1 - political parties

Overview of Elections in American Politics

  • Transitioning to the new unit after discussing constitution and federalism.

  • Emphasis on the importance of prior readings:

    • Abernathy's text

    • Ben Becton’s California politics textbook.

  • Highlight on the amount of reading required in a short timeframe after the first exam.

The Game of Elections

  • Elections characterized as a "game" for organizational purposes, not to trivialize their significance.

  • Identification of five major players in the electoral process:

    • Political Parties

    • Interest Groups

    • Media

    • Candidates

    • Voters

Impact of Participation

  • Clarification on the role of spectators vs. players in elections.

    • Spectators (e.g., casual observers) have limited impact on outcomes.

    • To influence elections, one must engage as one of the five identified players.

Approach to Elections in Class

  • Order of discussion not indicative of importance.

  • Initial focus on political parties, with subsequent modules addressing the other players (interest groups, candidates, and voters).

Functions of Political Parties

  • Reference to readings from Abernathy and Ben Becton regarding the structural role and functions of political parties.

  • Contrast between factual structural descriptions in readings and a normative, philosophical discussion in lectures.

Definition and Concepts of Political Parties

  • Common student responses to political parties:

    • Major parties: Republican and Democrat.

    • Ideologies associated with parties: Conservative and Liberal.

    • Lesser-known parties, referred to as third parties, e.g., Libertarian, Green Party, etc.

Understanding Independence

  • Clarification of what being an independent means:

    • Typically means not registered with any political party (not a Democrat or Republican).

    • Increasing usage of the term "independent" may include associations with smaller parties.

Descriptive Terms for Political Parties

  • Recurrent student perceptions of political parties emphasizing power and the desire to win elections.

    • Inquiry into the necessity of political parties despite negative perceptions.

Analysis of Political Party Functions

  • Political parties fill gaps in the constitutional structure by:

    • Mobilizing citizens.

    • Consolidating groups around specific causes.

    • Organizing election systems.

  • Provocation of thoughts on the necessity and impact of political parties:

    • Do they do more harm than good?

    • Would multiple political parties enhance or complicate elections?

Historical Context of Political Parties in America

  • Clarification on the misconception of the U.S. as a two-party system:

    • Constitution doesn’t mandate political parties and allows for freedom of association.

  • Exploration of the role of Democrats and Republicans as dominant parties:

    • Long historical context of presidential elections dominated by these two parties since the mid-19th century.

Historical Party Details

  • First Republican President: Abraham Lincoln (1860).

  • First modern Democrat: Andrew Jackson (1820s).

  • Early U.S. political landscape:

    • Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans.

    • Notably, George Washington didn’t belong to any party and was independent.

Founding Ideals and Washington's Role

  • Discussion on the unique nature of George Washington’s leadership:

    • Emphasis on his rejection of power after the Revolutionary War.

    • His retirement from politics and non-attachment to any political party.

  • Historical narrative on Washington:

    • Wealth and successful career before the Revolutionary War.

    • Willingness to lead despite personal risk during the war.

Current Implications of Political Parties and Washington’s Warnings

  • Washington's farewell address emphasized:

    • Risks related to excessive political alliances and debts.

    • Concern over internal national discord driven by partisanship, which he foresaw as potentially more detrimental than foreign threats.

Reflection and Critical Thinking

  • Encouragement for students to engage critically with the role of political parties.

  • Initial framing for upcoming discussions on whether excessive partisanship is an internal threat.

Next Steps in the Course

  • Instructions to review readings and prepare for the following modules.

  • Encouragement to use upcoming discussions to explore ideas around political parties and their implications.

  • Mention of the next topic on interest groups and their relevance to the electoral process.