AMERICAN POLITICS: CURRENT POLITICAL / SOCIAL STRUCTURE

polarization

a division into two sharply opposing groups or sets of opinions / beliefs

there is no political center - people move to extremes 

often leads to violene or social unrest 

linkages 

politcal parties 

media

interest groups 

gadsden flag

“dont tread on me” (snake symbol)

represents anti-government / anti-authoritarian sentiment

tied to patriotism, but also resentment to control

opposing reactions

when one side takes action, the other reacts strongly in the opposite direction

creates a cycle of polarization - no middle ground

left side (anti-war)

anti-war movements, questioning military actions

right side (patriotism)

strong patriotism and support for the military

secularism (left side)

seperation of religion and governments

example: roe v. wade (abortion rights) —> religious backlash 

some see secularism as anti-religion and morally corrupt

secularism

tied to cultural changes like sex, drugs, rock-in-roll which some viwed as immoral and signs of american decline 

racial justice (left side )

case brown v. board of education - ended school segragation

reaction: “white flight: (right side)

white families moved to subarbs to aviod intergation

liberalism (left side)

promotes equality, diversity, and government programs

conservatice resentment (right side)

grows against whats seen as too much government power or liberal influence (especially in universities)

example: trump critzing higher education as elitist or out of touch

each side feels threatened by the other 

resentment fuel polarization 

respouse to mask lockdown

mask mandates and lockdown seen as “creeping authortarianism” (government overreach) 

example: michigan militia memebers protested lockdowns 

respouse to mask lockdown

manke the barber - refused to close; became a symbol of resistence 

protests in Lansing-trucks bloacked roads 

creeping authortitariansim 

when government gradually starts telling people what to do against their will 

leads to distrust and further division 

northeast (progressive republicans)

example: nelson rockefeller

supported moderate, reform - oriented policies

west (conservative republicans) 

examples: ronald reagan & richard nixon

emphasized traditional values, smaller government, anti-communism 

Northeast / NYC (democratic party)

coalition of working class, jews population, african americans

South - 100% democrat

dominated by white conservative democrats - known as the “solid truth” 

example: James Storm Thurmond 

South - 100% democrat

histrocally a one party system in the south 

supported segregation and viewed slavery as an economic system

brown vs. borad of education

was done by a liberal supreme court, caused a reaction

resentment built and republicans took advantage of it

george wallace

democratic governor in alabama

supported racial segragation

believed states, not the federal governemnt should decide their own laws about race

geroge wallace

believed states, not the federal governemnt should decide their own laws about race (segragationast and anti - federal government)

he said, “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”

southern strategy 

political plan used by Republicans in the late 1960s and 1970s to gain support from white voters in the South.

helped shift the South from being mostly Democratic to mostly Republican.

traditional party system (organization: bottom-up)

political parties were organized from the local level upward

had strong influence - they selected delegates and helped shape party platforms

local party leaders

local —→ state —→ national levels

power flows from

caucus

a meeting of party memebers or leaders to choose candidates or decide policies

media 

less independent; political infromation oten came directly from party insiders 

patronage

giving government jobs or favors in exchange for political support or work

led to coruption and inefficiency (favorisitm over weath)

patronage example

“you help the party campaign, and you get a city job”

single-member district system

each district electes one representative (winner-takes-all) 

candidates must appeal to their district’s voters directly 

ex. U.S. Congressional elections use this system 

mass-based

non-ideological

2-party 

decentralization 

Traditional parties 

represents large groups of people

must appeal to the middle to win elections

generally non-ideological - focus on broad issues like free transportation or healthcare 

Mass-Based Parties

dominated by republican and democratic (liberal) parties

other parties (third parties) rarely win major offices

Two-Party System

power is divided among state organizations

each state runs its own party system (e.g., state senators, local party rules) 

reflects federal structure - state manage their own elections 

decentralization 

one representative per district 

example: New York = single-member districts for congress 

one senator represents the whole state; 1/3 of the senate is elected every two years 

single-member district system 

the candidate with the most votes wins (no proportional representation)

makes it hard for third parties to gain seats

non-competitive / winner-take-all system

voters choose the party’s candidate for the general election

primary election

replaced the old caucus system

the primary system

candidates compete to win delegates (votes) during primaries

the primary system: candidates compete to win delegates (votes) during primaries

economic reform 

ended patronage (giving government jobs to loyal supporters) 

introduced civil service exams to ensure merit-based hiring

civil service exams

represents government workers (e.g., once filed a lawsuit against trump)

Federal Civil Service Union

Prepare students for public service jobs 

degress like MPA (Master of Public Administration) or MPP (master of Public Policy) 

early party politics = “I work in politics, I get a job” (patronage system)

voters identified strongly with their political party (democrat vs. republican)

party identification —> personality politcs (then)

shift from partly loyalty —> candidate personality

example: straight-ticket voting (in ohio, voters can check one box for “D” or “R” at the top of the ballot) 

candidates now focus on appealing to independent voters by emphasizing personality over party 

party identification —> personality politcs (now)

straight-ticket votinin ohio

in ohio, voters can check one box for “D” or “R” at the top of the ballot

Success in politics depends more on

personal image and charisma than party affiliation

Local party organizations handled campaigns.

