Political Parties in America

Parties and what they do?

• Political party: – a group of persons

who seek to control the government through the winning of elections and holding of public office.

What is a Party?

• DEMOCRATS• REPUBLICANS

Major Parti es in America

• Another more specific definition is a political party is a group of persons who want to control government for what purpose?– To affect certain public policies and programs

• The (2) major parties in the US do not fit this definition; they are more election oriented.

More Specific…

What Do Parties Actually Do?

• It is clear from American history that political parties are essential to democratic government.

• They are the medium through which options are presented to the people.

Role of Parties

• Parties are a link between people and their government.

• How do they work to ‘blunt’ conflict? – Try to bring conflicting

groups together and encourage compromise.

Role of Parties

• The major function of a political party is to nominate (or name) candidates for public office.

• Once a candidate is nominated, what then is the party’s function?– WIN THE ELECTION !!

Nominating Candidates

• Big job for political parties is to inform the people.

• What are (3) examples of this?1. Campaign for candidates2. Take stance on issues3. Criticize candidates and

positions of opponents.

Informing/Activating Supporters

• Parties conduct this ‘educational’ process:– through pamphlets, signs, buttons and

stickers– with advertisements– in speeches and rallies.

Informing/Activating Supporters

• In business, a bond is an agreement that protects a person or company against loss caused by a third party.

• EXPLAIN the ‘bonding agent’ function in politics:– Parties ensure the good performance of its

candidates and officeholders.

Bonding Agent

• The party also prompts it’s successful candidates to perform well in office.

• What happens if the party fails with this?– Party and its

candidates may suffer consequences in future elections.

Bonding Agent

• Congress and the State legislatures are organized on party lines and they conduct much of their business on the basis of partisanship.

Governing

• Definition:–Strong support of a political party and

their policies.

Partisanship

• In the complicated separation of powers agreement, the executive and legislative branches must cooperate with one another if anything is to get accomplished.

• Political parties can help the two branches work together.

Governing

• Parties act as ‘watchdogs’ over the conduct of the people’s business.

• When is this particularly true?– When a party is out of

power (does not control the executive branch)

Watchdog

• In American politics the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government (President/national; Governor/state)

• Party out of power plays the role of ‘loyal opposition’.

Watchdog

• Definition:– Opposed to the party in power but loyal

to the people and the nation.

Loyal Opposition

The Two-PartySystem

• A minor party is one of the many political parties without wide voter support.

• DESCRIBE the two-party in American politics.– Democrats and

Republicans are only party that has reasonable chance of winning public office in US.

Two-Party System

• A number of factors help to explain why America has had and continues to have a two-party system.

• There are four major reasons that can explain this:

Why a Two-Party System?

• The Framers of the Constitution were opposed to political parties.

The Historical Basis

• Argument over the ratification of the new Constitution.1. Federalists2. Anti-Federalists

• Democratic-Republicans

Origin of Two-Party System

• Once established, human institutions are likely to be self-perpetuating.

• Why do most Americans accept the idea of a two-party system? – Because there has

always been this system!

The Force of Tradition

• Several features of the American electoral system to tend to promote the existence of the two major parties:

The Electoral System

• Single member districts:–contests in which

only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot.

Single Member District

PA Congressional Districts

PA District 13

PA Election Results in 2008

PA Election Results in 2012

• Definition:–The largest number

of votes for an office.– NOTE: a plurality

need not be a majority (which is more than half of all votes cast)

Plurality

• Much of American election law is purposely written to discourage non-major party candidates

• Republicans and Democrats work in a bipartisan (work together) way.

The Electoral System

• Definition:– When both major political parties work

together on an issue.

BI-PARTISANSHIP

• How do they major parties make it difficult for the smaller ones?– Election laws are

shaped to frustrate the minor parties.

– Can’t get on ballot or take part in debates.

The Electoral System

• Over time, the American people have shared many of the same ideas, the same basic principles, and the same patterns of belief.

• Americans are not alike; the US is a pluralistic society: one consisting of several distinct cultures and groups.

Ideological Consensus

• Americans come to a consensus (a general agreement among various groups) on fundamental matters, but the nation has been divided at times

• How has this ideological consensus made the 2 major parties look alike? – Both parties tend to be moderate and try

to occupy “the middle of the road” to get more voters.

Ideological Consensus

• A system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win, public offices – European democracies.

• What are the parties in this system based on?– A particular interest.

Multi-Party Systems

• Weakness here is that one party is often unable to win the support of a majority of the voters.

• The result is that that power to govern must be shared by a number of parties in a coalition.

Multi-Party Systems

• DEFINE:–A temporary

alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control government.

Coalition

• The one-party system is really a NO PARTY system.

• Usually found in dictatorships today.

One-Party Systems

• How can parts of the United States be described as ‘one-party’? – In certain parts of

the US, only one political party has a real chance to win.

