US Govt. Ch. 7

Balancing Competing Interests

Political parties are coalitions of individuals and groups with a variety of interests and opinions who join together to support the party's platform, or parts of it. Party leaders adopt a broad enough view on the issue so that the various groups will not be alienated.

Range of views for parties

Republican: Rep-moderate to extreme conservative Democrat: Dem-moderate to extreme liberal

Checking the Power of the Party in Power

The minority party or "opposition party" does what it can to influence the party in power & its policies & to check the actions of the majority party. -the minority party will try to influence members of the opposition to vote with the minority -point out faults in the majority party -plan strategies for winning the next election

How the National Conventions Work

Because of the primary system, nominees are usually chosen before the convention. State delegates are sworn to vote for the candidate that won the majority of primary votes in their state. If there is no clear winner before the convention, then there is some wrangling for votes at the convention. Usually candidates that have no chance of winning will release their delegate to vote for the candidate of their choice or the candidate will endorse another candidate and urge his delegates to vote for that candidate.

What % of Americans consider themselves independents (don't let party affiliation influence their vote)?

about 40%

Anti-Federalists

(Democratic Republicans/Jeffersonian Republicans) -were sympathetic to the "common man" and favored limited role of the federal government and more state power -believed that Congress should dominate government and the government should help shop keepers, farmers, laborers, etc. -today, GOP favors a limited federal govt. and more state power

Third Party Vote Distribution

-3rd parties can take bold stands on issues that major parties might try to avoid -1912—T. Roosevelt didn't get Republican nomination and split from the party and formed the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party -3rd parties can reduce incumbent party's chances

How our election laws favor a 2-Party System:

-A third party needs more signatures to get on a ballot; in most states major parties need few signatures to get a candidate on the ballot -Criterion to run is often based on the total party vote in the last election, which penalizes a new party competing for the first time. -Both major parties receive federal funds for campaign expenses and for national conventions -Third parties receive federal funds only if they garner 5% of the vote and they receive funds after the election

Effect of Third Parties on American Politics

-Bring issues to the public's attention -Provide a voice for dissatisfied Americans -Can affect the vote

National Party Organization

-Democrats (Liberals) & Republicans (GOP) (Conservatives) -On the national level, the party's presidential candidate is considered to be the leader of the party -In some cases, well-known members of Congress are viewed as national party leaders Currently, Obama, as president, is the leader of the Democratic party. Republicans don't have a well defined leader. -Leaders include: Paul Ryan - House Speaker, and Mitch McConnell - Sen. Majority leader

The National Committee

-Each state elects a number of delegates to the national party committee -The committee directs the business of the party during the four years between national conventions -The committee organizes the next national convention -Plans strategy to win the next presidential election

The National Chairperson

-Elected by each party's National Committee -Serves as administrative head of the national party -Job: --raises funds --provides publicity --promotes party unity -Headquarters are in Washington, DC

Democrat Donkey

-First associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. --His opponents called him a jackass (donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. --Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous. Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave

Local 3rd Party Organizations

-Generally there is a party unit for each district in which elective offices are to be filled -Polling places are located within the precincts -Local organizations are often independent from the state organization

National Conventions

-Held every four years during the summer before the presidential election (even numbered years) -Attended by delegates chosen by the state parties --delegates "choose" the presidential and vice-presidential candidates --these two candidates make up the "party ticket" -Certain delegates sit on committees --write the party platform --write the party rules -Party Platform --the party promises to initiate certain policies if it wins the presidency -The party tries to match the platform to the views of the nominee -Some promises do become law -Republican National Convention: July 18 - 21, 2016 Cleveland, OH -Democratic National Convention: Week of July 25, 2016 Philadelphia, PA

Republican Elephant

-Invented by Thomas Nast --In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weeklyin 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. --One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled "The Republican Vote." Republicans today say the elephant is strong and dignified

Coordinating Policymaking

-Majority party: the party with the most members in the legislature (party in power). -Minority party: the party with fewer members in the legislature. -The president works through party leaders in Congress to promote the administration's legislative program. -Current - Democrats control the executive and Republicans control Congress (the Senate & the House) -Obama has had a lot of trouble passing legislation because: --lack of effective leadership in both parties --ultra conservatives in Congress not willing to compromise on many issues -Ideally, the parties work together to fashion compromises --legislation that is acceptable to both parties and that serves the national interest (called bipartisanship ("reaching across the aisle")) On the Healthcare Bill: -pushed through without giving legislators a chance to read it On the Debt Ceiling Issue: -Democrats told Republicans any solution they presented would be dead on arrival

