1. C HAPTER 10

2. Politics Without Parties: What Are the Consequences?  How do we know what parties contribute if we have never experienced politics without them?  While there is little basis for comparing what politics might be like without parties at the national level, there is substantial opportunity for examining this question at the state and local level  Approximately three-fourths of all municipal elections are contested on nonpartisan ballots  Nonpartisan elections are used to elect many statewide offices and the entire Nebraska state legislature

3. Elections Without Parties  Parties help to encourage citizens to participate in politics by providing them with useful information and mobilizing them during campaigns  Some of the patterns discovered in nonpartisan elections are: -declining voter turnout -less educated voters are especially affected -voters rely on other clues, such as name-recognition -voters may vote “incorrectly”  Overall, elections without parties demonstrate several characteristics that students of politics often find undesirable

4. Governing Without Parties  Parties organize the government and allow for a more orderly and coherent process of considering and enacting policies  During the Civil War, the South convened its own Congress, without political parties, and its members were much less consistent in their voting patterns  The Nebraska legislature is characterized by a similar lack of consistent voting coalitions, since there is no electoral advantage to cooperation  Creating a clear packaging of issues distinguishable between the parties helps to clarify politics to citizens, and the absence of parties does the opposite

5. The Relevance of Parties for the American Public  During the latter half of the twentieth century, Americans became increasingly disconnected from political parties (Figure 10.1)

6. Figure 10.1. Percentage of Respondents Saying Parties Are Necessary for Political System in Thirteen Nations, 1996-2000 Source: Russell J. Dalton and Steven A. Weldon, “Public Images of Political Parties: A Necessary Evil?” West European Politics (Vol. 28, No. 5, 2005) p. 934. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 United States Canada Japan Australia New Zealand Britain Switzerland Germany Sweden Spain Denmark Norway Netherlands Percent

7. The Relevance of Parties for the American Public  During the latter half of the twentieth century, Americans became increasingly disconnected from political parties (Figure 10.1)  Evidence of dealignment during the 1970s and 1980s led political scholars to question whether parties were dying  With the rise of candidate-centered elections and the increasing use of party primaries, the relevance of political parties was thought to be diminished  However, the renewed party polarization evident at the turn of the century appears to have rekindled the relevance of parties for American citizens

8. Polarization and the Renewed Relevance of Parties  The explanations for the growing polarization of parties include the realignment of southern whites, the growing importance of social/moral issues, and a growing cultural divide that reinforces division  Americans are now more likely to see important differences between the parties (Figure 10.2)

9. Figure 10.2. Percentage of Americans Seeing Important Differences between the Parties, 1960-2004 Source: National Election Studies, only presidential election years included. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 196019641968197219761980198419881992199620002004 Percent No Difference Between PartiesDifference Between Parties

10. Polarization and the Renewed Relevance of Parties  The explanations for the growing polarization of parties include the realignment of southern whites, the growing importance of social/moral issues, and a growing cultural divide that reinforces division  Americans are now more likely to see important differences between the parties (Figure 10.2)  Because of this, Americans are also more likely to care which side won the election (Figure 10.3)

11. Figure 10.3. Percentage of Americans That Care Who Wins the Presidential Election, 1952-2004 Source: National Election Studies, only presidential election years included. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 19521956196019641968197219761980198419881992199620002004 Percent Don't Care Who WinsCare Who Wins

12. The Effects of Partisan Polarization  The increased polarization in the American political system has been both praised and criticized by commentators, politicians, and scholars  The advantages of polarization include renewed interest in politics and increased participation among citizens in the political system (Figure 10.4 and 10.5)

13. Figure 10.4. Involvement in Presidential Campaigns, 1956-2004 Source: National Election Studies, presidential election years only. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 1956196019641968197219761980198419881992199620002004 Percent Tried to Influence OthersDisplayed Campaign Material

14. Figure 10.5. Percentage of Americans Who Think Elections Make the Government Pay a Good Deal of Attention to the Public, 1964-2004 Source: National Election Studies, presidential election years only. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 19641968197219761980198419881992199620002004 Percent

15. The Effects of Partisan Polarization  The increased polarization in the American political system has been both praised and criticized by commentators, politicians, and scholars  The advantages of polarization include renewed interest in politics and increased participation among citizens in the political system (Figure 10.4 and 10.5)  The disadvantages of polarization include an increased incivility related to fiercer partisan competition, and the greater difficulties to build bipartisan coalitions in Congress, often resulting in gridlock

16. The Contradictory Nature of Political Parties  It appears contradictory that in the 1970s and 1980s scholars worried about the declining relevance of parties, whereas today, they worry that parties are too relevant  Part of the reason for this confusion is that many of the things we value in politics are at odds: -we value political discussion, but worry about disagreement -we want people to be involved in politics without growing frustrated when their side loses -we want party unity, while also wanting party compromise -we want the minority party to hold the majority party in check, but we do not want gridlock  Parties provide us with all of these things, good and bad, particularly when they are as strong and active as they have been in recent years

17. The Contradictory Nature of Political Parties  Parties represent the primary line of demarcation in the politics – they organize the public, candidates, and office holders into the teams that compete for control over government  Yet because we associate parties with the political conflict that they help organize, we are never entirely comfortable with them  Despite our unease with parties, they have proven a durable part of our system  Based upon the past history, it is probably safe to predict that American parties will maintain their record of proven durability and adaptability to changing and even hostile conditions