One-Party in US ??

• Membership in a party is purely voluntary – an individual chooses to be a Democrat, Republican, independent, or join a minor party.

• The two major parties are broadly based in order to attract as much support as they can–they try to get a cross-section of

America’s population.

Membership Patterns

• Individuals identify themselves with a party for many reasons with family as a key-deciding factor.

• It is also true that certain segments of the electorate tend to be aligned with one of the major parties – for a time:

Membership Patterns

• African-Americans• Women• Catholics and Jews• Union Members• Urban areas of

country

Membership PatternsDemocrats Republicans

• Protestants• Males• Business

community• Rural sections of

country

The Two-PartySystem in

American History

• Formed around Alexander Hamilton.

• Appealed to financial, manufacturing and commercial interests.

• Wanted a strong national government and executive.

• What was their view of the Constitution? – Liberal (loose) interpretation

Federalists

• Key leader Thomas Jefferson.• Appealed to shopkeepers,

laborers, farmers and planters.

• Wanted a limited national government where Congress would have more power.

• What was their view of the Constitution?– Strict interpretation

Democratic-Republicans

• Define:–Current officeholder

Incumbent

• The history of the American party system since 1800 can be divided in to (4) major periods:

American Parties

• Jefferson’s election in 1800 marked the beginning of Democrat domination until the Civil War.

• When had the Federalists disappeared?– Defeated in 1800, disappeared altogether by 1816

Era of Democrats 1800-1860

• By the mid-1820s, the Democrats were splitting up into factions:– Democrats– Whigs

• FACTIONS are groups with conflicting interests.

Era of Democrats 1800-1860

• Andrew Jackson• A coalition of farmers, debtors, frontier

pioneers and slaveholders. Support from South and West.

• What were the (3) fundamental changes to political landscape?1. Voting rights for all white males2. Increase in number of elected offices in US3. Spread of spoils system (rewarding loyal party

members with offices, jobs, contracts)

Democrats

• Henry Clay, Daniel Webster.• A loose coalition of eastern

bankers, merchants and industrialists, large slaveholders.

• Were able to elect (2) presidents based mainly on what? –Military records of

candidates

Whig Party

• By the 1850s the growing crisis over slavery split both major parties and the Republican Party was founded in 1854.

• Ran John C. Fremont in 1856 for the presidency.

Republicans Born…

• Starting with Lincoln, the GOP dominated the national scene for 75 years starting with the Civil War.

• Who did the Republicans get support from?– Business/financial interests and newly freed

slaves

Era of Republicans 1860-1932

• Crippled by the war, were able to survive mainly through their hold on the “Solid South”.

• Worked to rebuild their base, but were only able to elect a president twice – Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892

• WHY? Unprecedented prosperity in the country.

Era of Republicans 1860-1932

Republicans Democrats

Candidate William McKinley William J. Bryan

Supporters Big business, urban areas of country

Farmers, labor unions, small businesses

KeyIssue

Supported the GOLD STANDARD

Supported the SILVER STANDARD

ELECTION OF 1896

• Electorate– people eligible to

vote.• Sectionalism

– emphasizes a devotion to the interests of a particular region of the country.

Key Terms

• Split the Republicans between incumbent President Howard Taft and former president Theodore Roosevelt.

• This split enabled whom to win the presidency in 1912 and 1916?– Democrat Woodrow Wilson

• However, the Republicans were able to win the next (3) elections throughout the 1920s.

The Election 1912

• The Great Depression returned the Democrats to national prominence until 1968.

• What was their new electoral base?– Southerners, unions, big-city political machines,

minorities

Return of Democrats 1932-1968

• Democrats controlled the White House from 1932-1952; 1960-1968

• Who won the Republican’s only (2) presidential victories of this era? –Dwight D. Eisenhower

Republican Victory

• Starting with the election of 1968, neither political party dominated national politics.

• The years since Richard Nixon’s election in 1968 have been marked by divided government.

The Start of a New Era 1968 -

• Republican Richard Nixon wins in 1968

• What were the Democrats split over?– The Vietnam War

• Independent candidate George Wallace - last minor party candidate to win any electoral votes.

Election of 1968

• Richard Nixon easily wins reelection over George McGovern and the still divided Democrats but is forced to resign in 1974 (Watergate).

Election of 1972

• Gerald Ford (who took over for Nixon) lost a close election to Georgia governor Jimmy Carter.

• What hurt Ford?– His pardoning of

Richard Nixon

Election of 1976

• Republicans back in power with two landslide victories by Ronald Reagan.

Elections of 1980, 1984

• George HW Bush (Reagan’s Vice President) wins over Michael Dukakis.

Election of 1988

• Democrats regain the Presidency with 2 victories by Bill Clinton.

