Political Parties pt.2

• __Political party__: A group of political activists who organize to run the government, hold positions, and to win elections.
• __Two Party System__: composed of two ^^major^^ parties
  • All other parties are referred to as ^^third parties^^
• __Multi-party System__: Contains three or more ^^major^^ parties.

$Political party v. Interest group$

• Political parties ^^put forth candidates^^, want to ^^run government^^, and ^^blur their issues^^ to attract more voters
• Interest groups ^^support candidates^^ who ^^promote^^ their interests but ^^do not^^ actually ^^run^^ for government. They ^^sharpen their issues^^ to make their point clear.

$Political party v. Faction$

• Political parties possess a ^^permanent organization^^
• Factions are ^^subgroups within parties^^ and fight for ^^specific issues^^ that impact them.

__Functions of a party__:

• Recruiting ^^candidates^^ to run for offices
• Organizing / running ^^elections^^ to increase ^^participation^^
• Presenting ^^alternatives^^ for existing ^^policies^^
• Accepting ^^responsibility^^ for running the government
• Acting as ^^opposition^^ to the party currently in power

• __Party-in-the-electorate__: People who hold an ^^attachment^^ to the party / partisanship
  • __Partisanship__: favor or bias to a particular party)
• __Party organization__: The ^^framework^^ for the party
  • Provides ^^volunteers^^ as party leaders, ^^recruits^^ candidates, ^^organizes^^ conventions/caucuses/campaigns.
• __Party in government__: Currently appointed ^^officials^^ who ^^identify^^ with a party.

__Party Organization__

In theory, the organization of a party is shaped like a pyramid. However, that does not reflect how power is distributed throughout the party. Each layer of the pyramid is fairly ^^independent^^ when ^^supporting themselves^^ (through campaigning, funds, etc), but there are ^^some connections^^ through each level of a party.

Parties tend to go ^^local → state → national^^.

• __Precincts__: small parts of a parish / county that are ^^divided for voting purposes^^.

__National Party Convention__

• Held every ^^four years^^
• ^^Nominates^^ a party’s ^^president^^ and ^^vice president^^ candidate
• Announces a party’s ^^platform^^ (the issues that they are running / campaigning for)
• Directs party ^^activities^^ and ^^future campaigns^^
• National ^^chairperson^^ is chosen
  • ^^Manages^^ national campaign
  • ^^Establishes^^ the party’s HQ and raises / distributes funds
  • Maintains ^^liaison^^ (communication) among the levels.

__State Party__

• Contains ^^chairperson^^, ^^committee^^, and ^^local organizations^^
• Important because of the __unit rule__, which awards ^^electoral college votes^^ in an indivisible block (besides in Maine and Nebraska)

$Local Party - The Grassroots Level$

• Supported by ^^district leaders^^, precinct/ward ^^captains^^, and party ^^workers^^

__Differences in Parties__

• __Democrats__: Since the __New Deal__, they have appealed to the ^^disadvantaged^^, ^^minorities^^, and the ^^working class^^
  • Approve of ^^social welfare^^, ^^regulation^^ of businesses/the marketplace, and ^^supporting^^ the disadvantaged
• __Republicans__: Support from ^^college graduates^^, ^^upper-income^^ families, and ^^business^^ people
  • Support ^^deregulation^^ of business, ^^private marketplace^^, and ^^fewer^^ social programs