Politics - US Party leadership

What did George Washington believe about political parties?

Believed people would become more loyal to a political party then the US as a whole, mostly proved to correct

Who was the Democrats support base in the 1930s-1960s?

Blue-collar workers, minorities and Conservative white segregationists

What were parties like in the 1940s-50s?

Relatively non-ideological and more bi-partisan

Example of parties being relatively non-ideological in the 1940s-50s?

Eisenhower wasn’t bothered about which party to join

Differences in economic policies now between the democrats and republicans?

Democrats believe in higher tax on the richest, Republicans believe in lower taxes and ‘trickle down’ economics

Differences in social policies between democrats and republicans?

Democrats more accepting of minorities and abortion whereas republicans disagree

How many members of the national rifle association (NRA) are there?

5 million

Who set up the NRA?

Post civil war veterans

What does the NRA do?

Lobbies, raises money, campaigns and issues report cards on the supportivity of politicians on gun legislation

What did the democrats 2020 tax policy pledge?

To reverse Trumps tax cuts in order to make sure the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes

What separation do democrats believe is desirable and constitutional?

A separation between the church and state

What human and sensible reforms to the immigration system do the democrats believe should be introduced?

Deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) policy and a DREAM act that would regularise the status of many illegal immigrants resdient and working in the US

What type of issues does the democrat party believe the US should work with international organisations on?

Climate change and nuclear proliferation

What policy to do with environmentalism and climate change does the democrat party believe the US needs?

A ‘green new deal’

What was the “contract with America” in 1994?

A document outlining legislation to be enacted by the house within the first 100 days of the 140th congress

What proposals were in the “contract with America”?

Tax cuts, a permanent line-item veto, and a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget

Why did Newt Gingrich’s popularity wane in 1995?

He was blamed for partial government shutdowns due to refusing to compromise with president clinton on the federal budget

What was the democrat party like pre 1930s?

Incorporated a more populist platform in 1896 election

What party won every election from 1896 to 1932?

The republicans

Which short-lived 3rd party arose as a reaction to industrialisation?

Populists (poor western farmers)

In 1932 how did the democrats win the election?

Because Roosevelt proposed to revive the economy with New deal and African-American voters started to support democrats

Why did the republicans dominance end in 1932?

Due to the Great Depression and voters were annoyed with Herbert Hoover

Which party had dominance in the 1950s to 1968?

The democrats

Why did Nixon (republican) win in 1968?

As large numbers of white southern started to vote republican and the New deal coalition spilt

Who were Reagan Democrats?

Mostly socially conservative blue-collar workers

What factors have had a bigger impact on 2000s elections?

Age and race as under 30s heavily lean democrat

In 2012 how many more republican legislators had the south elected than in 2008?

222

When was there a rise in candidate centered politics?

1990s

What is the “Solid South”?

The confederate of states with Conservative views that as of the 1980s vote republicans

In 2010 what proportion of Texas’s population were Latinos?

38%

What proportion of Latino voters believe same-sex marriage should be legal?

59%

What proportion of Latino voters have a negative view of capitalism?

55%

Why do US political parties not have a clear leader?

As it reflects the separation of powers and the federal framework of the US where the president is voted for as a seperate entity

How is the leader of the republicans in the senate?

John Thune

Who is the leader for the democrats in the senate?

Chuck Schumer

In the house who is the speaker for the democrats?

Mike Johnson

In the house who is the speaker for the republicans?

Steve Sclease

What characterise the relationship between the executive and legislative leaders?

The president has no direct power over their party’s legislators in congress

What is the impact of a lack of party discipline?

Presidents can receive congressional opposition from their own party

Example of president receiving congressional opposition from their own party?

Trump unable to pass healthcare reforms in first 2 years despite rep majority in both houses

What is the nature of state party structure?

They have a degree of autonomy and play an important role in organising primaries but have a minimal direct role in candidate selection

What are the main roles of national party organisations?

To organise the national convention that formally nominates the party’s presidential candidate and draw up the party’s National platform

How is the role of national party organisations limited?

No power over candidate selection

The DCCC, NRCC, DSCC and NRSC do what?

Coordinate campaigns and donors and sometimes run ads and campaigns

What is an example of an affiliated organisation?

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) with 50,000 members

What is affiliated organisations impact?

Similar to pressure groups just more partial towards a party

Example of central party structure having a strong impact?

In June 2020 rep house member Steve King lost his primary partly due to comments from house leader (R) Mitch McConnell “unworthy of his elected position”

What does the ‘unity within diversity’ model mean?

Strong common purpose to secure election victories for their party but with parallel avenues of giving and activism

When do gov shutdowns happen?