• What role did H. Ross Perot play? –Spoiler role

Elections of 1992, 1996

• Republicans and George W. Bush win (2) very close elections.

Elections of 2000,2004

• Democrat Barack H. Obama wins historic election and Democrats return to power.

Elections of 2008,2012

• Define Divided Government:– One party controls

Executive Branch (Presidency)

– Other party controls the Legislative Branch (Congress)

Divided Government

TheMinor Parties

• The number and variety of minor parties make it difficult to describe and classify them.

• Some have limited their efforts to a small area or region; some have tried to woo the entire nation.

The Minor Parties in America

• Minor parties are numerous in America.

• Often short lived, but can play an important role in the American political process.

• There are (4) distinct types of minor parties in America….

The Minor Parties in America

Ideologicalparty

What is thistype of party

based on?

Don’t get many

Votes and are

Short lived

Examples:Socialist,

Communist

Particular set of beliefs = view of social, economic, and

political matters

Single issueParty

Focus on one

issue and their

Name is key

Free SoilKnow

NothingRight to

Life

(1)Events pass

Them by..

(2) Fail to attractvoters

(3) Major party “borrows”their idea

EconomicProtestParties

Rooted in periods ofeconomic

unrest

Disgusted with Major

Parties

Where is their

angerfocused?

Regional parties:West or South

Greenback Party

Populist Party

Real or imagined enemies = bankers or monetary system

SplinterParties

parties that have split away from

MAJOR

Centered aroundStrong

Personality

usually fades

when leadersteps aside

• Even though Americans do not support them, minor parties still have had an impact on the major parties:1. Spoiler Role2. Role of critic and

innovator

Why Important?

• A strong 3rd party candidate can play the “spoiler role”

• EXPLAIN this role:– Minor party candidate

takes votes from on of the major parties and can ‘spoil’ the election.

Spoiler Role

• Minor parties take clear-cut stands on controversial issues.

• Minor parties have brought attention to issues that the major parties preferred to ignore or straddle.

• How has the innovator role been a source of frustration for minor parties? – Major party takes idea and presents the idea

as their own.

Critic and Innovator

PartyOrganization

• Both parties are highly decentralized, fragmented, disjointed, and often beset by factions and internal squabbling.

• Local parties are often loosely tied with the State party; State parties the same with the National party.

Decentralized

• President’ s party is usually more solidly unified and more cohesively organized than the opposing party.

• The President is automatically the party leader.

Role of President

• How does he assert that leadership?1. Access to media2. Popularity3. Power to make

appointments to federal office.

Role of President

• Because the governmental system in the United States is highly decentralized (elected offices at many levels), so are the political parties.

Impact of Federalism

• The nominating process is also a major cause of party decentralization and (2) aspects of this process help to explain this:1. Candidate selection is an intraparty process 2. What is the process like? The nominating process pits

party members against one another because only one person can chosen to be the party’s presidential candidate.

– Very divisive for a party – the fight can be “bloody” and damaging

Role of Nominating Process

• The structure of both major parties at the national level has (4) basic elements:1. National Convention2. National Committee3. National Chairperson4. Congressional

Campaign Committees

National Party Machinery

• Often described as the party’s national voice, it meets in the summer of every presidential election year.

• What does the convention work on? – Party rules and

platform

National Convention

• Between conventions, the national committee and national chairperson handle the party’s affairs, at least in theory.

• Both parties have expanded the committee’s membership in recent years: representatives from states, territories, and other groups.

• Do these committees have any power? –No real power

National Committee

• Chairperson is the leader of the national committee and is chosen by the committee for a 4-year term.

• During presidential election year – Chair works on the national convention and then the campaign.

• What do the chairpersons do between the presidential elections? – Work to strengthen party by raising money

and recruiting new voters.

National Chairperson

• These committees work to reelect incumbents and to make sure that seats given up by retiring members remain in the party.

• Also work to unseat incumbents in the other party.

Congressional Campaign Committee

• The two major parties can also be examined from a social standpoint – that is, in terms of the various roles played by their members.

Components of Party

1. The Party Organization• Party leaders, activists, and its hangers-on.

2. The Party in the Electorate• Who makes up this component?

• Party loyalists who vote a straight ticket

3. The Party in Government• These are the party’s officeholders, those that

hold elective and appointive offices in the executive, judicial, or legislative branches.

Components of Party

Those who run and control the party machinery.

• Political parties have been in a period of decline since the late 1960s.

• The present, weakened state of the parties can be traced to several factors:

Future of Parties

More IndependentsGrowing number of voters identify as Independent

Split-Ticket VotingVoting for candidates of different parties at the same election

Changes and ReformIntroduction of direct primary and campaign finance laws have made parties more open.

Future of Parties

Campaign ChangesCandidates less dependent on parties because of television, internet, social media

Single-Issue organizationsGrowth and power of these organizations has weakened political parties.

Future of Parties