political parties

political parties

organizations that run candidates for political office and coordinate the actions of officials under the party banner

3 functions of political parties

party-in-government

party-as-government

party-in-the-eletorate

why are parties a cheat code

to understand and interact with politics

why do we have a 2 party system

electoral system, a presidential system with plurality elections, laws favor the two major parties, and tradition

what is our electoral system

2 parties and most votes win

what do most countries use

proportional representation systems- more than 2 parties. allow parties to get representation in the legislature even if they earn 5-10% of the vote

role of 3rd parties

-generally have little electoral impact

-bring forward issues like:

-limiting political machines

-regulating railroads

-balancing the budget

party-in-government

polarization has strengthened

government bodies are organized around parties

congress

party-as-organization

provides support but candidate-centered

national, state, and local committees

fundraising, voter contact

-primaries weaken party control over candidates

party-in-electorate

links strong than before

-vote consistently for party candidates

large differences in policy views

straight tickets

vote for one party for both president and house of representative

split ticket voting

vote for one candidate of one party for president and one for house of representative

why are party systems defined by realignments

-changes in the composition of party coalitions on the issues that divide the parties

-usually happen quickly, but can be gradual

coalitions -> policies

different coalitions demand and deliver different policies. when coalitions collapse, the policies they built become target

the 4 pillars of the new deal coalition

labor/unions, white southerners, black voters, and urban immigrants

labor/unions of new deal coalition

new deal gave unions rights to organize, NLRB- national labor relations board, FLSA- fair labor standards act

white southerners of new deal coalitions

new deal gave farm and agricultural subsides, economic programs, TVA- Tennessee valley authority

black northern of new deal coalition

programs excluded them

urban immigrants of new deal coalition

new deal gave welfare

what did the coalition build

social security, Wagner act/NLRB, fair labor standards act, GI Bill (gave education and housing benefits to people who came back from WWII), Medicare and Medicaid, federal education funding (money goes from national government to states)

civil rights act

-passed over a 60-day southern democratic filibuster

-national party chose civil rights over the white southern wing

voting rights act

-black voter registration in Mississippi: 6.7%-59.8%

-transformed the southern electorate

the fracture of white southerners

presidential defection

the fracture of black voters

realignment complete- 90%+ democratic

the fracture of labor

leadership stayed- white working-class rank-and-file increasingly persuadable on culture

fracture of Hispanic voters

democratic coalitions-except Cuban Americans

what did Nixon do

gave money to states for whatever they want

what did Reagan do

union broke, harder to get welfare

what did Burger/Rehnquist Courts do

rolling back civil rights movement, stopping affirmative action programs, bus kids from one district to another to desegregate

what was the pattern of one coalition building and the next targeting

cross-party programs survived: social security, and Medicare

old programs that survived party turnover

social security, Medicare, civil rights act- built cross=party support

new programs that are immediately targeted

ACA- repeal attempted 2017

IRA climate provisions: rollback underway 2025

student debt relief: blocked in courts

working class voters (non-college) shift

shifting republic across racial lines, including Hispanic men in TX, FL

suburban college-educated voters shift

shifting democratic especially women

black voters shift

still 88-93% democratic, but small erosion among younger men could matter

congress institutional consequences

narrow majorities + senate filibuster (60 voters)= legislation through reconciliation or not at all

courts institutional consequences

gridlocked congress -> judicial appointments as durable policy instrument -> 6-3 courts -> legitimacy questions