1. ARE THERE MORE DIFFERENCES WITHIN THAN BETWEEN THE MAIN PARTIES IN US?
LESSON 41
ARE THERE MORE DIFFERENCES WITHIN
THAN BETWEEN THE MAIN PARTIES IN US?
Aim: To assess the extent the main parties differ internally and externally

2. Presidential Primary Debates 2008, 2012 and 2016
‘Are there more differences within the 2 main parties than between?’
Determine 3 examples to support/challenge the question based on the clips

3. Political Differences?
Handouts: ‘Political Parties In America’ / ‘US Update’ / ‘United States Political Parties’/ ‘Tea party’/ tables from L37-41/ Annual Survey handout
Record in table format explicit examples(ao2) that illustrate that the 2 main parties are:
Internally Divided (differences within)
Externally Different (differences between each party)
Similar (non-ideological / same type of internal differences/similar values)
Be specific(ao2) to individuals, time periods, regions and types of party members/party history/ party support/factions/ policies

4. ‘More divided within than between’
The 2 main parties are more internally divided
The 2 main parties are more externally different
The 2 main parties are more similar than different

5. How accurate is this view?
Homework - Judgement
‘The ideological differences between the Democratic and Republican Parties are far greater than the differences within them.’
How accurate is this view?
One View only – 4 reasons(ao1) with 4 examples(ao2) to justify views
Contrast chosen view against opposing view – make explicit the reason why chosen view is greater/stronger
Link back(ao2) continuously to the question focus after each example – how accurate is your view? Extents?
Concluding sentence to reiterate YOUR view with main reason to justify

6. Issues
Opinions of the Republicans
Opinions of the Democrats
Healthcare
Defence spending
Abortion
Treatment of minorities
State VS federal power
Welfare spending
Taxation
Religion
LGBT rights
Women

7. Homework – 45 mark ESSAY PLAN
2012 ESSAY QUESTION ON POITICAL PARTIES DIFFERENCES
INFAVOUR OF DIFFERENCES
CHALLENGE/LIMTED DIFFERENCES
Line of argument
Example
Evaluation/Impact/Extent

9. Presidential Primary Debates 2008 and 2012
Watch debate(s) of your choice and complete the following being specific to detail:
Determine 3 examples to support the view that there are more differences within Political Parties than between them
Determine 3 examples to support/challenge the view that Republicans are a Conservative party
Determine 3 examples to illustrate that the Republicans are no longer a moderate party
Determine the role played by the media in presidential primaries – refer to extent of impact/popularity

10. ‘More divided within than between’
The 2 main parties are more internally divided
The 2 main parties are more externally different
The 2 main parties are more similar than different
9 reps supported the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the US Supreme Court 2009
Republicans firmly Conservatives in recent years – 3 reps backed Obama fiscal stimulus package 2009
Reps against healthcare reform
Both parties meet every 4 yrs to rally support around presidential candidates – National convention
Polarising characters – Palin too conservative/Christian right
Democrats have more of a centre left identity - dates back to realigning of 1960s/70s
Independents still align with either of the 2 main parties
Democrats less unified than republicans – southern congressional Dems (boil weevils) joined forces with Reps to secure passage of tax cuts, deregulation and increase in defence spending
Reps get greater support from business as it favours laws that restrict the power of labour unions
Reps favour enhancement of the private sector of the economy
Social conservatives in both parties
New Democrats – the Clintons stress need for free markets and free trade and limited role for gov’t
Dems get greater support from blue-collar workers as they favour more lenient labour laws and greater gov’t participation and regularity authority at federal level
Blue dog – more conservative from south and districts held by Rep
- 52/256 democrats belonged to blue dog coalition 2009
They hold the balance of power
‘decifit hawks – fearful of growing federal budget decifict
6 blue dogs voted against Obama’s $787bn stimulus bill and others played a role in limiting the provisions
Blue god opposition to Employee Free Choice Act and limitation of carbon emissions and healthcare bill
Organisation/structure – different departments at state and local level
Voting system for primaries – dems pr votes and reps winner takes all regarding delegates