ap gov quiz realignment and dealignment

How it works (winner take all system)

Democrats would get some seats, Republicans would get some seats, And then 3rd parties would get a certain number of legislative seats as well

Patronage

Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support from public

Political Machine today

Have very little influence on elections, Political Parties today rely much more on computers and databases

political dealignment

Idea that many people are moving away from the two political parties and moving towards the idea of indifference

third partied

They will not win major elections, they can take votes from a major party candidate, often times they will bring a new issue to the discussion/debate of elections

what is coalition?

an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.

who to blame for dealignment

independent voters (most Americans aren't connected to one party), media(focus more on the candidates rather than their beliefs and issues)

what is the problem with being too decentralized?

there is no focus on what people agree/disagree on, they're all fragmented like a puzzle

split-ticket voting

voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election

party era

when one party takes control of the government for an extended period

proportional representation (Europe)

you vote for the party, political party will receive a proportion of the seats based on the proportion of the votes

voter apathy

The lack of interest among the citizenry in participating in elections.

responsible party model

1. Parties need to have distinct solutions for the government 2. Each candidate must be committed to his/her party 3. Majority power needs to implement program, minority power critique 4. Majority party must take responsibility for performance

era #3a- the republican era

1860-1896, Abraham Lincoln, anti slavery into new territories, Republican Party thrives for the next 60 years

era #3b-the republican era

1896-1928, ensures that Republican Party is in power until 1930s, called a watershed election, watershed refers to an important point of division or transition between two phases or conditions

era #4- the new deal coalition

1932-1964, plan formed by FDR to get the US out of depression, most support after first term, Coalition included urban dwellers, labor unions, catholics and jews, the poor, southerners, African Americans

era #5- the era of divided party government

1968-present, no one party dominates, democrats control the White House, republicans control the senate

Political Machine late 1800s-1940s

A political party organization that is organized, efficient, but also corrupt, Uses inducements for votes

critical election

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

era #2- Jackson and the democrats

Andrew Jackson, coalition included nearly everyone who wasn't rich in the early 1800's, 1826-1856

First Party System

Began in 1792, ended in 1824. The federalist party and its opposing republican party competed for control of the presidency. Republican party was made because people saw the federalists as gaining too much power.

Primaries

Election in which voters choose the candidates from each party who will run in the general election

The National Party Organizations

National convention (Meets every four years, Writes party platform, Formal nomination of candidates) National committee (Operates between conventions) National party chairperson (Attends to the daily operations of the party)

winner-take-all system (US)

Vote for the individual, whoever win the popular vote, however narrow that margin that might be, wins that state completely

dealignment's effect on campaigns

candidates rely less on their party identification and more on their personal attributes

Examples of Dealignment

divided government, less party identification, growing number of independents and 3rd parties, ticket splitting

Political Realignment

the movement of voters from one political party to another resulting in a major shift in the politcal spectrum