political parties

Political Party

a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office

Direct Primary

a primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office

National Convention

A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.

National Committee

One of the institutions that keep the party operating between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories.

Congressional Campaign Committee

an organization maintained by a political party to raise funds to support its own candidates in congressional elections

National Chairman

Appointed by the DNC or the RNC as head of the party.

Soft Money

political contributions made in such a way as to avoid the United States regulations for federal election campaigns (as by contributions to a political action committee)

Hard Money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

Super-Delegates

National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention.

Winner-Take-All-System

An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.

Political Machine

well organized political organization that controls election results by awarding jobs and other favors in exchange for votes

Tammany Hall

a political organization within the Democratic Party in New York city (late 1800's and early 1900's) seeking political control by corruption and bossism

Patronage

(politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Plurality System

an electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority; used in almost all American elections

Caucus

a private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office (Iowa Caucus)

Linkage Institutions

the channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Loyal Opposition

When losers in the political game continue to support the system, even when the system is against their ideology.

Out Party

The party not in power

Realignment

when popular support switches from one party to another

First Party System

Began in 1792. The federalist party and its opposing republican party competed for control of the presidency. Republican party was made because people saw the federalists as gaining too much power.

Second Party System

a period in American political history between 1828 and 1854 and saw rising levels in votes and the major parties were he Democratic led by Jackson and the Whigs led by Clay.

New Deal Coalition

A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s the the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

Spoils System

The practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. Jackson made this practice famous for the way he did it on a wide scale.

Civil Service

the group of people whose job it is to carry out the work of the government

McGovern-Fraser Commission

a commission formed at the 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation.

Party Dealignment

the gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

Personal Following

The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks

Proportional Representation

an electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.

Party Platform

A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate's strength. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

Dixiecrats

Were conservative southern Democrats who objected to President Truman's strong push for civil-rights legislation. Southern Democrats who broke from the party in 1948 over the issue of civil rights and ran a presidential ticket as the States' Rights Democrats.

Strom Thurmond

governor of SC, leader of the Dixiecrats, ran for president under State's Rights Party in 1948

George Wallace

Racist gov. of Alabama in 1962 ("segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever"); runs for pres. In 1968 on American Independent Party ticket of racism and law and order, loses to Nixon; runs in 1972, but gets assassinated.

American Independent Party

political party whose most famous presidential candidate was Alabama governor George Wallace; mainly known for opposing racial desegregation.

Ross Perot

This billionaire was a third-party candidate in the 1992 presidential election won 19 percent of the popular vote. His strong showing that year demonstrated voter disaffection with the two major parties. (Reform Party, Reason for Bill Clinton's Victory)

Critical Elections

elections that disrupt party coalitions and create new ones in a party realignment

Free-Soil Party

Formed in 1847 - 1848, dedicated to opposing slavery in newly acquired territories such as Oregon and ceded Mexican territory.

Jacksonian Democrats

1828-1848: Jackson supporters, 1st national, well organized party that used slogans, canvassing and campaigning

Whigs

conservatives and popular with pro-Bank people and plantation owners. They mainly came from the National Republican Party, which was once largely Federalists. They took their name from the British political party that had opposed King George during the American Revolution. Their policies included support of industry, protective tariffs, and Clay's American System. They were generally upper class in origin. Included Clay and Webster

Bull Moose Party

nickname for the new Progressive Party, which was formed to support Roosevelt in the election of 1912