Political Parties. What are political parties Organizations of people with similar ideas that are...

Political Parties

What are political parties

Organizations of people with similar ideas that are formed to win elections.

What are political parties• Political parties can

form from factions. • Washington warned

against factions tearing the country apart.

• Madison wrote in Federalist 10 that they were bound to develop.

Political Party History

• The 1st political party was the Federalists from 1789 -1815 began by Madison and Hamilton.• The Democratic-Republicans began

in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson

Democrats

• In 1828 the modern Democrat party began and elected Andrew Jackson as their first President.

Whigs

• The Whig Party began around 1834 and ended around 1852.

Republicans• In 1853 the

Republican Party grew from the abolition movement.

• The abolition movement was a started to end slavery.

Republicans

• In 1860 Abraham Lincoln became the 1st Republican president. He ran on the issue to end slavery.

Third Parties

• Over time Third Parties have formed in an effort to challenge the Dems and Repubs

Some 3rd Parties• Anti-Masonic• Constitutional, Southern Democrats• Populist• Progressive• States’ Rights• Socialist-Labor• American Independent• Libertarian• Green• Communist

Structure

• National Committee State Central Committee County Committees

Precinct Level Party Workers

Political Parties

• Nominate candidates• Pick the best person to run• Governs• Acts as a watchdog

Political Parties

• A multi-party system brings a broader and more diverse electorate but it also causes instability.

• A one-party system is the same as a no-party system.

Political Parties

• Democrat electorate usually consists of Catholics, Jews, African-Americans, high-school graduates single, younger.

• Republican electorate usually consists of Protestants, business people, college graduates, married, older.

Political Action Committees

• Political Action Committees, commonly called "PACs," are organizations dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat political candidates.

Political Action Committees

• Most PACs are directly connected to specific corporations, labor groups, or recognized political parties.

Political Action Committees

• Examples of these PACs include Microsoft (a corporate PAC) and the Teamsters Union (organized labor).

Political Action Committees

• PACs solicit contributions from employees or members and make contributions in the PACs name to candidates or political parties.

Political Action Committees• Non-connected or

ideological PACs raise and spend money to elect candidates -- from any political party -- who support their ideals or agendas

Political Action Committees

• Non-connected PACs are made up of individuals or groups of U.S. citizens, not connected to a corporation, a labor party or a political party.

Political Action Committees• Examples of non-

connected PACs include the National Rifle Association (gun owner rights) and Emily's List (abortion, pro-choice). A non-connected PAC can solicit contributions from the general public of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Political Action Committees

• A third type of PAC, called "leadership PACs" are formed by politicians to help fund the campaigns of other politicians.

Political Action Committees

• Politicians often create leadership PACs in an effort to prove their party loyalty or to further their goal of being elected to a higher office.

Political Action Committees

• Under federal election laws, PACs can legally contribute only $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC.

Lobbyists• Someone who

tries to persuade legislators to vote for bills that the lobbyists favor

Lobbyists• A lobbyist is one

who is professionally employed to lobby on behalf of clients or who advises clients on how to lobby on their own behalf.

What Are Interest Groups?

• An interest group (special interests) is an organization of people with similar policy goals that try to influence the political process to try to achieve those goals.

• Interest groups try to influence every branch and every level of government.

The Roots and Developmentof American Interest Groups

• Interest groups have been part of the American political landscape since the country’s founding.

What Do Interest Groups Do?

• The most common and effective interest group technique is lobbying or seeking to influence and persuade others to support a group's position.

What Do Interest Groups Do?

• Lobbyists are hired by a college or university, businesses, foreign countries,

trade associations, and anyone else wanting their voice heard on policy matters.

Important Points to Think About

Interest Groups:• Promote interest in public affairs• Provide useful information• Serve as watchdogs• Represent the interest of citizens

Interest Groups and PACS

Public opinion is a dominant force in American politics and especially so during the long electoral process. If a presidential candidate fails to hit it off with the media at the first primary, then that presidential candidate is likely to have a political mountain to climb up to the November election.

National television has ensured that candidates pitch every word that they say with great care. What a candidate does,what a candidate will do on a campaign trail and what he says is usually determined by the availability of television coverage. It is the primary purpose of a campaign manager to ensure that a candidate gets this. Speeches have now become orientated to television and 30 seconds sound bites have become the norm rather than a classic speech. Short, sharp quotes are far more media friendly than a long speech on financial reform, welfare reform etc

The Media and Public Opinion

Which of these describes the political party system in the U.S.: one party system, two party system, or multi-party system?

Which of the images shown above are examples of the "mass media"?

What election is conducted with the Electoral College system?

Political process:political parties two-party systemthird partiescampaign platformnational conventions (Republican, Democratic)role of media special interest groups and associationsPACs LobbyistsPolitical spectrumreactionary conservative moderate liberal radical hawk dove