Unit 3

POLITICAL BEHAVIOR:

GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE

Unit 3, Notes 1

PARTIES AND WHAT THEY DO

A political party is a group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public offi ce

We have 2 major parties in the U.S. Democrats Republicans

Parties want to control government because they want to have an eff ect on certain public policies and programs Example

Democrats wanted to get in offi ce to get us out of war

POLITICAL PARTIES

Political Parties are a vital link between people and their government Presents opinions to the people and informs them of gov. actions They are how the will of the people is made known to the gov.

and how the gov. is held accountable for answering to the will of the people

They help get people to offi ce so they can change the gov. and they also help get people out of offi ce who are not doing their job

The major function of political parties includes… Nominating candidates Selecting candidates Presenting them to voters Helping the candidates win elections

Parties are the best device for fi nding candidates and gathering support for them

MAJOR FUNCTIONS

Parties also inform and inspire voters…they do this many ways Campaign, take stand of issues, criticize

opponents of their position Each party tries to inform people as to

how they want them to be informed Give voters the information they want

them to have Present their candidates in the best light

possible Use pamphlets, bumper stickers, signs,

advertisements, speeches, rallies, etc. to gather support and inspire people to vote

Ultimate goal of both parties Win election, so they won’t be too

radical with the stands they take Don’t want to alienate voters

MAJOR FUNCTION, CONT.

Insure that people they nominate are of good character and are qualifi ed

Makes sure that while in offi ce that person upholds party ideals

Important because if that person doesn’t then that party risks not winning future elections

Much governing in US is conducted according to party lines Based what they do on party

organization and ideals Partisanship - strong support of party

and policy stands Most political appointments to

offi ce are based on party ideology

“BONDING AGENT”

Parties have played a role in constitutional change

Parties have developed the way that we nominate a president This was not

mentioned in the Constitution

They have also reshaped the complicated election process and made it easier

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

Parties in the role of “watchdog”Watch over public business

The party out of power especially does this

Watch what the party in power does (the party that controls the executive branch) and criticizes it

Do this to point out to people and encourage them to get rid of that party in next election

Important role because this keeps the party in power on its toes They don’t want to mess up and give

the party out of anything to criticize

WATCHDOG

Herman Cain

President Barak Obama

VS

Rick Perry

Beginnings of American 2-Party system traced to the battle for ratification of constitution Federalist Party = first to appear

Formed around Alexander Hamilton Supported Constitution Wanted stronger national government Liberal (loose) interpretation of

Constitution stretch it as need be

Jeffersonians (Anti-Feds) led by Thomas Jefferson Wanted very limited role of gov. Congress should dominate gov. Favored “common man” Strict interpretation Constitution

TWO-PARTY SYSTEM HISTORY

FEDERALISTS JEFFERSONIANS

ALEXANDER HAMILITON THOMAS JEFFERSON

STRONG NATIONAL GOV. LIMITED ROLE OF NATIONAL GOV

EXECUTIVE DOMINATE CONGRESS DOMINATE

RICH, WELL-BORN “COMMON MAN”

LIBERAL CONSTITUTION STRICT CONSTITUTION

Jeff erson resigned from Washington’s cabinet to focus on building party Eventually became known as

Democratic-Republican Party Jeff erson won next election

Defeated incumbent (current offi ceholder) John Adams

American Party System = 4 major periods First 3, one major party dominated 4th era, today – divided gov.

JEFFERSON’S PARTY

Large number Some only in

certain states or regions

Others all over country

Most are short-lived, some have been around

Most focus on one ideal, others are more broad

MINOR PARTIES IN THE U.S.

1) Ideological party – based on particular set of beliefs

Based on views regarding social, economic, political matters

Most built on Marxism (Socialist, Socialist Labor, Communists)

Libertarian – emphasizes individual, do away with most gov. functions and programs

2) Single-issue Party – focus on one public policy matter

Name associated with issue = Prohibition

Most fade away

4 TYPES OF MINOR PARTIES

3) Economic Protest Party – tend to form in periods of economic problems

No clear-cut political ideology, usually angry at present situation

Populist Party – demanded public ownership of Railroad, telephone

They proclaim disgust at major parties Focus anger on monetary system

4) Splinter Parties – have split from major parties Usually form around strong person Usually someone who has failed to win the major

party’s presidential nomination Usually collapse when leader steps aside Examples

Theodore Roosevelt “Bull Moose Party” George Wallace “American Independent Party” – he

rejoined the Dem. Party once he performed well in 1968 election

Ralph Nadar “Green Party”

4 TYPES OF MINOR PARTIES, CONT.

A minor party was fi rst to use national convention to nominate president candidates Others followed them

Many times a 3rd party (minor) in election plays role of “spoiler”

It pulls votes away from one of the major parties Green in 2000

Not afraid to take controversial stands on issues, bring many important points to light women’s suffrage

WHY MINOR PARTIES IMPORTANT

We think of the two major parties as strong and very organized, but the opposite is true they aren’t that closely tied together and are very

decentralizedDo not have a chain of command to run them, coming

from the national level down to state levelEach state has its own organization, even broken

down into local organizationsMost of these act independently of one another

PARTY ORGANIZATION

President’s party is usually more united and better organized than the opposing party

President automatically becomes the party leader Simply because he is the president

Uses this power by making appointments to federal offi ce He chooses members of his party

to put in offi ce Other parties have no one even

close to that much power They usually don’t have one

person to lead the party A number of people usually

compete with one another for that position

ROLE OF THE PRESIDENCY

The central role of political parties

Candidate selection happens within the party They don’t choose an outsider

Many times it divides the party, puts Democrat against Democrat, etc.

This is a reason parties are decentralized

ROLE OF NOMINATING PROCESS

4 elements that make up political parties on a national level1) National Convention

National voice of the party Meet in summer of election year to nominate party’s presidential

and vice presidential candidates Also adopt the party’s platform (what it will stand for)

2) National Committee Between conventions they handle party business Led by a national chairperson Republican National Committee (RNC) and the democratic

National Committee (DNC) Both have a national chairperson and committee members from

each state Appears to have power because it contains leading members of

the party, but really all it does is plan for the next convention

NATIONAL PARTY

3) National Chairperson Chosen by the national

committee to a 4-yr term Choice is made by the

presidential candidate just nominated at the convention

Works to strengthen the party, promote party unity, raise $, recruit new voters

4) Congressional Campaign Committees In each house of Congress Work to re-elect incumbents

and make sure seats that are given up by retiring Congress members stay within their party

NATIONAL PARTY, CONT

Michael Steel

Tim Kaine

Built around the state central committeeHeaded by state chairperson

Could be governor, U.S. Senator, other important figure within party

Work on finding candidates and campaign funds

STATE ORGANIZATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES

There are party units in each part of the state that hold elected offi ces cities, counties, districts, etc.

Ward - (we call it a district) unit in which the city is divided for the election of its city council members

Precinct - where you go to cast your vote polling place

LOCAL ORGANIZATION