Today’s Agenda Any Announcements? Any Questions? Let's Review our Bellwork.... Now... Let’s Begin Today’s Lesson…..

Party Organization Our Standards Today Standard 1.0: Culture 1.2 understand the impact of the political system on American culture. Standard 4.0: Governance and Civics 4.1 understand the role of politics and government in society. Standard 6.0: Individuals Groups & Interactions 6.5 understand the impact and influence of participatory citizenship on government at all levels.

Our objectives today Our Performance Indicators Today TSW understand why the major parties have a decentralized structure. TSW describe the national party machinery and how parties are organized at the State and local level. TSW identify the three components of the parties. TSW examine the future of the major parties. Our Objectives TSW understand that both major parties are highly decentralized, fragmented organizations. In neither of them is there a chain of command running from the national to the State to the local level. The President's party usually is somewhat more cohesively organized than the party out of power.

Some Famous Quotes "There are two subjects, indeed, which I shall claim a right to further as long as I breathe: the public education, and the sub-division of counties into wards. I consider the continuance of republican government as absolutely hanging on these two hooks." Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, ME 14:84 What is a Ward? “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.” Charles de Montesquieu “The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.” Robert M. Hutchins “Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care.” Jimmy Buffett What is Apathy? How would that impact our government?

Democrats at the Local Level. Welcome to the Rutherford County Democratic Party Web Site Contact Us Office:Murfreesboro 745 Church St. Suite 303 Murfreesboro, TN

Republicans at Local Level Contact Info: Rutherford County Republican Party 111 East Main St. Murfreesboro, TN

The Party in the Presidency is Viewed as the one in Power Both major parties main goal is to get their presidential candidate elected. They will utilize local party offices and each State's main office. Our State's Democratic Party: And Republican Party:

Federalism continues to Influence Politics The 10 th Amendment of the Bill of Rights gave States the power to control elections. Each state has a state election commission: And each county in a state has their election commission: So federalism caused government to have shared powers. Political parties have mirrored that structure.

Local Party Organization Turn to page 140 in our textbook. Look at the diagram on Local Party Organization. A State organization has congressional districts. A district is divided into wards. Wards are then divided into precints.

An example of Precincts in a primary. Lets see how I did in the 2000 GOP State Senate primary, by voting location or precinct. What is a precinct?

Parties Nominate their Candidates The 2012 Presidential Primaries:

Each party holds a National Convention Here are two videos to show you what each convention looked like in What do you think is the main purpose of a convention?

A Party has Three Components The components are 1) The Party Organization. The party's leaders, activists, workers and contributors. 2) The Party Electorate. The party's supporters who vote for the party. These voters are referred to as straight-ticket voters. 3) The Party in Government. The party members who are in office. These can be elected or appointed positions.

What is our Parties' Future? Fewer and fewer voters are identifying themselves as Democratic or Republican. Why do YOU think this is the case? More and more voters are calling themselves “Independent”. What do YOU think they mean by that? Why you do think they are calling themselves that instead of identify with one party or the other? More and more voters are split-ticket voting. What do you think that term means? Why do you think more and more voters are voting that way?

Could the “Independent” Party become a real Third Party? Turn to page 142. Check out the graph at the top of the page. Look at “Interpreting Graphs.” Read the caption. What is the answer to question (a)? Why do you think that happened? What is the answer to question (b)? Do you think that was true in 2012? Why do you think that?

Party Organization Our Standards Today Standard 1.0: Culture 1.2 understand the impact of the political system on American culture. Standard 4.0: Governance and Civics 4.1 understand the role of politics and government in society. Standard 6.0: Individuals Groups & Interactions 6.5 understand the impact and influence of participatory citizenship on government at all levels.

Our objectives today Our Performance Indicators Today TSW understand why the major parties have a decentralized structure. TSW describe the national party machinery and how parties are organized at the State and local level. TSW identify the three components of the parties. TSW examine the future of the major parties. Our Objectives TSW understand that both major parties are highly decentralized, fragmented organizations. In neither of them is there a chain of command running from the national to the State to the local level. The President's party usually is somewhat more cohesively organized than the party out of power.

Exit Questions 1) Why do the major parties have a decentralized structure? What do we mean by decentralized. What are the benefits of this type of structure? 2) How are the major parties organized at the State and local level? 3) What are the three components of the parties. What purpose does each component serve? How do they help accomplish the goal of winning the next election? 4) What do you think the future of the major parties is? Do you see a third party ever become successful? Why or why not?