Political Parties Chapter 8 How Strong are They?

Political Party Defined Group of People General Agreement on Issues Main Goal is Electing Officials

3 General Roles of Parties Party in the Electorate Party as an Organization Party in the Government

Big Picture Reminder Formal Institutions –Executive Branch –Legislative Branch –Judicial Branch Linkage Institutions –Media –Political Parties –Elections –Interest Groups

Party Checklist Recruit Candidates –Impact of Primaries Run Campaigns –Impact of Television Cue Voters –Still #1 identifier in voting Articulate Policy –Platforms Coordinate Policy-Making –Partisan support

Party in the Electorate Label –35%, 40%, 25% Rise of Independents Ticket Splitting –On the rise Divided Government –More often than not –Impact

Party Organization Fragmented and Decentralized National Committee –National Convention and Platform –National Committee and National Chairperson RUN

Fragmented and Decentralized? National Convention

Party Organization Fragmented and Decentralized State Organization –Some states strong, some weak –Power in running elections Closed Primary Open Primary Blanket Primary –Types of Ballots

Party Organization Fragmented and Decentralized Local Organization –Party Machines Tweed Daley No longer powerful

Party in the Government Nominate Candidates…Or Do They? Therefore- less dedication to the Party once elected Parties are still judged by performance

Do Promises and Platforms Become Policy? Who Said This? “I will not send American boys to do an Asian boy’s job” Promise to Balance the Budget by 1984 “Read my lips—no new taxes.”

Party History Party Era Critical Election Party Realignment

Federalists –New England Merchants –Advocates of a Strong Central Government –Loose Constructionists Jeffersonian Republicans –Farmers –States’ Rights –Strict Constructionists Political Notables, Congressional Caucus. First Party System

Second Party System Critical Election 1828 Democrats –Common Man –Laissez Faire Whigs –Anti-Jackson –Government support for Commerce Van Buren View of Parties

Third Party System Critical Election 1860 Democrats –The South Republicans –The North Election of New Coalitions Republicans- Business interest and NorthEast Democrats- Farming Interest West and South

Fourth Party System Critical Election 1932 Democrats (New Deal Coalition) –Urbanites, Labor Unions, Catholics, Jews, poor, Southerners, African Americans, Intellectuals Republicans –Business Interests, Upper Class

Current Party System 1968-Present McGovern-Frasier Commission Divided vs. Unified Government Party Dealignment, Party Neutrality Floating Voters Reagan Democrats Current Republicans, MoreCurrent RepublicansMore

Divided Government

Who is Who Today?

The Two Party System 1)Winner Take All 2)Plurality vs. Proportional voting System

3) Laws Preventing Third Party Success Under Montana law, independent and minor-party candidates can appear on the general election ballot only if they submit the signatures of 5% of the total votes cast for the successful candidate for the same office in the last general election. A 2007 state law also added a filing fee and moved the petition deadline from June to March - more than 200 days before the election. Major-party candidates, by contrast, do not have to submit any signatures in order to appear on the primary ballot, and they appear on the general election ballot automatically when they win a primary election.

Minor Parties-Types Single Issue –Prohibition Ideological –Libertarian Splinter –Bull Moose, States’ Righters, American Independents, –Anderson, Perot, Nader

Minor Parties-Role Bring New Groups into the Electorate Serve as a Safety Valve Create New Ideas that are adopted by other one of the Big Two parties

Responsible Party Model? 1.Parties Must be Distinguishable Are they? 2.Party Candidates must be Committed to the Program Incentive to be committed? 3.Majority Party Implements, Minority Party Critiques and Offers Alternatives Okay 4.Majority Party Accepts Accountability Hmmm…

Don’t Dis the Parties Parties still active in the elections. Still play an important role in organization— especially of Congress. Are Weakened, But Will Not Go Away The Party Is Not Over Political Parties will Survive

Political Party Song

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