Transcript Social Studies 12 - Rushford

Chapter 5: U.S. Political Parties
1. What is a Political Party
•
A political party can be defined as a group of
persons who seek to control government
through the winning of elections and the
holding of public office.
•
Two Major political parties in the U.S. =
Democrats and Republicans
•
Major Parties = the dominant political parties
in a nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtoMZMG
•
• Democrats
Republicans
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r161cLYzuDI
• Crash Course
2. What do Political Parties do?
•
Nominating Function: The major function of
a political party is to nominate or name,
candidates for public office.
•
Informer-Stimulator Function: Parties
attempt to campaign for candidates, take
stands on issues, and criticize the candidates
and stands of their opponents.
Functions
• Presenting alternatives to the electorate
– Voters need choices among candidates and
among policy alternatives
– Democratic Party Platform
– Republican Party Platform
What Parties Do for Democracy
•Party Functions
•Organize the Competition
•Unify the Electorate
•Inspire and Inform Voters
•Translate Preferences into Policy
•Provide Loyal Opposition
•Organize Government
•Help Govern
•Act as Watchdogs
•Nominate Candidates
•Ensure Candidate Quality
•Party Systems – Multiparty and Two Party System
•Minor Parties: Persistence and Frustration
3. What do Political Parties do?
•
Informer stimulator:
–
•
They try to make their party as appealing as
possible without offending any voters.
Do you want your politicians sugar-coating
what they are saying??
4. What do Political Parties do?
•
“Seal of Approval” Function: Political
parties evaluate candidates so that the most
successful candidate will be elected.
–
Parties want people of “high moral character” to
lead.
–
If they try to elect people with troubled pasts, then
they may be hurt in future elections.
–
Who are some politicians that you can think of
that had “troubled pasts”?
5. Politicians Pasts
6. Politicians Pasts
• Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency
after allegedly allowing wire tapping the
Democratic National Headquarters.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYiE_D6G_
eI
7. What do Political Parties do?
•
Governmental Function: Gov’t is run along
with party lines.
•
Many times decisions are with the interests of
the governing party.
–
What can some negatives of this be?
8. The Watchdog Function
• Parties act as watchdogs over the conduct of
the public’s business.
• Usually done by the party out of power.
History of American Party
System
• US developed the modern political party
• US relatively unique in the world in
having a 2-Party System
– most of the world is multiparty (with a
few uniparty systems in non-democratic
states)
Party Systems
Multiparty
 Coalition government
is necessary
Two party
• Winner-takes-all
system
 Minor parties have an • “Wasted vote”
incentive to persevere
syndrome
discourages minor
 Proportional
parties
representation
• Government tends
 Governments tend
toward stability
toward instability
• Policy change is
incremental
The U.S. is a two-party system; most other democracies have a
multiparty system
9. Two-party system
• The framers were against political parties.
• The ratification of the Constitution led to the creation of our first
parties.
• Federalist=Current Democrats
• Anti-Federalist=Current Republicans
– Federalists vs Antifederalists
• issues
– size and power of national government
• base
– Federalists primarily
merchant/commerical/wealthy
– Anti-federalists primarily small farmer/craftsmen
and south
History
Post Constitution/Post Washington
– Federalists (Adams)
vs Republicans (Jefferson)
issues:
– size and power of national government
– state rights
base:
–Federalist: wealthy merchant and
commerical intersests
–Republican: artisans farmers
History
“Era of Good Feelings”
–
–
Following War of 1812,
Federalists cease to be a
major party at the national
level, confined primarily to
New England
Enter period of One Party
rule
• 1816-1825 (Monroe)
• Competition among
individual Republican
candidates, or factions
within the Republican
party, but not really
different parties
History
Birth of the Modern Democratic Party
–
–
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1824 Election the Republican Party splits, when
Andrew Jackson leaves party to form own
Republicans change name to National Republicans
Jackson wing becomes the Democratic Party
•
–
This is the same Democratic Party we have today
1828 Jackson wins, National Republicans rename
themselves Whigs
issues: “popular” democracy, federal
power
base: Dems - rural/south, Whigs: north, urban
History
Birth of the
Republican Party
–
–
1856 modern
Republican Party
forms
remnant of Whig party
split, anti-slavery
Democrats, and the
Free Soil Party
History
Republican Party Dominance
– From 1860 through 1932
•
•
Republicans control White House
every presidential election cycle with the
exception of
– Grover Cleveland (1885-1889; 1883-1897)
– Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
History
Democratic Party Dominance
– From 1932 to 1968 Democrats control
White House (with the exception of
Dwight Eisenhower (1952-1960)
and they control
Congress from 1932 to 1952
History
Contemporary Party
– Republican Ascendance?