When there’s a clash between exe and legislative and when congress refuse to fund pieces of legislation

When did the south start to become more republican?

In the 1960s and 70s

Where is now more solidly Democrat?

The east and west coast

When was the last time a democrat won completely in the south?

The presidential election of 1976

How have different parts of America changed from democrat to republican or republican to democrat?

Due to realigning elections

Which realigning election caused the south to turn republican?

1932

How has the republicans ideology changed over the last ½ century?

Become more conservative and have taken a strong law and order platform and have taken an opposition to issues like gay rights and protective of 2nd amendment

How has the democrats ideology changed over the last ½ century?

Become more liberal and for gun control, pro-choice and LGBT rights

At what convention did the republicans take a stronger pro-civil rights stance and modernise the Republican Party?

1964 convention

What did John Lindsay say in 1971 about the Republican Party?

‘Today the Republican Party has moved so far from what I perceive as necessary policies… I can no longer try to work with it

Why have Republicans become more coservative?

As more liberal and moderate republicans were defeated in primaries or switched to democrats and democrats picked up support from moderate republicans

What is the key demographic of a republican?

Likely to be white, live in a rural area, attend church and be less educated

What is the key demographic of a democrat?

Likely to live in an urban area, diverse range of cultures, less likely to be religious and have higher levels of education

How do democrat campaigns play to different voter groups against the republicans?

Encourage voters to view republicans as racist, bigots and against women’s rights

How do Republican campaigns play to different voter groups against the democrats?

Encourage supporters to view democrats as unpatriotic socialists

What did Trump say about the democrats view on immigration?

“They’re eating cats and dogs”

What have demographics of party’s lead to?

More hostility between parties and their supporters

What has a decrease in cohesiveness lead to?

Parties more united in how they vote and less bipartisanship on major policies

Example of a decrease in bipartisanship?

In policies like Obamacare and Trump tax cuts where they were passed with little support from other party

Which Republican relied on republican votes to pass the civil rights act 1964?

Johnson

What proportion of democrats and republicans backed the civil rights act 1964?

R - 81% D - 69%

What is the reason for a decrease in bipartisanship?

Changing party policies and increased loyalty to party

How many republicans in house judiciary committee voted to impeach Nixon?

7/17

How many republican law makers voted to impeach Trump?

0/19

How are factions organised in congress?

With a leader and regular meetings to determine policy priorities and strategies

What are the 4 main Republican Party factions?

Conservatives, moderates, libertarians and evangelicals/social conservatives

What do conservative republicans argue for?

A major reduction in the role of government in organising the economy

What democrat policies would Conservative republicans oppose?

The raising of the federal minimum wage or the Affordable care act

What is the largest Conservative faction?

The republican study committee

Which is the most significant Conservative faction and was seen as central in the initial withdrawal of the Trump-Ryan American health care act in 2017?

The freedom caucus

What are moderate conservatives also know as?

Republican in name only (RINOs)

What are moderate conservatives more likely to support in comparison to other republicans?

The need for welfare provision and tax

Which moderate republican group were supportive of the bipartisan Budget act in 2017?

The Main Street partnership

What do libertarian republicans argue for?

The idea of individual liberty and to reduce the role of federal government

Libertarian republicans are represented by what caucus?

The house liberty caucus

Who represented libertarian values in republican presidential primaries?

Senator Rand Paul (2016) and Ron Paul (2012)

What do evangelicals/social conservatives focus on?

Christian views

What candidates represented ideas of social conservatism in republican primaries?

Santorum in 2012 and Cruz in 2016

What do evangelicals heavily campaign on defunding?

Planned Parenthood

Which democrat faction fight for social justice and wish to regulate the economy to protect socioeconomically disadvantaged groups?

Progressive/liberal democrats

What is the progressives faction which also the largest organised democrat faction with 75 members?

Congressional progressive caucus

Who are key figures in the congressional progressive caucus?

Bernie Sanders, Mark Pocan

What are progressives views on economic policy?

In opposition to the Trans-Pacific partnership (TPP) as its in favour of multinational corporations and works against working families

Example of a progressive democrats pushing for a greater government role in the provision of health and education benefits?

Sanders ran on a 2016 platform which included free college tuition for all

Which democrat faction don’t want strong government intervention to try overcome inequalities and support free trade agreements and lower taxes?

Moderate Democrats

What policies do moderate democrats disagree with?

Sanders single payer act and calls for free college tuition

What is the most notable moderate democrat caucus on congress?

New democrat coalition

Who are examples of moderate democrats?

Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton

What democrat faction is supportive of dun rights and less supportive of gay rights and abortion?

Conservative democrats

Which Conservative faction opposed Obamas Afforable care act?

Conservative democrats