4b Parties

Political Parties

A group of voters, activists, candidates and office holders who join based on common principles and who seek to elect individuals to public office to affect public policies and programs. Want to control the ideological direction of gov

How did we get to political parties?

We started with no parties, farmers wanted unified country with no factions and no reference to political parties in the constitution.

Two-parties emerged with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison leading opposition to the Federalist programs during John Adams’ administration

• Federalists

• Democratic-Republicans

What do parties do

Recruit and nominate candidates, usually starts at a local level

Educate and mobilize supporters(Define issues, campaign, and criticize other candidates

Create party platforms: Outline a political party’s beliefs and goals of what they want to accomplish if voters support the

Help manage campaigns, including fundraising and media strategy

• Once elected: Committee and Party Leadership

Govern (If Majority)

• Members act according to their partisanship, or firm allegiance to a party, pass legislation.

Act as a Watchdog (If Minority)

Keep a close eye on the actions of the party in power for a blunder to use against them in the next election

2 party system

Why 2 parties?

-The force of traditions that’s how it always been since parties were created

Minor parties

Lack wide political support

Have rarely made a successful showing in modern times

People are reluctant(hesitate, unwilling) to support them

The electoral system

Certain features of government, such as single member districts, are designed to favor 2 major parties also limits success of 3rd parties with winner take all system

Ideological Consensus

Most Americans have a general agreement on fundamental matters

Conditions that would spark several strong rival parties do not exist

Partisan Political system

Partisan-the term is used for persons who strongly support their party's policies and are reluctant to compromise with political opponents.

Benefits

Promotes stability

Promotes cooperation among people who are more or less like-minded 

What are some drawbacks of the partisan political system

Fewer choices come election time(voting for the lesser of 2 evils)

More partisan politics with politicians who are more ideological

Divides the nation

Presidential candidates usually only concern with swing voters and swing states 

Bipartisanship

Agreement or cooperation between 2 political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies

Critical elections and realignments

1860: slavery issue fixed new loyalties in the popular mind – Republican Party became dominant. 

1860-1932 Republicans dominated national politics w/ their pro-growth, pro-business agenda.  Democrats became the party of the South.

1896: economic issues shifted loyalties to East (R) vs. West/South (D) and city (R) vs. farm (D) split

1932: economic depression triggered new coalitions for Democrats – Democratic Party became dominant

1964: Regional realignment – White southerners abandoned the pro-civil rights, pro-abortion Democrats to join the Republican party.

1960’s/70’s – Dealignment – more people become independent because of Vietnam and Nixon Pres.

Party decline

Evidence that parties are declining, not re-aligning

Proportion of people identifying with a party declined between 1960 and 1980

Proportion of those voting a split ticket increased

People are voting more for the candidate than the party.  

• Party membership has trended downwards since the 1950s. 

Coalitions

Our two major political parties are made up of many people who disagree with each other! But they form coalitions to get things done. 

Coalition: An alliance for combined action

Despite disagreements, coalitions gather under these two parties to represent their shared values, or their sense of what should be done to improve America.

3rd Parties: What are the structural barriers

Winner take all voting:

• Feels like throwing away a vote, if I vote for a liberal 3rd party, I am helping the Republican party win.  

Incorporation of 3rd Party agendas in platforms: 

• Usually have more extreme platforms.  If they start gaining support, the main party will incorporate the popular aspects into their own platform.   Democrats include Green New deal…

Political Party Review: 

• Party membership for both parties has been on the decline for about a half century. 

  • There are more people who register “independent” than either party.  (dissatisfied) 

• The strength of Parties is usually bottom up.  (concentrated at a local  and state level) 

• Parties increasingly use voter registration drives to connect the citizenry and increase likelihood of winning elections.  

• Parties “realign”  when a specific group of voters shifts allegiance to a new political party or candidate, resulting in enduring effects.

  • (Democrat Party shift during Civil Rights Movement) 

- Linkage Institutions: Work to influence government. 

- Political Parties, interest groups, media, elections

Political polarization

• A growing divide in public opinion, beliefs, and political attitudes. 

Appealing to Different Demographics

Parties adjust their message and platforms to appeal to various demographic coalitions.

• Referred to as “realignment”. 

What are the key demographics of each party?  

Political Cartoons

• Symbolism

• Exaggeration

• Labeling

• Agony 

• Irony

• Modern American political cartoons have been around since the 19th century. 

• The increase in newspaper and magazine circulation in the 1800’s provided a rich environment for the rise and use of political cartoons.

Symbolism

Cartoonists use simple objects to stand for larger concepts or ideas.

• Donkey, Elephant, Red, Blue, often a common object/thing/animal that most people know that is associated with an action of some kind.  

After you identify the symbol, think about the intent of the artist

Labeling

Cartoonists often label objects or people to make it clear what they stand for.

Artist, identified with text to clarify their meaning, provide context, and guide the viewer's interpretation of the cartoonist's message

Analaogy

Comparison between two unlike things that share the same characteristics

By comparing a complex issue or situation with a more familiar one, readers see it from a different perspective

Irony

The difference between the ways things are and the way they should be

• Often using contradiction to mock or criticize