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Presentation by Dr. Kevin Lasher
POL 101: U.S. Government Presentation by Dr. Kevin Lasher
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History of US Political Parties
1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists Democrats vs. Whigs Democrats = Republicans Republicans > Democrats Democrats > Republicans 1980 – now Democrats = Republicans (???) kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Democratic-Republicans vs. Federalists
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Political Parties Two parties begin to develop within President Washington’s administration Both “elitist” parties, since vote was limited kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Democratic-Republicans are for strong state government, agriculture, rural areas, against national bank, pro-France Federalists are for strong national government, manufacturing, cities, national bank, pro-England kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Washington is informal Federalist, Adams is only true Federalist president Federalists began to weaken after elections of Jefferson and Madison Last Federalist presidential nominee in 1816 kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties is the “era of good feelings” where the Democratic-Republicans are dominant and we seem to be moving to one-party or no-party system Controversial election of 1824 ends this era kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Democrats vs. Whigs,
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Political Parties Andrew Jackson’s election in 1828 sees birth of modern Democratic Party Oldest political party in world Anti-Jacksons coalesce into Whig Party by 1832 Anti-elitist, democratic (appeal to male voters) kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Democrats for strong states, rural voters, against national bank Whigs for strong national government, cities and manufacturing, support national bank kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Two Whig presidents elected (both die)
Two parties are relatively balanced in Congress Two parties begin to splinter over issue of slavery in 1850s kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Democrats = Republicans,
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Political Parties Much party turmoil during 1850s and 1860s
Eventually settle into Democrats and Republicans kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Republicans are Protestants, industrialization, merchants/bankers, non-South, temporary reconstruction Democrats are Protestant and Catholic, solid South, agricultural kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties All Republican presidents except Cleveland in 1884 and 1892 Two parties relatively balanced in Congress in this period kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Republicans > Democrats,
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Political Parties Republicans are dominant party with all Republican presidents (except Wilson ) Republicans control Congress for most of this period kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Republicans are non-South, businessmen, Midwestern farmers, Protestants Democrats are Southerners, Protestants and Catholics 1929 crash and Great Depression ends this period kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Democrats > Republicans, (?)
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Political Parties Growth of “big government” as response to economic pain of Great Depression New Deal programs to regulate US economy Era of solid Democratic majority kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Democrats have super-coalition of Southerners, union workers, urban areas, farmers, Catholics and Jews, African-Americans Republicans are businessmen, isolationists, and anti-immigration kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Democratic Presidents with exception of Eisenhower and Nixon Democrats control Congress through most of this period kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Democratic coalition is breaking down in 1960s and 1970s Clear Democratic majority ends in 1980 with election of Ronald Reagan and period of “retrenchment” kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties kkkkkkkkkk Democrats = Republicans, 1980-today
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Political Parties Republicans Reagan, Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43, Bush 43 Democrats Clinton, Clinton, Obama, Obama Fairly close presidential elections Who will win in 2016? kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Congress has been relatively balanced during this period, especially US Senate Recently, hyper-partisanship and political gridlock kkkkkkkkkk
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Political Parties Unlikely that either party will become clear majority in near future No third party on horizon Party de-alignment with still two main choices kkkkkkkkkk
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History of US Political Parties
1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists Democrats vs. Whigs Democrats = Republicans Republicans > Democrats Democrats > Republicans 1980 – now Democrats = Republicans (???) kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections Realignment – when one or two new political parties are born or there is a fundamental change in the relationship of the existing two parties 1828 1860 1896 1932 kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections Political scientists noted that every years there is some kind of realignment in US political parties 1828 1860 1896 1932 kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections When will the next realignment occur? kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections 1968: No realignment despite much turmoil in the country and election of Republican Richard Nixon kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections 1980: No total realignment despite election of Republican Ronald Reagan and election of Republican Senate Not true realignment, but was the end of the Democratic Party’s solid majority status kkkkkkkkkk
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Realigning Elections Will 2016 finally bring a new realignment?
Highly unlikely kkkkkkkkkk
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History of US Political Parties
1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists Democrats vs. Whigs Democrats = Republicans Republicans > Democrats Democrats > Republicans 1980 – now Democrats = Republicans (???) kkkkkkkkkk
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The End
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