POLITICAL PARTIES 4.3 THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3A POLITICAL PARTIES »An organized group of individuals who seek to shape public policy by winnning elections and controlling government » Parties develop political “platforms”. GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3B & C POLITICAL PARTIES Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution However… Political parties shape almost all aspects of modern politics and are essential to the workings of modern government. GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES Are parties a good thing? Political parties can promote democracy: Help define and focus the issues for the voters Gives some predictability to the candidates GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES The minority party = watch dog Criticize… offer alternative policies / solutions Democrats = War in Iraq Republicans = national debt and the size of government. GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

In Congress, the party in power (majority) sets the agenda and thus shapes public policy. GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL 4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES

»The Fight for Majority Control : Jim Jeffords breaks from the Republican party (2001) Jim Jeffords breaks from the Republican party 2002 election, brings power back to the Republicans 2006, Democrats win back both the House and Senate 2008 Democrats gain more seats in Congress & elect a president!! 2010, Republicans take back the House GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL 4.3C POLITICAL PARTIES

BALANCE OF POWER GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

BALANCE OF POWER (2006 ELECTION) Post 2006 House 202 R 233 D Post 2006 Senate: 49 R 51 D GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

BALANCE OF POWER (2008 ELECTION) Democrats Clean House Democrats Clean House (Politico) GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

Pre 2010 House Balance: 255 D’s 178 R’s 2 vacancies Senate Balance 59 D’s 41 R’s Post 2010 House Balance: House Balance Senate Balance: Senate Balance 2010 MID TERM ELECTIONS GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL Clerk of the House

Pre 2010 Midterms, House

Post 2010 Midterms, House

PARTY SYSTEMS TYPES OF GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

PARTY SYSTEMS GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL »One-party systems »Two-party systems »Multi-party systems

4.3D ONE-PARTY SYSTEMS Associated with authoritarian governments See Article: Hussein gets 100% of the vote See Article: Hussein gets 100% of the vote GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3D MULTI-PARTY SYSTEMS »More than two parties have power in government European democracies… Italy currently has 13 political parties in parliament GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3D THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM »In a two-party system, government and politics are dominated by the two major parties The U.S. is one of the few nations to have a lasting two-party system GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

TWO PARTY SYSTEM? WHY DOES THE U.S.HAVE THE GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3E THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL »Why does the U.S. have a two-party system? U.S. has single member districts & winner-take-all system Proportional system (Europe) Ross Perot won 19% of the popular vote in 1992, but won NO electoral votes.

GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3E THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL »Why two-party system cont. There are substantial barriers for third-party candidates: Ballot access…..Wasted vote principle……Raising money Ballot access Two major parties are “institutionalized” Raising money… No charismatic third party leaders or platforms

DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL When did political parties first develop? Early… Two opposing parties, the Federalists and the Jeffersonian-Republicans in election of 1800

DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES The Democratic party was organized under the leadership Andrew Jackson in the 1820’s The Republicans ran their first presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln, in 1860 GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

THIRD PARTIES ROLE OF GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3F THIRD PARTIES »What are “Third Parties”? »How do Third Parties influence the two major parties (i.e. Democrats & Republicans)? »How can they influence elections? Potentially swing elections… Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party (1912) Ralph Nader and the Green party (2000) GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

4.3F NOTABLE THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES Ralph Nader = Green Ross Perot = Reform Politics 1 Politics GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL

CASE STUDY: THIRD PARTIES AND THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Political parties Party platform One, Two, Multi party systems Winner-take-all Proportional vote Third parties Abraham Lincoln Andrew Jackson Teddy Roosevelt Progressive party Ralph Nader Green party Ross Perot TERMS GOVERNMENT & CITIZENSHIP TIMPANOGOS HIGH SCHOOL