Political Parties

Learning Objectives Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy / Describe how political parties are organized in the U.S. Differentiate the party eras in American history. Compare America’s two party system to the alternatives. Assess the impact and limitations of third parties on American politics Determine the significance of party identification in the U.S. today.

Q1. What is the purpose of political parties? Controlling the government

Parties: “three-headed giants”

Q2. What are the “three-heads” of parties? (3 roles) As a label, in voters’ minds Party in the electorate As an organization, recruiting and campaigning for candidates Party as an organization As a set of leaders, organizing and trying to control legislative and executive branches Party in government The influence of #1 and #2 has declined The influence of #3 has strengthened Especially in Congress

Q3. What do parties do? (functions) Pick candidates Run campaigns Give cues to voters Articulate policies Coordinate policymaking

Parties, Voters, and Policy 8.1 Parties, Voters, and Policy Rational choice theory Political scientist Anthony Downs’ model Most voters are moderate Center of political spectrum Parties seek voter loyalty Position themselves to left and right of center In theory, parties compete like businesses for voters’ support. The products for sale are candidates and policies. Some political scientists use a rational-choice model to explain the relationship among citizens, parties, and policy. They assume that actors are rational and make decisions to sensibly pursue goals. Political scientist Anthony Downs argues that voters want their favored policies to be enacted by government and parties want to get elected. So parties will adopt popular policies to maximize their chances of winning votes. Since most voters are moderate, parties will cluster around the center of the political spectrum. Yet parties must also distinguish themselves to win over loyal adherents. To do this, they position themselves just to the left and right of center.

How do parties maximize their appeal to voters? 8.1 How do parties maximize their appeal to voters? Let’s answer a review question about what political parties do to stay popular among voters. Position themselves near political center Lie about their opponents Stake out clear positions to the left or right Make party members sign loyalty oaths

How do parties maximize their appeal to voters? 8.1 How do parties maximize their appeal to voters? Parties position themselves near the political center to maximize their appeal to voters. They may lie about their opponents, but this is not the main way that they earn voter loyalty. In fact, negative campaigning turns off some potential supporters. Parties avoid staking out clear positions too far to the left or right because most voters are near the political center. There are no loyalty oaths required of party members. Registered Republicans can vote for Democratic candidates in any election if they so choose. Position themselves near political center Lie about their opponents Stake out clear positions to the left or right Make party members sign loyalty oaths

Party as an Organization Local Parties 50 State Party Systems National Party Organizations

Local Parties Used to be the main party organization Party machines Rewarded voters New York / Chicago Patronage Jobs for voters and contributors Progressive reforms ended this system

50 State Party Systems No two exactly alike Get to decide voting rules Some well-funded, some weak Get to decide voting rules Open or closed primaries Straight-ticket voting Single column or random list of candidates

National Party Organizations National convention Every four years Writes party platform Formal nomination of candidates National committee Operates between conventions Led by national chairperson

Party Platforms: Individual Task Everyone gets one of six different party platforms: Identify the parts of the platform (“planks”) that you agree with and highlight or underline them Be prepared to explain your rationale for selecting these particular planks

Party Platforms: Group Task Adopt a new party platform for your group. What will be challenging about this task? Creating the platform: Combine your selected planks into a platform Include 15-20 planks + identify their origin Avoid contradictory planks Planks do not need to be balanced You must reach a consensus Name your party!

Party Platforms: Reflection Were you able to identify your platform? Overall, what did you think of your platform? Was it a major party or minor party platform? How accurate were your predictions about the challenges of forming a platform? How does this exercise help us understand the role of parties?

Historical Party Eras

1796-1824: First Party System Madison warned against factions Hamilton – Federalist Party Capitalist support, Northeast Short-lived Jefferson – Democratic-Republicans Agrarian support, South Torn by factions

1828-1856: Jacksonian Democrats vs. Whigs Andrew Jackson Democratic-Republicans  Democratic Party New coalition Westerners, Southerners, poorer whites Broaden suffrage Whig Party United by opposition to Jackson

1860-1928: Two Republican Eras 1850s: Slavery Second party realignment Split both parties Republicans rose as anti-slavery party Second party realignment Lasted 60 years Democrats controlled the South 1896: Second Republican era

1932-1964: New Deal Coalition FDR defeats Hoover New Deal coalition Promises “New Deal” New coalition formed New Deal coalition Urban Labor Catholics and Jews Poor Southerners African Americans

Party coalitions today

Realignment in the South

1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government Began with Nixon’s “Southern strategy” States’ rights, law and order, strong military posture Different parties control executive & legislative branches Party dealignment – people gradually moving away from both parties Party neutrality – many Americans indifferent towards two major parties

