1. AP Government & Politics
Chapter Twelve
Political Parties

2. Political Parties
A group of people who share common principles who work for the control of government to affect policy
What parties do –
1) Nominate candidates
2) Run election campaigns
3) Cue voters – why vote for the party
4) Articulate policy
5) Governing & coordinating policy .

3. Political Parties Party in the electorate –
a political party as it exists with voters that identify
themselves as members of a party
Party as organization –
a political party as it exists with leaders, offices, staff, and
budget; keeps the party running
Party in government –
a political party as it exists with government officials that
identify themselves as members of the party

4. Why do we have a two-party system?
The Historical Basis
The Force of Tradition
The Electoral System
a) Single member
districts
Winner-Take-All Elections
Fed
b) Bi-Partisan effort to
keep control list v. Anti-federalist > conflict over ratification of Constitution and the role of government
Electoral College
Federal and State Laws

5. The Two Party System Emerges
John Adams and the Federalists vs. Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans

6. Democratic Party Coalition Today
African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics
Jews
Social liberals:  pro-choice, pro-gay rights, anti-death penalty
Pro-civil rights organizations
Labor unions
Women
College educated professionals 
Young people

7. The Traditional GOP Coalition
Business owners & capitalists
White men
Northeasterners
Pro-defense (anti-communists)
Fiscal conservatives (small federal government, low taxes)
Social moderates

8. GOP Coalition Today Business community White males White southerners
Social conservatives (pro-life, oppose same-sex marriage)
Evangelical Christians
Pro-military, pro-gun rights, limit immigration
Tea Party Libertarians

9.   Dealignment
Reduction of the amount of voters who self-identify with a major party in the United States
72 million registered Democrats
55 million registered Republicans
42 million registered Independents

10. Facts on Dealignment Of those who label themselves as “independent”
1/3 pure
1/3 lean Dem
1/3 lean Rep
Critical Realignments:                                
Southern Dems now Republicans, Gender Gap favors Democrats

11. The Political Spectrum

12. Four Major Eras Era of Democrats 1800 – 1860 Era of Republicans
1860 – 1932
Era of Democrats 1932 – 1968
Era of divided Government 1968 –

13. Critical Elections
An election that may polarize voters around new issues and personalities in reaction to crucial developments, such as a war or an economic depression

14. Critical Elections The Election of 1800
The Democratic Republicans take the White House (Jefferson) and Congress from the Federalists
The Federalist party slowly fades away

15. Critical Elections The Election of 1860
The new Republican Party takes the presidency for the first time (Lincoln)
The Whig Party dies
The Democratic Party will dominate the South for 100 years

16. Critical Elections The Election of 1932
F. Roosevelt and the Democrats win in a landslide
The country repudiates Republican economic principles
Democrats hold the presidency for 20 years

17. Critical Elections The Election of 1968
Roosevelt Democrats leave the party over social issues: the Vietnam War protests, hippie counter-culture movement, Civil Rights movement
The “Solid South” Democrats
flip to the Republicans over Civil Rights enforcement in the South

18. Party Polarization
Two parties more ideologically pure (Reps more conservative, Dems more liberal)
Fewer moderates in either party (especially GOP)
Electorate more polarized

19. Party Polarization

20. Party Polarization

21. Party Polarization

22. Washington’s Warning
However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” ~ Farewell Address, September, 1796

23. The Founders Attitude Toward Political Parties
Federalist No Madison writes that factions are not desirable but probably inevitable in a Democratic system
Founding Fathers did not anticipate or desire the existence of political parties, viewing them as "factions" dangerous to the public interest
Founders' republican ideology called for subordination of narrow interests to the general welfare of the community
Under the ideology of a republic, politics was supposed to be rational and collaborative, not competitive

24. So You’re saying there’s a chance?
Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties
So You’re saying there’s a chance?
No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency:
Only five third party candidates including Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of popular vote

25. Obstacles to Third Parties in the American Political System
Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties:   “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Third Parties
Obstacles to Third Parties in the American Political System
The Democratic & Republican Parties make the rules
Winner-take-all elections
Frozen out of the Presidential Debates
Lack on easy access to the ballot in all states
Lack of media attention
Lack of funding $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

26. Third Parties
ABC, NBC & CBS Evening News Broadcasts (1/1/16 – 8/31/16)
Trump (R) ,773 minutes
Clinton (D) ,020 minutes
McMullen (I) seconds
Johnson (L) seconds
Stein (G) seconds
Source: Media Research Center

27. The Importance of Third Parties #1
Though very rare, a Third Party may replace one of the major parties
1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party
vs.

28. Purpose of Third Parties #2
Third Parties bring in new ideas and innovations to American politics
Often if these ideas become very popular – one or more of the major parties may adopt the idea
Once a major party assimilates the idea – the Third Party dies out

29. Third Party Innovations
Abolition of Slavery in the United States: The 1840/1844 Liberty Party and 1848 Free Soil Party.
Women’s Suffrage, Prohibition, Direct Election of Senators, the Secret Ballot, the Initiative, Compulsory Education: The Progressive Party 1900 to 1920
Balancing the Budget:  Ross Perot’s 1992 Independent Candidacy.

30. Purpose of Third Parties #3
The Spoiler Role –
Third parties may serve as “spoilers” in elections
preventing a major party candidate from winning
TR in 1912 = Wilson (D) won a narrow victory over Taft (R)
George Wallace in 1968 = Nixon (R) won – Humphrey (D)
Ralph Nader in 2000 = GWB (R) won over Al Gore (D)

31. Purpose of Third Parties #4
Role of Critic of the Major Parties -
Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.

32. Barriers to Third Parties Barriers to Third Parties Divided Government
Only 14 times (28 years) since 1945 have both branches of Congress and the Presidency been controlled by the same party; the Democrats have held this advantage more often than Republicans (eleven times to three).

33. Barriers to Third Parties Barriers to Third Parties Divided Government
Since 1945, the House and Senate have been controlled by different parties only five times (10 years). However, three of those have been since the 2000 elections, which makes this “seem” more normal to us than it is, historically. And there have been only two complete turn-overs of Congress since 1949: one in 1995 and the other in 2007.