Parties in the Canada and the United States Organization and Structure

The Department of Political Science Presents The Effect of Partisan Stereotypes on the Evaluations of Party Leaders? Dr. Amanda Bittner Department of Political Science Memorial University of Newfoundland Friday February 6, 2009 SN20332:30pm

Debates: timing Moderator: Moderator: Introduction 20 seconds Introduction 20 seconds Opening arguments Opening arguments Proponent 1 (2 minutes) Proponent 1 (2 minutes) Opponent 1 (2 minutes) Opponent 1 (2 minutes) Rebuttal Rebuttal Proponent 2 (1.5 minutes) Proponent 2 (1.5 minutes) Opponent 2 (1.5 minutes) Opponent 2 (1.5 minutes) Discussion and evaluation: Discussion and evaluation: Judge(s) plus rest of class (3-4 minutes) Judge(s) plus rest of class (3-4 minutes)

Broad picture: Canadian & American parties as coalitions of divergent interests Canadian & American parties as coalitions of divergent interests Enlist divergent interests, regions in hopes of Enlist divergent interests, regions in hopes of Winning a parliamentary majority in Canada Winning a parliamentary majority in Canada Capturing the Presidency in the United States Capturing the Presidency in the United States Do they fit any of these categories? Do they fit any of these categories?

Parties in Canada How can we describe them? How can we describe them? Are they Are they Cadre? Cadre? Mass? Mass? Catch-all? Catch-all? Cartel? Cartel? How can we tell? How can we tell?

Some tests How much party is there? Party on the ground? Party on the ground? Party in central office(s)? Party in central office(s)? Parties in parliament and provincial legislatures? Parties in parliament and provincial legislatures? Parties in government: Parties in government: is cabinet government party government? is cabinet government party government? what is the “partyness” of government? what is the “partyness” of government?

Some answers: Cadre as closest fit Cadre as closest fit Skeletal structure Skeletal structure But, But, Parties on the ground as intermittent organizations Parties on the ground as intermittent organizations Parties in central office – minimalist organizations Parties in central office – minimalist organizations Parties government: Parties government: Legislative caucus Legislative caucus Cabinet Cabinet

Canadian parties and how they developed 19 th century parties: Minimal formal organization Minimal formal organization Extensive and highly charged partisanship Extensive and highly charged partisanship Politics is patronage Politics is patronage People know each other and know who is a Conservative and who is a Liberal People know each other and know who is a Conservative and who is a Liberal

20 th Century Canadian Parties More formal organization: Conventions introduced by Liberals, 1919 Conventions introduced by Liberals, 1919 Constituency associations as intermittent organizations Constituency associations as intermittent organizations The informal party: The informal party: Reliance on advertising firms Reliance on advertising firms William Lyon MacKenzie King as his own eyes and ears William Lyon MacKenzie King as his own eyes and ears

Contemporary Canadian parties Increased professionalization Increased professionalization Increased reliance on campaign consultants Increased reliance on campaign consultants Profound separation – now legally mandated – between federal and provincial parties Profound separation – now legally mandated – between federal and provincial parties

American parties: Original structure: Federations of state and local parties Federations of state and local parties But also coalitions of divergent interests But also coalitions of divergent interests Intense organization in some places – cf. old style city and statewide machines Intense organization in some places – cf. old style city and statewide machines Minimalist, loose organization in others Minimalist, loose organization in others

National Party Organization 1820s- 1970s Parties as confederations of state and local parties Parties as confederations of state and local parties come together every four years to select Presidential and VP candidates come together every four years to select Presidential and VP candidates National Committees as committees without power National Committees as committees without power Parties in Congress: Parties in Congress: House and Senate organized on partisan basis, with party allocation of committee assignments House and Senate organized on partisan basis, with party allocation of committee assignments But different wings and tendencies But different wings and tendencies And looser discipline: Congressmen and Senators often solo And looser discipline: Congressmen and Senators often solo