• 1968 to 2008 Republicans control
White House for all except:
– Carter (1976-1980)
– Clinton (1992-2000)
– Obama (2008-2016)
10. Two Party system
• Reasons for the two party system
• The Historical Basis: Federalists and AntiFederalists started it all.
• Tradition: We accept it because its always
been that way. Is that right?
11. Two Party system
The Electoral System
– Single-member district elections help to limit
the influence of minor parties.
– Since the person who takes office needs the
largest number of votes it helps to be from a
large, recognized party.
12. One party system
•
In a one-party system the party captures
control of the gov’t and, through various
means, doesn’t allow other parties to form.
•
The one-party system is really a “no-party”
system.
•
The Party is the Government
•
But the Government isn’t one big party……get it.
13. One Party System
•
Most one party governments allow elections,
however they only put one name on the
ballot.
•
One-party systems are common in
communist countries.
– Examples: Russia, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam
12. Party Membership
•
Democrats tend to be supported by: African
Americans, Catholics and Jews, and union
members.
•
Republicans tend to be supported by: white
males, Protestants, and the business
community.
•
This is a generalization…of course this isn’t
the case for every American*.
14. Minor Parties
• Are divided into ideological parties, single-issue
parties, economic protest parties, and splinter
parties.
• Examples of minor parties: Libertarian, Reform,
Socialist, Prohibition, Natural Law, Communist,
American Independent, Socialist Labor, U.S.
Taxpayers.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YyjZRPcMU
Party Systems
Although the United States has many minor parties, only the
two major parties have much of a chance to win elections.
Multiparty systems are almost always found in countries that
have a parliamentary government, in contrast to our
presidential system.
Barriers to Minor-Party Success
• History
• Tradition
• Consensus
Minor Parties: Persistence and Frustration
Ideological Parties
Protest Parties
Single Issue Parties
Splinter Parties
Libertarian Party
Green Party
Reform Party
15. Minor Parties
•
Ideological Parties – those based on a set of
beliefs, a comprehensive view of social,
economic, and political matters.
•
Examples: Socialist, Social Labor, Socialist
Worker, Communist Parties.
16. Minor Parties
•
Single-issue parties: those concentrating on
a single public policy matter.
•
Examples: “Know-Nothings” Party, Right to
Life Party, American Party
17. Minor Parties
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Economic Protest Parties -- those rooted in
periods of economic discontent.
•
They focus their anger on certain areas of the
economy like oil tycoons, Wall Street bankers,
railroads etc.
•
Greenback Party
18. Minor Parties
• Splinter Parties – Those which have split off a
major party.
• Most splinter parties have formed around some
strong personality--most often one who has
failed to win his major parties pres. nomination.
• Example: Progressive Party, Am. Independent
19. Minor Parties
•
A strong “third-party” can play the role of a
“spoiler role” in an election where the two
major parties are evenly matched.
•
When innovations proposed by minor parties
gain popular support, they are usually adopted
by one or both of the major parties.
20. Organization of Political Parties
• The role of the Presidency.
– The President is the leader of his/her party.
– The party not in power has no comparable leader.
– Name a famous Democrat in office right now.
Party Organization
National
State
Local
21. Organization of Political Parties
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The Impact of Federalism  Because
American gov’t is decentralized, w/offices
available at local, State, and federal levels,
party organization is decentralized as well.
•
There are ½ a million elective offices.
•
Can the parties worry about 
22. Organization of Political Parties
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The Role of the Nominating Process  The
process of candidate selection is a divisive
one that pits one party faction against another.
Party Structure
• National Convention – meets every 4 years,
nominates President
• National Committee – manages party affairs
on daily basis
23. National Party Machinery
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Congressional campaign committee –
supports party’s candidates
•
National chair – manages daily work
27. State/Local Party Machinery
– The State Organization  The job of the State
Chairperson and committee is to further the
party’s interests in that state.
– The Local Organization  Local party
organization vary widely, generally following the
State’s electoral map, with a party unit for each
district in which elective offices are to be filled.
28. Elements to a Political Party
1. One element of each party is the party organization
– leaders, activists, and hangers-on that control
the party machinery.
2. Another is the segment of the electorate that
regularly votes for that party’s candidates.
3. The third is the elected officials who are members
of the party.
29. Future of Political Parties
– Political parties have been in a state of decline
since the late 1960’s.
– Parties are unlikely to disappear as long as they
continue to perform necessary functions.
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxDgRr_Ynvc
&list=PL60982594F63671BD
– ^^“Right America: Feeling Wronged”^^
Party Identification, 1950 – 2000s
Are the Political Parties Dying?