1. Political Parties

2. The symbols have been around since the mid 1870s and early 1880s
Thomas Nast was actually the cartoonist responsible for the creation of these animals in his political cartoons
These animals were placed on the parties, more in jest and to poke fun of them. The elephant might be considered slow and not intelligent. The donkey might be considered stubborn and silly

3. Development of American Political Parties
The Two-Party System

4. What Is a Political Party?
A political party is a group of citizens who agree on major issues facing the nation. These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views.
Parties choose, or nominate, people they want to elect to public office. These candidates campaign to get elected.

5. Parties in the US
Any American citizen may join a political party regardless of age, but most members are eighteen or older.
The United States has a two- party system. The Republicans emerged as a major party in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln. The Democratic Party formed under Andrew Jackson twenty years earlier.

6. Hamilton vs. Jefferson
Political parties first emerged when followers of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson disagreed over major issues on the Constitution and government.
Jefferson’s group took the name Democratic-Republicans. Due to experience with Britain, they feared a powerful central government. They wanted the states to hold greater power.
Hamilton championed a strong national government with a powerful chief executive. His followers called themselves Federalists, after those who supported the Constitution.

7. Jacksonian Democracy Reigns
In 1828, the farmers and small business owners who made up Jefferson’s party, calling themselves the Democratic Party, nominated Andrew Jackson. He stood for the common citizen, but looked out for southern and western interests.
Those who did not support Jackson formed their own party called Whigs, after a Scottish political leader.
Their real name was the National Republican Party.
The Whigs and Democrats made up the two key parties in American politics for two decades.

8. The Two Major Parties Emerge
In 1854 Whigs, former Free Soil Party members, and ex-Democrats formed the Republican Party to oppose the spread of slavery in US territories.
The Whigs faded from American politics leaving the Democrats and Republicans in a two-party system that has dominated American politics ever since.

9. Parties Survey

10. Liberal
Support for greater government control/regulation in economic matters and less government control/regulation of individual matters.
Libertarian
Support for minimal government control of both economic and social issues
Conservative
Support for less government control/regulation in economic matters and greater government control/regulation of individual matters.
Totalitarian
Support for complete government control of economic and social issues

11. Liberal Conservative Favor loose construction – a broad interpretation
Constitutional interpretation may change as modern society evolves
What are our standards today?
Favor strict construction – a narrow interpretation
Constitutional interpretation should remain constant through the years
What did the founders mean?
Favor tradition over change
Rights of the community are more important
Favor change over status quo
Rights of the Individual are more important

12. Look at these cartoons. What do you think the mood was in the country at the time?

13. American Political Parties
bring people together to achieve control of the government
develop policies favorable to their interests or to the groups that support them
organize and run campaigns
persuade voters to elect their candidates to office
give cues to voters
represent their constituents
attempt to put philosophy into practice through legislation
formulate policy through a national party platform

14. Ralph Nader, Green Party Candidate, 2000
Any party other than the two major parties can be called a “Third party.”
No third party has ever gained control of the White House. Sometimes, third parties win seats in Congress or gain office in lower levels of government.
When these smaller groups challenge the two major parties, they can change the outcome of elections.
Their most important role is to influence policy on one or more issues.
Ralph Nader, Green Party Candidate, 2000
Third Parties

15. Third parties can form to highlight single issues in a given election or provide a long-term forum for minority views

16. The Role of Minor Parties
A third party or minor party is any party other than the two major parties. Their common thread is that they believe that neither party is meeting certain needs. A third party runs a candidate to propose a remedy to the situation and/or to draw attention to their specific issue(s) or ideology.
single-issue party
focuses exclusively on one major economic, social, or moral issue
ex: Free Soilers, Prohibition Party, Women’s Suffrage Party, Right to Life Party
ideological party
focuses on overall change in society rather than on one single issue
ex: Communist Party, Socialist Party, Libertarian Party
splinter party
splits away from one of the two major parties because of some disagreement
ex: Progressive (Bull Moose) Party, Dixiecrats, Green Party

17. Ideological Third Parties
An ideology is a body of ideas put forth by a person or group.
Minor third parties are often formed to support a specific issue. These rise and fall over time.
Ideological parties want to change society in major ways.
The Socialist and Communist Parties want to nationalize major industries. The Green Party calls for companies to respect the environment.

18. Cult of Personality
Some third parties form from the efforts of famous people.
If they cannot gain support from one of the major parties, they form their own.
H. Ross Perot’s Reform Party was a force in the 1992 and elections. This party also placed pro wrestler Jesse Ventura in the governor’s mansion in Minnesota.
These parties usually fade after their candidate is defeated.

