  Ross Perot’s 1992 Independent Candidacy.

Purpose of Third Parties #3 The Spoiler Role – Third parties may serve as “spoilers” in elections preventing a major party candidate from winning TR in 1912 = Wilson (D) won a narrow victory over Taft (R) George Wallace in 1968 = Nixon (R) won – Humphrey (D) Ralph Nader in 2000 = GWB (R) won over Al Gore (D)

Purpose of Third Parties #4 Role of Critic of the Major Parties - Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.

Barriers to Third Parties Barriers to Third Parties Divided Government Only 14 times (28 years) since 1945 have both branches of Congress and the Presidency been controlled by the same party; the Democrats have held this advantage more often than Republicans (eleven times to three).    

Barriers to Third Parties Barriers to Third Parties Divided Government Since 1945, the House and Senate have been controlled by different parties only five times (10 years). However, three of those have been since the 2000 elections, which makes this “seem” more normal to us than it is, historically. And there have been only two complete turn-overs of Congress since 1949: one in 1995 and the other in 2007.