chapter 5. parties and what they do? political party is a group of persons who seek to control...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 5
Political Parties
Parties and What They Do?
Political Party Is a group of persons who seek
to control government through the winning of elections and
holding of public office.
Major Parties Republican Democrat
Both parties are no primarily principle or issue
oriented. ???????
They are election oriented.
What Is A
Party?
Nominate Candidates Name candidates for public office Parties select candidates and the present
them to the voters.
Informing and Activating Supporters The parties inform the people, and inspire
and activate their interests and participation in public affairs.
The Bonding Agent Function Bond- is an agreement that protects a
person or company against loss caused by a third party. The party acts as a bonding agent to
ensure the good performance of its candidates and officeholders.
Governing Congress and state legislatures are
organized on party lines, and they conduct much of their business on the basis of partisanship.
Acting as Watchdog Parties act as watchdogs over the conduct of
public’s business. It plays this role as it criticizes the policies
and behavior of the party in power.
What Do
Parties Do?
The Two- Party
System
Historical Basis Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists George Washington’s Farewell Address
The Force of Tradition Accept the idea of a two party system,
simply because there has always been one.
The Electoral System Single member districts- candidate is
elected to each office on the ballot. Winner takes all.
The American Ideological Consensus Republican- in favor of private market
forces in the economy and to argue that the Federal Government should be less extensively involved in social welfare programs.
Democrats- vote for a candidate who supports social welfare, government regulation, of business practices, and efforts to improve the status of minorities.
Why a two-party
system?
Replacement of a two party system
They would replace it with a multiparty
system, which several major and minor
parties exist, seriously compete for, and
actually win public offices.
Would this work in America?
Multiparty Systems
This is really a no party system.
Democrats and Republicans go
back and forth as far as popularity.States also have
their party that they are affiliated
with.The State of Utah???
One Party
Systems
This is purely voluntary. Its what they choose to be.
Parties must be able to attract supporters. Supporters can be young, old, city-
dwellers, suburbanites, and rural residents among it members.
They can also be any age to support any political party.
Different Parties The Libertarian Party Prohibition National Committee America First Party The Constitution Party The Natural Law Party The Socialists Labor Party Green Party of the United States The Communists Party
Party Membership
Patterns
The Two-Party System In American
History
Federalists Formed around Alexander Hamilton Party of the rich and the well born Most of them supported the Constitution Worked to create a stronger national
government. Appealed to Financial, manufacturing, and
commercial interests. Liberal interpretation of the Constitution.
Jeffersonian Followers of the Common Man Very limited role for the new government. Congress should dominate that new
government. Its policies should help the nation’s small
shopkeepers, farmers, laborers, and planters.
First election in which they clashed was in 1796 John Adams beating Jefferson by 3 votes.
The Nation’s
First Parties
Era of the Democrats 1800-1860. Thomas Jefferson’s election marked the
beginning . This will last until the Civil War.
The Era of the Republicans 1860-1932. The Civil War sparked the beginning for a one
party domination. McKinley Grover Cleveland Taft Roosevelt
The Return of the Democrats 1932-1968 Franklin Roosevelt Truman
The Start of a New Era Richard Nixon-Republican Gerald Ford-Republican Jimmy Carter- Democrat Ronald Reagan- Republican George Bush- Republican William Jefferson Clinton- Democrat George HW Bush- Republican Barack Obama- Democrat
American Parties:
Four Major Eras
The Minor Parties
Ideological Parties Parties based on a particular
set of beliefs.
Single Issue Parties They focus on only one
public-policy matter.
Economic Protest Parties They have been rooted in
economic discontent.
Splinter Parties They have split from one of
the major parties.
Minor Parties in the United States
Still have an impact on American politics and on the major parties.
Minor parties continue to be active
today.Many minor parties
also seek seats in Congress or run for
various State and local offices.
Why Minor Parties
Are Important
Party Organization
The Role of The Presidency The President’s Party is usually more
organized than the opposing party. President is automatically the party
leader.
The Impact of Federalism Federalism is one major reason for the
decentralized nature of the two major parties is to gain control of the government.
They do this by winning elective offices.
The Role of the Nominating Process Plays a central role in the life of political
parties. First: Candidate selection is an intraparty
process. Nomination within the party. Second: The nominating process can be a
divisive one. Fight over the nomination.
Prime process is making of their nomination.
The Decentralized Nature of the
Parties
The National Convention The Party’s national voice
The National Committee The parties affairs are handled
The National Chairperson Leader of the national
committee. Chosen in a four year term
The Congressional Campaign Committees
Each party also has a campaign committee in each house of
Congress. These committees work to reelect incumbents and to make sure that seats given up
remain in the party.
National Party
Machinery
The State Organization At the State level, party machinery is built around a
State central committee, headed by a State
chairperson. Chairperson and committee
work together to further the parties interests.
Local Organization Ward- is a unit into which
cities are often divided for the election of city council
members. Precinct- Is the smallest unit
of election administration; the voters in each precinct report to one polling place.
State and Local Party Machinery
1- The Party Organization These are the party leaders
Activists All who give their time, money
and skills to the party.
2- The Party in the electorate
The party’s loyalists who vote on a straight party ticket. Party Members
3- The Party in Government
Party’s officeholders Those who hold executive, judicial, legislative offices in the federal, state and local levels.
The Three Components of the Party
The present, weakened state of the parties can be traced to
several factors: 1- A sharp drop in the number of
voters wiling to identify themselves with their party.
2- A big increase in split-ticket voting. Voting for candidates of
different parties for different offices at the same election.
3- Various structural changes and reforms that have made the parties
more open but led to internal disorganization.
4- Changes in technology of campaigning for office. Television
and internet. 5- The growth in both numbers and
impact, of single issue organizations in our politics.
The Future of the Major
Parties