Which events sparked party realignments? Let’s review what we’ve learned about party realignments by answering a brief question. Civil War Great Depression Nixon’s Southern strategy A and B only

Which events sparked party realignments? The Civil War brought with Northern victory a realignment to the newly formed Republican Party. The Republican president’s mishandling of the Great Depression resulted in a realignment to the Democratic Party. Nixon’s Southern strategy has brought about a gradual party realignment that doesn’t match the same sharp shifts as previous realignments. Civil War Great Depression Nixon’s Southern strategy A and B only 34

Party identification in the U.S. 1925-2012

More Americans are identifying as Independents, especially: Try to answer this review question about the growing number of self-identified Independents in the United States. People over 65 Minorities Young people Less-educated citizens

More Americans are identifying as Independents, especially: Young people are increasingly scorning identification with either party and classifying themselves as Independent voters. People over 65 Minorities Young people Less-educated citizens

Two-Party System Very few other countries have two-party system Evenly balanced nationally, not locally Why has two-party system endured? Winner-take-all and plurality systems Compare to proportional representation / coalition government State laws make it difficult for minor parties to get on ballot

Multiparty Systems Proportional representation – legislative seats awarded in proportion to votes in election Used in most European countries Coalition government – when 2+ parties join to form majority in national legislature

Third Parties: What role do they play in American politics? Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004

What do Shooting Stars and Third Parties have in Common?

Third Party Any political party organized in at least a few states, other than the two current leading parties Jesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota, 1999-2003

History of American Third Parties Third Parties in the U.S. receive great attention, but in fact “have not assumed the importance that all the academic attention on them suggests.”

History of American Third Parties No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency Only eight third party candidates have won any electoral votes Only five, including Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of the popular vote

Types of Third Parties

Sectional Parties Example: Strom Thurmond and the Dixiecrat Party ran on a segregationist platform in 1948

Economic Protest Parties Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892

Ideology Parties Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

Charismatic Personality Parties Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party in 1912

Specific Issue Parties Example: Prohibition Party in 1892

Combination Parties Example: George Wallace in 1968 (American Independent Party) Dynamic leader with a Southern base Anti-civil rights Won 13% popular vote & 46 electoral votes

Purpose of Third Parties Ralph Nader and the Green Party in 2000 “The electoral progress of third parties is in direct proportion to the failure of the two major parties to incorporate new ideas.”

Purpose of Third Parties Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858 Though very rare, a third party may replace one of the major parties 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party

Purpose of Third Parties Third Parties have influence Major parties often take on the ideas of third parties In 1992, both the Republican and Democratic Parties took on Perot’s reform government ideas about reducing the deficit George Bush (Republican), Ross Perot (Reform), & Bill Clinton (Democrat) during 1992 Presidential debate

Purpose of Third Parties: Once the major parties incorporate their ideas, third parties burn out Populist Party platform was assimilated into the Democratic Party in 1896 William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for President, 1896

Ralph Nader Math Problem 2004 Presidential Election

Do Now: Describe a scenario in which you would vote for a third party candidate for president.

Obstacles to Third Parties Homework: look over the four documents in the packet and highlight any important information Meet with your group to answer the questions on the handout. Caitlin, Cristina, Dan, PJ Cariani, Haley, Max, Noelle Jack, Kyle, Lauren, Pinar Marybeth, Matt, Sam, Sarah Chelsi, James, Luke, Phoebe Celfo, Eliza, Ellen, Paul

Reflecting on Obstacles to Third Parties Brainstorm a list of obstacles faced by third party and independent candidates (write on side board) Should these barriers exist? Are these barriers fair to third parties? How would reducing the barriers to third parties affect voters in the next presidential election? What reforms, if any, would you suggest to the current presidential election process?

True Third Party or Political Movement? The Tea Party True Third Party or Political Movement?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html

The Tea Set http://politicalhumor.about.com Sometimes third party issues can be difficult to stomach.

Don’t Compromise on Me! http://politicalhumor.about.com Getting the message across is more important than cutting a deal with the other parties.

Marriage Proposal http://politicalhumor.about.com The two major parties are not necessarily looking to absorb the third parties. Sometimes they can hurt more than help.

Tea Party Throws GOP Overboard http://politicalhumor.about.com The reverse is true: not every third party is looking to be picked up by one of the majors.

Tea Totaled http://politicalhumor.about.com The two major parties need to be careful they do not try to please everyone. It is impossible and can cause the party to lose control of the message.

Hat in the Ring http://politicalhumor.about.com It can take time for a third party to be taken seriously. It may never happen.

Closure Questions Is the Tea Party a third party or a political movement? Would a Tea Party candidate be an appealing alternative to the two major party candidates in the next presidential election? Why or why not? How do third parties enhance the role of political parties as linkage institutions?