Political Parties chapter 8

rational-choice theory

a popular theory in political sciense to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. -it assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives

Republican stances

abortion: pro-life gay marriage: no taxes: low taxes, cut spending education: support initiatices to black-grant more funding to the states, with standards assesments and public reporting

Democratic stances:

abortion: supports Roe v Wade and womens right to safe and legal abortion Gay marriage: oppose the defense of gay marriage act and all attempts to stop gay marriage taxes: higher taxes education: better teach pay and better support for improvement of skills and students' learning

why only two systems: winner-take-all system

an electorla system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who com ein first in their constituencies

proportional representation

each party gets seats in proportion to the number of votes

third parties

electoral contenders other than two major parties. American third parties are not unusual but rarely win elections -they can still impact the outcome and shape the debate -they split the vote by taking away votes from the other candidates -they aslo force issues into the national debate like controversies

8.1 identify the functions that political parties perform in american democracy

even though poltical parties are on ethe americans least beloved instiuttions, plitical scientists seen them as key linakge between policymakers and the people. political parties operate in three levels: teh elctorate, as organizations, and in government. maong teh functions that they perform in our democratic system are to pick candidates, run campaigns, give cues to voters, articuate policies, and coordinate policymaking between teh branches of government

Third Party System (1854-1895)

featured profound developments in issues of American nationalism, modernization, and race. This period, the later part of which is often termed the Gilded Age, is defined by its contrast with the eras of the Second Party System and the Fourth Party System. It was dominated by the new Republican Party, which claimed success in saving the Union, abolishing slavery and enfranchising the freedmen, while adopting many Whiggish modernization programs such as national banks, railroads, high tariffs, homesteads, social spending (such as on greater Civil War veteran pension funding), and aid to land grant colleges.

party era

historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections

coalition

individuals and groups that support a party based on teh party's performance in office

Party Eras

no mention of poltical parties in Const. -washington issued a warning about parties -many other democratic countries hav emore than two main parties

8.2 determine teh significance of party identifiication in american today

party identification is the most important factor in explaining the plitical beahvior of american voters. People who do not identify with either party are know as political independents. They are crucial swing voters who can go either way and are also more likely to spit ticket. Young peole are especiialy likely to be independents

Type 3: individual aspirations

party that forms around an individual trying to get elected

8.4 evaluate how well political parties generally do in carrying out their promises

political parties affect polciy thorugh their platforms. Despite much cynism about party platforms, they serve as important roadmaps for elected officials once they come into office. More promses are generally kept than broken.

straight ticket voting

practice of voting for candidates of only one party in an election -voter choose candidates from teh same political party for every office up for election

party identification

preference for one political party over another -younger ppl are mostly democratic -older people are mostly republican

type 2: Offshoots of major aprties

teddy ran in 1912 under the preogressive party after he lost the nomation of the republican party

party competition:

the battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are on the most important elements in american politics

party dealignment

the gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

public policy

the plitical party in power will the most influence over public policy

8.6 assess both the impact of third parties on american poltics and their limitations

third parties in the US have brought new groups into th eelectorate and have served as a vehicle for sending a protest message to the two major parties. The american winner-takes-all electoral system makes it hard for third parties to win election. In contrast. most european electorial systes use proportional representation which gaurantees that any party that has a mininum percentage of teh vote receives a proportional share of the legislative seats

Ticket-splitting (split-ticket voting)

voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election

Fifth Party System (1932-1964)

was dominated by the Republican Party, excepting the 1912 split in which Democrats held the White House for eight years. American history texts usually call the period the Progressive Era. The concept was introduced under the name "System of 1896" by E.E. Schattschneider in 1960, and the numbering scheme was added by political scientists in the mid-1960s.[1] The period featured a transformation from the issues of the Third Party System, which had focused on the American Civil War, Reconstruction, race, and monetary issues. The era began in the severe depression of 1893 and the extraordinarily intense election of 1896. It included the Progressive Era, World War I, and the start of the Great Depression.