• Organized door-to-door campaigning.

• Needed support from the party chair.

party organization —> consulting firms (then)

Shift to consulting firms running campaigns.

• Services: speech writing, polling, marketing/ads, image management, hiring actors for ads, and managing travel.

• Especially used for major races (e.g., U.S. Senate)

party organization —> consulting firms (now)

Political consulting firms replaced

traditional party organizations in managing campaigns

Party workers volunteered: gave speeches, distributed flyers, mobilized voters.

party workers —> marketing (then)

Campaigns use marketing professionals instead.

• Focus on branding, social media strategy, and voter targeting

party workers —> marketing (now)

campaigns are now

marketing operations, not volunteer-driven movements

• Candidates relied on small fundraisers and party donations

fundraisers —> PACs (political action committees) (then) 

PACs (Political Action Committees) collect and distribute money for candidates.

• Companies, unions, and interest groups can form PACs.

• Example: Senators supporting the space program might receive funds from aerospace PACs.

fundraisers —> PACs (political action committees) (now)

PACs (Political Action Committees)

collect and distribute money for candidates

became the main way to raise political money

PACs (political action committees)

citizens united (2010 supreme court case) decision:

Corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on political campaigns (as long as they don’t coordinate directly with candidates)

citizens united (2010 supreme court case) effects:

opened the floodgates of campaign spending 

citizens united (2010 supreme court case) arguments for limits 

• Too much money = unfair influence, need spending limits.

citizens united (2010 supreme court case) arguments against limits:

Spending = free speech (the more money you have, the more speech you can afford)

citizens united (2010 supreme court case) key idea:

the court equated money with free speech, removing most limits on campaign spending

SUPER PACs

groups of multiple PACs pooling money together

SUPER PACs

can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose candidates (cannot donate directly to candidates)

SUPER PACs result

massive campaign spending by outside groups

SUPER PACs

combine resources from multiple PACs → huge political influence

old system

party identification

old system

party organization

old system 

party workers 

old system

fundraisers

old system

campaign limits

modern system

personality politics

modern system

consulting firms

modern system 

marketing specialists

modern system

PACs / SUPER PACs

modern system

citizens united —> no spending limits

role of the media

• The media plays a strong role in socialization — it shapes how people think, behave, and form opinions.

• Media is a business — its main purpose is to make profit.

media key idea

the media influences society but operates primarily for profit

basic structure of the media

• Private ownership: Most media outlets are privately owned, not government-run.

• Goal: Make money through advertisements

advertisements and profit

the more attention they get —> the more money they earn

revenue comes from ads

To attract advertisers, media outlets must show large audience numbers (circulation, views, or website hits)

advertisements and profit key idea:

Numbers = profit. Media outlets design content to draw large audiences for advertisers

market influences

Media focuses on what sells

market influences

Conflict and drama attract viewers — for example, shows or stories about the FBI or crime.

market influences

bad news sells because it captures attention

market influences

competition and sports also attract audiences and advertisers

media content is shaped by audience demand

conflict, fear, and competition sell best

political role of the media (agenda setting)

• Media decides what issues are important by choosing what to report on.

• Example: highlighting certain political issues brings them to public attention.

political role of the media (framing)

• How a story is presented or shaped to influence understanding.

• Example: framing something as a national security issue rather than a conspiracy.

political role of the media (interpreting and analyzing events)

• Media doesn’t just report; it explains and interprets events for the audience.

political role of the media (key idea)

The media shapes what people think about (agenda) and how they think about it (frame)

democracy

government → people (rule by the people)

democracy key points

• Rational (people make choices based on reason)

• Non-voters (some people choose not to participate)

democracy criticism

people may not always be informed or rational in decisions

pluralism structure

government → groups → people

pluralism

• Power held by interest groups (business, unions, etc.)

• Groups compete to influence government.

• Group-based politics

pluralism problem

power is unequal - wealthier groups have more influence