America's Political Parties Today

-Our political system favors the two-party system -Federalist and Anti-Federalist established a precedent for a two party system that has continued -Both parties encompass a wide range of views and the parties are built on compromise

Informing the Public

-Political parties help educate the public about important current political issues -Methods of presenting party views: --campaign speeches & rallies, debates, web sites, social media, ads, TV, newspaper. -Results: --stimulate interest, gain volunteers & voters -The debates are helping voters chose the candidate they will vote for in the primary -The ads increase as the primary gets closer and steadily increase closer to the election -Their website should give the best insight on their views

Selecting Candidates

-Political parties narrow the field of people who want to run for office by holding a primary --primary: a preliminary election held for the purpose of choosing a party's final candidate. --the winners of each party's primary run against each other in the general election --primaries begin in January --candidates start campaigning more than a year (sometimes 2-3 years) before the election --primaries are also held at state and local level for state and local races that have more than one candidate from a party seeking the nomination

State Organizations of 3rd Parties

-State party organizations are different from each other and are loosely tied to the party's national structure -The state organization is built around a central committee and a chairperson -Chairperson is chosen by the committee or selected by the governor or a senator from that state

"Texas 2-Step" Precinct Caucus

-Texas Democrats have a something called the "Texas 2-Step" precinct caucus. This allowed Obama to win the Texas primary over Hillary Clinton, although she had the majority of the popular vote. --After the polls close precinct conventions (caucus) are held. --Delegates to the next level (county convention then state convention) are determined by the percentage of supporters at the precinct convention. --EX: 100 people sign in at the precinct convention. 75 are Obama supporters and 25 are Clinton supporters. Obama gets 75 delegates and Clinton gets 25 delegates. So it is important for Democrats to show up in support of their candidate at the precinct convention in addition to voting in the primary.

Federalists

-believed a democracy should be ruled by the wealthiest and best educated -although both parties represent both wealthy educated and the "common man", GOP is still identified as the rich man's party.

How the Vice President is chosen:

-by the Presidential nominee -Presidential nominee will "vet" several potential candidate before choosing -the VP is chosen for "what they will bring to the ticket"

Multi-Party System

-consists of 3 or more major parties -no one party has a majority which means the Prime Minister must form a government which includes 2 or more parties sharing power.

Third Party Facts

-play an important role in American politics -have been represented at most national elections -generally do poorly in presidential elections (most was 26%: Teddy Roosevelt's Progressive Party/Bull Moose) -do win at the local level -candidates must collect signatures to be placed on the ballot - based on previous election -usually form when a large % of voters are dissatisfied with the way the government is handling things Sen. John McCain has predicted that the time is ripe for a third party to form. When asked what it would be called he suggested the "Fed-up Party" because so many people are "fed up" with the government, president and congress both. --representative of Trump's and Carson's poll standings 1912 - 26 % Progressive - Teddy Roosevelt 1856 - 21.6% Whig American - Millard Fillmore 1992 - 19% Reform Party - Ross Perot

Founding Fathers' views on political parties

-they did not like parties/factions -they did not intend for them to form but they were a natural outgrowth of the new govt. b/c of opposing views -thought the power struggles between small economic and political groups would eventually topple the balanced democracy they wanted to create. -Thomas Jefferson, "If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." -2 major political factions, the Federalist & Anti-Federalists formed before the Constitution was ratified. -political parties started to form before the Constitution was ratified and developed over whether to ratify the Constitution

Local --> National

1) Each Congressional district is divided into precincts. 2) After the polls close each precinct (or ward) both Dems and Reps hold a precinct convention to choose a precinct chairman and delegates to the next level which is usually the county convention (or Senate convention based on the senate district) 3) Delegates at the county convention choose delegates to the state convention 4) Delegates at the state convention choose delegates to the national convention.

