Political Parties Chapter 5 Its a party !! Political Parties Chapter 5

What do you know about political parties? What are the two major political parties in the US? What are political parties and what do they do? Do other countries have political parties?

Political Party = a group of persons, usually joined by common principles who attempt to control or influence public policy by winning elections and holding public office

What do political parties do? What is their function? Informing and Activating Voters giving voters a coherent public expression on public policy issues. generating a community of like-minded people from a diverse community. defining the public issues, creating a “public agenda” Providing candidates recruiting people to run for office formally nominating them to the ballot conducting election campaigns providing info to voters about candidates and policy

What do political parties do? What is their function? Acting as a link between government and public. Governing provide a means of organizing government formulate legislative programs provide a system for legislators to advance their goals provide members with “belonging & solidarity” provide practical assistance to legislators control the executive branch through the election of president and his appointment of staff partisanship: strong support of party and its “platform” (stand on issues)

Types of Political Parties “membership” parties tightly organized members may carry membership cards ideological possibly single-issue may provide other social benefits broad-based parties loosely organized representing basic political ideas to which highly diverse elements of society may be attracted Communist Party Democratic and Republican Parties

Party Systems 1-Party Multi-party or Parliamentary Communist Party not a democratic system Multi-party or Parliamentary strongly ideological party “discipline” necessary for governance Usually proportional representation 2 –Party or “Shared Powers” strong, broad-based but loosely organized party “discipline” not needed for governance Usually (in the US) single-member districts requiring a plurality of votes for election

Why do we have a 2 party system? tradition Federalists vs. Anti-federalists electoral system ballot access restrictions ideological consensus surrounding basic ideals of government electoral system: single member districts, winner-take-all, bipartisan writing of election laws to hamstring minority parties

Minor Parties A variety through history ideological parties Libertarian Socialist/Communist single-issue parties Free Soil Party (anti-slavery) 1840s-1850s “Know-Nothings” nativists 1840s-1850s Prohibition Party Right to Life Party economic protest parties Greenback Party Populists splinter Parties “Bull Moose” Progressives States’ Rights (Dixiecrats) American Independent Party (Wallace 1968)

Tea Party Today Green Party Libertarians Constitution Party 2004 3rd parties vied in 765 of the 5,795 state legislative elections. 8 won. Green Party Libertarians Constitution Party America First Americans Elect Democratic Socialists of America in California Natural Law Party Peace and Freedom Tea Party Perot, anti-Nafta, term limits, balanced budget America 1ststrict Construction and Christianity

Research your assigned party What is their platform? How is the party structured? Who are their major candidates? What successes have they enjoyed? Where are they most successful? Who is their targeted constituency? What type of people might vote for them? 8x11 mini-poster informative visually appealing carefully constructed/detailed

Which sports teams have tended to dominate in the last decade? Historically, a particular political party has tended to dominate for 10-40 years before a major event brings about a change. What events in US history may have provoked a change?

Read 5.3 p.126-131 “The 2-party System in US History” Create a timeline Label it with the 4 eras and the event that established the era. 1800 2010 Then complete #1-5, page 131.

History of 2 Party System 4 major eras 1800-1860 Era of “Democrats” ends with Civil War 1860-1932 Era of Republicans ends with Great Depression 1932-1968 Era of Democrats ends with Vietnam, social upheaval/”Big Government 1968-Present Era of Divided Government

1800-1860 Era of “Democrats” 1800-1825 “Era of Good Feelings” no organized opposition 1829-1837 Jacksonian Democrats small farmers, debtors, frontiersmen, slaveholders universal, white, male suffrage “spoils system” Opposition: “Whigs” (National Republican Party) bankers, merchants, industrialists, plantation owners

1860-1932 Era of Republicans Abraham Lincoln – 1st Republican President Generally support the issues of the North laissez-faire limited government (rise of Big Business) gold standard anti-slavery but not pro-civil rights unresponsive to labor issues, small farmers Democratic Party fractured by the Civil War Populist Party, Socialists

Thomas Nast

1932-1968 Era of Democrats FDR and the New Deal government can solve problems incorporates Progressivism “social safety net” coalition of minorities, the poor, labor, farmers African-Americans switched parties culminates with LBJ’s “Great Society”

1968-Present: Era of Divided Government executive branch/legislative branch Republicans dominate the executive Nixon Ford Reagan Bush I Bush II Carter Clinton Obama Democrats have usually controlled Congress exception: 1996 – 2007 2010- Note divergence w/outline divided gov. 1996-2000, not divided 2000-2007