19. Sectional Parties
Example: Strom Thurmond
and the Dixiecrat Party ran on a segregationist platform in 1948

20. Economic Protest Parties
Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892

21. Ideology Parties
Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties
Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad
Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

22. Charismatic Personality Parties
Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party in 1912

23. Specific Issue Parties
Example: Prohibition Party in 1892
Example: Prohibition Party in 1892

24. Combination Parties Dynamic leader with a Southern base
Example: George Wallace in 1968 (American Independent Party)
Dynamic leader with a Southern base
Anti-civil rights
Won 13% popular vote & 46 electoral votes

25. Third-Party Presidential Candidates
The following are all third-party candidates in the 20th century
who received at least 5% of the vote in a presidential election.
Candidate Party % of Vote E#
Teddy Roosevelt (1912) Progressive Party
Eugene Debs (1912) Socialist Party
Robert LaFollete (1924) Progressive Party
Strom Thurmond (1948) States’ Rights (Dixiecrats)
George Wallace (1968) American Independent
John Anderson (1980) National Unity Campaign
H. Ross Perot (1992) Independent
H. Ross Perot (1996) Reform Party
Ralph Nader (1996) Green
Ralph Nader (2000) Green

26. The Odds Are Against Them
It is difficult for third parties candidates to raise enough money to compete with the major parties.
Only one candidate can win in a given district. Usually the winner is either Democratic or Republican.
Third-party candidates must show they have support by getting voter signatures to even be placed on the ballot for national office.

27. 3rd party readings

28. The Tea Party: True Third Party or Political Movement???

32. Why?

33. Text
Why?

34. Have the Repubs been successful at this?

37. What is the artist saying?

38. What is the artist saying?

39. Four Eras of Political Parties
Era of the Democrats Era of the Republicans Era of the Democrats Era of Divided Govt
Today
Divided Government
Since 1968, neither Republicans nor Democrats have
consistently held the presidency and the Congress is
often controlled by the opposing party.

40. Political Parties are a “Linkage Institution”
the channels through which peoples’ concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda
Parties can be thought of in three parts:
Party in the electorate
Party as an organization
Party in government

41. Party in the Electorate
Party identification is a citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other
Party identification shapes political worldview
Party image influences by preference
May be shaped by demographic characteristics
South, middle-aged, and white-collar lean Republican
Evangelicals and married lean Republican
Women, minorities, and Jews lean Democratic
Unions, advanced degrees, and single lean more Democratic
Independents- What do they do?
Ticket splitting- Voting with one party and then with another. Voting for the person, not the party

42. Party in Government Parties play a major role in organizing Congress
Parties shape perceptions of presidents
Presidents--to varying degrees--act as party leaders

43. Party Organization 

44. The Party Organization: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The Local Parties
Party Machines: A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements to win votes and to govern
Patronage: A job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit. Used by party machines.
Now urban party organizations are generally weak
County organizations have partially filled the void

45. The Party Organization: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The 50 State Party Systems:
Closed primaries: voters must be registered with their party in advance and can only vote for that party
Open primaries: voters decide on election day which party to participate in, and then only that party
Blanket primaries: voters get a list of all candidates and can vote for one name for each office, regardless of party label
State party organizations are on an upswing in terms of headquarters and budgets

46. The Party Organization: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The National Party Organizations:
National Convention: The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and the party’s platform
National Committee: One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions
National Chairperson: Responsible for day-to-day activities of the party

47. 20th Century Party System
was Golden Age of parties (due to machines)
Parties weakened in the modern era
Change in civil service laws
Development of direct primary system
Growth of candidate-centered and issue- oriented politics
Increase in ticket-splitting and independent voters

48. Party Realignment During a realignment, party coalitions change
Critical elections put key issues into perspective
Critical elections: 1800, 1860, and 1932
No uniform realignment has occurred since 1932

49. Realigning Elections 

50. Party Coalitions Today

51. Dealignment and Party Strength
Are we in a period of dealignment? Many say yes.
What is dealignment?
Voters are much less likely to identify with a party
What are some reasons that this might be happening?
Result of the growth in issue-oriented politics
Parties are important in electorate and in government
Parties continue to be competitive with one another

52. Gender Gap 

53. Political Party Finances

54. Soft money
Unregulated money given to parties for party building purposes
Vote drives or issue ads
Banned by Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
Why do you think it was banned?

55. Hard money
Funds used directly for electioneering
Regulated and limited by FEC
Where does hard money come from?

56. Your Turn
You know the different major ideologies and the political parties they are now use them. Create a campaign poster with (1) ONE partner that will address the topic of:
health care reform
Involvement in Syria, and
global climate change (its your choice but you only pick ONE).
You will be creating (3) THREE posters as one will focus on Democrats, one will focus on Republicans and one will focus on a group of your choice.
You and your partner(s) will present your products to the class. 56

57. Timeline: Running for the Presidency
24 months
before election
6 months
before election
12 months
before election
November election
The Decision to Run
Gathering support and
money; testing the waters;
announcing candidacies
Primaries and Caucuses
February to June
closed primaries
open primaries
caucuses
Winning Delegates
Elimination of all
candidates except one
Party Convention
July to August
formal selection of
party nominees at the
national conventions
party platform adopted
vice presidential nomination
General Stage Election
August to November
campaigning
media appearances
debates