From the 1970s: Growth of Political Action Committees (PACs) Growth of Political Action Committees (PACs) Development of National Committees as serious campaign organizations Development of National Committees as serious campaign organizations Growing involvement of House and Senate Campaign Committees in each party Growing involvement of House and Senate Campaign Committees in each party

National Committees Republican National Committee (RNC) emerges as super PAC in 1970s Republican National Committee (RNC) emerges as super PAC in 1970s RNC use of direct mail RNC use of direct mail Use of phone banks Use of phone banks Market research Market research Production of ads, flyers Production of ads, flyers Monitor & revise Monitor & revise Democratic National Committee follows Democratic National Committee follows

National Campaign Committees Encourage and support new candidates Encourage and support new candidates also freshmen (first term congressmen) also freshmen (first term congressmen) Assist candidates Assist candidates Assist state and local party organization Assist state and local party organization No policy role No policy role

Parties as whole: Centre is stronger in each party Centre is stronger in each party But parties still profoundly decentralized But parties still profoundly decentralized Contain multiple centres of power: Contain multiple centres of power: State and local parties State and local parties Candidate-centred organization – Role of Campaign Consultants Candidate-centred organization – Role of Campaign Consultants PACs as alternate centres of power PACs as alternate centres of power Bastions of power in the House and Senate Bastions of power in the House and Senate

Bottom line: Neither cadre nor mass nor cartel Neither cadre nor mass nor cartel Traces of catch-all: Traces of catch-all: Attempts to cast a broad net Attempts to cast a broad net Use of broad coalitional strategies Use of broad coalitional strategies These are parties with broad horizontal bargains and loose vertical bargains These are parties with broad horizontal bargains and loose vertical bargains Parties as containers for conflict? Parties as containers for conflict?

American parties Come together as coalitions to capture the Presidency in the 1820s Come together as coalitions to capture the Presidency in the 1820s Martin Van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ Martin Van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ Republicans established in 1856 Republicans established in 1856 Periodic realignments? Periodic realignments?

The Republicans After the civil war, the party of the north and east After the civil war, the party of the north and east Represent urban areas Represent urban areas Including both capital & Labour Including both capital & Labour Opposed by Democrats based in the south & west Opposed by Democrats based in the south & west Tendencies more pronounced after 1896 Tendencies more pronounced after 1896

The Democrats Date, if not from Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans to the 1820’s Date, if not from Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans to the 1820’s Martin van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ elects Andrew Jackson and then Van Buren to in 1828, 1832, (Jackson) and 1836 Martin van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ elects Andrew Jackson and then Van Buren to in 1828, 1832, (Jackson) and 1836 Party splits in run up to the Civil War Party splits in run up to the Civil War Close competitor to Republican’s until 1896 Close competitor to Republican’s until 1896 Roosevelt coalition from to 1960s and beyond Roosevelt coalition from to 1960s and beyond

Democrats and Republicans today Republicans move to the right from the 1970s Republicans move to the right from the 1970s Impact of religious right, social conservatives Impact of religious right, social conservatives Democrats Democrats Move ‘left’ in 1970s Move ‘left’ in 1970s Back to centre, centre-left under Clinton Back to centre, centre-left under Clinton Today? Today?

Parties elsewhere: What about parties in What about parties in Latin America? Latin America? Africa? Africa? Asia? Asia? Eastern Europe? Eastern Europe?

Reminders: Paper topics were due two days ago, February 3rd Paper topics were due two days ago, February 3rd These should contain: These should contain: A brief statement of the topic as you propose to define it A brief statement of the topic as you propose to define it A preliminary bibliography of sources you are likely to use A preliminary bibliography of sources you are likely to use Including a brief annotation of what you expect to find in them or how you expect to use them Including a brief annotation of what you expect to find in them or how you expect to use them Party system maps due February 12th Party system maps due February 12th