Components of the 2 Major Political Parties

1) The party in the electorate -the largest component, consisting of everyone who describes themselves as a Democrat or Republican 2) The party organization -the national, state, & local organization of each party 3) The party in govt. -elected public officials

Things first proposed by Third Parties

1) minimum wage 2) women's vote 3) old-age pensions 4) anti-slavery

Political Parties' Jobs

1) select candidates 2) inform the public 3) coordinate policy making 4) check the power of the party in power 5) balance competing interests 6) run campaigns

Democrat Party Development

1787-Anti-Federalist Party 1792-Democratic Republican Party 1828-Democratic Party (largest) The Democrats, in the beginning as the Anti-Federalists, believed in a limited role for the federal government and more power for the states—today they believe in the opposite.

Republican Party Development

1787-Federalist Party 1828-National Republican Party 1836-Whig Party 1854-Republican Party (2nd largest)

Examples of Third Parties

1912-Bull Moose Progressive Party 1948-Henry Wallace Progressive Party 1968-American Independent Party 1971-Libertarian Party 1973-Socialist Party USA 1992-Constitution Party 1996-Reform Party 2000-Green Party

Party Platforms

A document written at the party's national convention that outlines the policies & positions of the party. -usually revised every 4 years -not all candidates or party members share the party's position on each issue -do not necessarily tell you what the candidate will do in office The platform represents the official party position on various issues, although neither all party members nor all candidates running on the party's ticket share these positions exactly. (EX: abortion) A new party agenda is usually announced every 2 years as a new session of Congress gets under way. The party platform is usually outlined on the official party website. Doesn't mean each candidate will abide by the party's agenda. -EX: Bill Clinton --passed a welfare reform bill in 1996 which forced many off welfare --passed NAFTA (anti-labor union) opened free trade with Mexico and lost many jobs supported by labor union -Politicians more concerned w/ re-election than what is good for the country -They will talk bi-partisan and vote partisan -To gain or remain in power they will adopt a plank from the other party or disregard what is in the best interest of the country This is part of the reason Trump and Carson have done well in the polls - people are dissatisfied with politicians and they think an "outsider" will do better.

Political Party

A group of individuals who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine policy.

How American Political Parties are Structured

Both parties are fragmented and decentralized - there is no central power with a direct chain of command. Most state & local parties work closely with their national organizations only during major elections.

Running Campaigns

Duties of a political party: 1) raise money for campaigns 2) coordinate campaigns at the local, state, & national levels 3) work at party headquarters 4) recruit volunteers to: -door-to-door canvassing -register voters -serve as poll watchers

Congressional Campaign Committees

Each party has a campaign committee -made up of party members from each house of Congress -chosen by their colleagues -serve 2 year term on the committee -committees help to re-elect party members to Congress

Demographic Factors & Party Affiliation (overall)

Each party is diverse & welcomes all groups. Factors influencing party identification: -gender -race -age -income -education -geography

REPUBLICAN Demographic Factors & Party Affiliation

Gender-slightly more men Race-slightly more whites Age-more middle age Geography- Southeast, parts of the Midwest and Southwest

DEMOCRAT Demographic Factors & Party Affiliation

Gender-slightly more women Race-slightly less than ½ whites, overwhelmingly minority Age- significantly large number of 18-24 Geography- west coast and Northeast

Party Affiliation

In the US a person only needs to identify with a party to be a "member" -members do not have to work for the party, attend meetings, or pay dues -some states require party affiliation to vote Party electorate consists of: -party identifiers: members -party elite: active party members who choose to work for the party and/or run for office In a democracy: -people belong to a party b/c they agree w/ many of its main ideas & support come of its candidates In a dictatorship: -people are required to belong to the state party to get ahead in life People join for many reasons: -to express solidarity with like-minded people -the excitement of politics -patronage

Kinds of Third Parties

Third parties want to challenge the major parties because they believe that certain needs and values are not being properly addressed. Some appeal to the entire nation. Some focus on particular regions of the country or state. Most are short lived. -Issue-Oriented Parties --promotes a particular cause or timely issue --EX: Green Party USA - environment -Ideological Parties --supports a particular political doctrine or set of beliefs --EX: Libertarian Party-opposes most all forms of govt. -Splinter Parties --develops out of a split within a major party --EX: Reform Party-provide a platform for H Ross Perot

Patronage

the rewarding of the party's faithful w/ government jobs -friends, advisors and major contributors who helped get the President or governor elected often get government jobs through appointments (cabinet position, ambassador, head of an agency, etc)