Political party

-a group trying to win elections and control the government -party membership is open and fluid(freedom of choice) -each party as an organization has a nation, state, and local offices and staff -party in government are the elected officials who hold political who hold political office

The Party in the Electorate

-increasing number of voters are 'independents"

patronage

-key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotions, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone

National Party organizations

-national convention takes place every 4 years to formally nominate the presidential cnadidate and to adopt the party platform -national ocmmitte is run by a National Chairperson who manages the operations of teh party---these include hirng staff, raising money, and representign the party in media

Linkage institution

-political parties are an example of an linkage institutions -citizens count on these institutions in order to communicate policy preferences to the government -poltiical parties provide oppurtuniteis for people to participate in governmetn and politics and influence how people relate to government and policymakers

Party Organization: Grass Roots to DC

-poltical party organization exists at teh local, state, and national elvel -local parties were once the main party organization-where urban political machines got out the vote and rewarded member sfor their support--and jobs were given to supporters and campign contributors -this led to alot of corruption up until the Progressive era required jobs to be merit based -state party organizations decide teh rules for voting(open primary, closed primaries, etc)

Type 1 of third party: Cause Parties

-usualy single issue groups that promote a certain issue(prohibition, abortion, etc)

Tasks of Parties

1 parties select/recruit candidates to run for office--back in the day party leadership used to nomiante candididates--now party membership vote for nominess in primary elections 2 they run campaigns--they have their campaign staff in campaign management with media strategy and fundraising 3 they articulate policies and platforms--mobilization adn education of voters is an important part of this 4 parties coordinate policymaking between executive and legislative branches--ex. speaker of the house and president need to cooperate 5 parties give cues to voters--the label of Democratic/republican gives an informational shortcut in knowing about candidates because the party name already gives alot of information

New Deal Coalition

A coaliton formed by the democrats who dominated american politics from the 1930s and 1960s. its basic elements were teh urban working class, ethnic groups. catholics and ews, the poor, southereners, african mericans, and intellectuals

party machines

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern.

responsible party model

A view favored by some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises.

critical election

An election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty.

Blue dog democratcs

Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.

First Party System (1792-1824)

It featured two national parties competing for control of the presidency, Congress, and the states: the Federalist Party, created largely by Alexander Hamilton, and the rival Jeffersonian Democratic-Republican Party, formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, usually called at the time the Republican Party. The Federalists were dominant until 1800, while the Republicans were dominant after 1800.

national committee

One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories.

8.7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of responsible party governmetn

Some scholars of american politics have advocated what is know as teh " responsible party government" in which parties offer clear policy choices which generate clearly identifiable outcomes; That is, at least in theory, partie say what they plan to do and on ein office carry out these plans. The main disadvantage is that the party discipline necessary for a party to carry out its pledges requires members of teh party in government to toe the line without regard to constiuency preferences. Individualism in aermican poltics would be stifled by a treu reponsible government

Sixth Party System (1968-present)

The Sixth Party System is characterized by an electoral shift from the electoral coalitions of the Fifth Party System during the New Deal: the Republican Party became the dominant party in the South, rural areas, and suburbs; while the Democratic Party increasingly started to assemble a coalition of African-Americans, Latinos and white urban progressives. A critical factor was the major transformation of the political system in the Reagan Era of the 1980s and beyond.[2][3]

party realignment

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

national convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform.

national chairperson

The national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee. they hire staff, and also pay and manage bills, and attends daily duties of the party, etc

Second Party System (1828-1854)

The system was characterized by rapidly rising levels of voter interest, beginning in 1828, as demonstrated by Election Day turnouts, rallies, partisan newspapers, and high degrees of personal loyalty to parties.[1][2] Two major parties dominated the political landscape: the Democratic Party, led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whig Party, assembled by Henry Clay from the National Republicans and from other opponents of Jackson.

party image

The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism

8.3 describe how political parties are organized in teh US

These orgnaizations are decentralized an dfragmented. That nation party organization can rarely tell state parties what to do. The state p organization ahve a good deal of discretion as to how to choose their nominees for state and local offices. Some states opt to have closed primaries or open primaries. The supreme power within each of the parties is its national convention, which every four years, nominates party policy. In between teh conventions the activites of the national party are gudided b each party's national chairperson

8.5 Differentiate the various party eras in american history

Throughout american history, one party has generally been dominatn for a substantial period of time. The firrst party era was dominated by the Democratic-republicans whose agricultural base defeated the business-oritentated federalists. The newly formed democratic party dominated in the second party era as they pushed for more power for ridnary individuals. The newly formed republican party came to power in teh thrid era and dominated american poltiics by first standing against slavery and then successfully promoting the interest of industrialization. The great depression led to the reversal of party fortunes with teh democrats establishing the New deal coaltion that usually prevailed in the fourth era. the fifth party era to the present has shown neither party has been able to hold the reins of power fo rlong. A freuent result has been for power to be divided, with on eparty controllign the presidency and the other in control of the congress

coalition government

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe.