1. Essential Questions
1. Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy.
2. Determine the significance of party identification in America today.
3. Describe how political parties are organized in the United States.
4. Explain what coalitions make up the two main political parties in the United States.
Compare and contrast the policy differences between Democrats and Republicans.
Evaluate how well political parties generally do in carrying out their promises.
Differentiate the various party eras in American history.
Discuss the effect dealignment has on political parties and provide examples.
Assess both the impact of third parties on American politics and their limitations.
Explain why third parties so often fail in U.S. politics.

2. What is the meaning behind the political party?
An organized group of people who pursue common interests and goals by gaining and exercising power through winning elections
Parties can be thought of in three parts:
Party in the electorate
Party as an organization
Party in government

3. Cartoonist Thomas Nast credited with the “Republican Elephant” and the “Democratic Donkey”
Donkey first used in 1870
Elephant first used in 1874

6. The Party ORGANIZATION

8. The Party In-The-ELECTORATE

10. The Party-In-GOVERNMENT

12. Generalities Socio-Economic Status (SES) Education Race Gender
Employment
Urban/Suburban/Rural
Geographic regions
Religion
“Soccer Moms” and “Joe Six-Packs”

13. Why a 2 Party System? Consensus of Values Historical Tradition
Winner-Take-All System
Political Socialization
Organization of Congress and state governments

14. Essential Questions
1. Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy.
2. Determine the significance of party identification in America today.
3. Describe how political parties are organized in the United States.
4. Explain what coalitions make up the two main political parties in the United States.
Compare and contrast the policy differences between Democrats and Republicans.
Evaluate how well political parties generally do in carrying out their promises.
Differentiate the various party eras in American history.
Discuss the effect dealignment has on political parties and provide examples.
Assess both the impact of third parties on American politics and their limitations.
Explain why third parties so often fail in U.S. politics.

15. What purpose do parties serve?
Nominate candidates for office
Coordinate/run campaigns with a given candidate and among all candidates
Give voters an easy way to identify where party and candidates stand
Formulate policy and decide which to support or oppose and communicate that with citizens

16. What purpose do parties serve?
Linkage institution: links people to their government 
Voters have wants and needs
Elected officials want/need to accomplish certain things
Linkage institutions help translate voter input into policymaker output

17. Linkage Institutions Government Agenda People’s Concerns
Elections/Media
Political Parties
Political Issues
Interest Groups
Government Agenda

18. What Parties Do Tasks of the Parties
Parties Act as a Linkage Institution
Parties Run Candidates for Office
Parties Run Campaigns
Parties Give Cues to Voters
Parties Articulate Policies
Parties Organize Government
Parties Coordinate Policymaking

20. Party Platforms

23. The Big Tent Both major parties are "big tents"
Different coalitions exist within party and compete for attention/influence
Broad variety of different ideological viewpoints included
Designed to attract independent-minded voters 

24. Party Dealignment Dealignment
Voters moving away from two major political parties
Identifying themselves as independent
Increase in split-ticket voting

25. Party Dealignment Ticket-splitting
Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices
Independents are most likely to split tickets.
No state or race is completely safe due to split tickets.

26. Party Dealignment

27. Party Dealignment

28. The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The 50 State Party Systems
Closed primaries: Only people who have registered with the party can vote for that party’s candidates.
Open primaries: Voters decide on Election Day whether they want to vote in the Democrat or Republican primary.

29. Party Eras in American History
Historical periods in which one political party dominates/gains majority of support
Critical Election
An election that changes the support a political party gets and helps end a party era
Also called realigning election
Party Realignment
The removal of the majority party by the minority party, usually the result of a critical election

30. Party Eras in American History
: The First Party System
Madison warned of “factions”
Federalists: first political party
: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs
Modern party founded by Jackson
Whigs formed mainly to oppose Jacksonian Democrats

31. Party Eras in American History
: The Two Republican Eras
Republicans rose as the antislavery party
1896 election centered on industrialization
: The New Deal Coalition
New Deal coalition: forged by the Democrats; consisted of urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners

32. Party Eras in American History

33. Party Eras in American History
1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government
Divided government: one party controls Congress and the other controls White House
Divided government due in party to:
Party dealignment: disengagement of people from parties as evidenced by shrinking party identification
Party neutrality: people are indifferent towards the two parties

34. Party Eras in American History

35. Party Eras in American History

36. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics
Third parties: electoral contenders other than the two party parties; rarely win elections
Third parties are important.
Are “safety valves” for popular discontent
Bring new groups and ideas into politics
Two-party system
Discourages extreme views
Contributes to political ambiguity

37. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics
Multiparty Systems in Other Countries
Winner-take-all system/Plurality System: legislative seats awarded only to first place finishers
Proportional Representation: legislative seats awarded based on votes received by the party - more votes, more seats
Coalition Government: two or more parties join to form a majority in a national legislature

39. Barriers to Third Party Success
Wasted vote?
Attract good candidates?
Getting on the ballot very difficult
Lack of widespread organization

40. Why do we have only two major political parties?
Winner take all system!
Minor parties give up and merge into the big parties

41. Influence of third parties
Ross Perot 1992 Third Party candidate
19% of the vote
Influenced the debate (NAFTA,free trade, and budget deficits)
Pulled votes from both Bush and Clinton
Ralph Nader ran in 2000 and 2004
3% of the vote
Pulled votes from Gore
Cost him the election????

42. Understanding Political Parties
Democracy and Responsible Party Government
Responsible Party Model
1. Parties have distinct comprehensive programs.
2. Candidates are committed to the program.
3. The majority party must carry out its program.
4. The majority party must accept responsibility.
American political parties fall short of these conditions.
No mechanism for party discipline

43. Understanding Political Parties
American Political Parties and the Scope of Government
Lack of uniformity keeps government small
Big programs like Health Care (1994) fail
But also makes cutting government programs difficult
Individuals focus on getting more from government for their own constituents

44. Understanding Political Parties
Is the Party Over?
Political parties are no longer main source of information for voters; media are
Yet parties will play an important but diminished role in American politics
State and national party organizations have become more visible and active
Majority of people still identify with a party

45. Summary
Parties are a pervasive linkage institution in American politics.
Party in electorate, government, and as organization
America has a two-party system.
The decentralized nature of political parties makes major change difficult and encourages individualism in politics.