POLITICAL PARTIES

Definition

• Group of ppl joined together (in the sake of government)

• AKA Coalition

• like minded individuals whose main goal is to make policy

• “Factions”

5 functions **See handout**

• Nominate candidates

• Influence policy

• Unite government

• Create balance

• Inform citizens

Can be thought of in 3 parts:

• In the electorate (people — mostly those who can vote)

• As an organization (working for the party)

• In government (elected officials)

Why do we have a 2-Party System??

• Historical basis

• Electoral system

• Force of tradition

• Consensus—most ppl accept it

Membership

• Broad based = minimal fee

• Reasons for joining

  • Parents

  • Major events

  • Economic status

  • Age, residence, level of education

Party Platform

• Mission statement

• Set of beliefs

• What values the party is founded on

2 Party System in American History

• US has been 2 party system since the beginning

• Dems vs. GOP (Grand Old Party . . . AKA Republicans)

• Since the 1800s, the 2 parties have switched dominance

• The New Era (1968-present) has become a “divided gov” which in turn creates gridlock

Functions/What Do They Do?

• Pick candidates via a nomination

• Run campaigns

• Establish an image

• Articulate policies

• Compete for votes, connect citizens w gov

• Coordinate policy making

  • Voters want certain issues addressed and adopted by gov —m things that benefiot them the most

  • Parties want to win by selecting policies that are widely favored

  • Nobody votes for loser, only for winners

  • Centrist policies win out

3rd/Minor Parties

• 4 types

  • Ideological:

    • Ideologies that are also parties

    • EX: Libertarian Party

  • Single Issue:

    • One single issue that is causing the rest of society’s problems

    • Fixing that will fix everything else

    • EX: Prohibition Party, The Rent is Too Damn High Party

  • Economic Protests:

    • Show up in recessions or depressions (tough economic times)

    • EX: TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party

  • Splinter:

    • Splintering off from one of the two main parties

    • EX: Bull Moose Party (Teddy Roosevelt)

• Importance

  • Can play the role of a spoilers/skewers, also critics and innovators

  • EX: Ralph Nader stole Al Gore’’s thunder in 2000

  • Ross Perot hurt H.W. Bush in 1992

  • Can be a major factor in close elctions

• Not a real threat

• Only 8 have won any electoral votes

• Some successes:

  • 1996 and 1992: Ross Perot’s Reform Party

  • 1968: George Wallace’s American Independent Party

  • 1924: Robert LaFollettfe’s Progressive Party

  • 1912: Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party

• Jesse Ventura’s Revolution:

  • Brough left wing and right wing philosophies choice, prochoice and pro capital punishment

  • Brought out new voters, age 18-26

  • Manipulated the media to his advantage of free publicity

  • Other parties ran half hearted campaigns

Future of Parties

• Many voters regard themselves as independents

• Increasing split ticket voting

• Candidates are less dependent on their party because of social media and technology

  • Free/cheaper publicity

• Party Dealignment = people shifting away for both parties

  • Affects democrats more

ELECTION PROCESS

Getting Nominated

• Self announcement

• Frontloading = scheduling primaries and caucuses early in order to weed out the weak candidates

• Caucus = group of like minded ppl who get together to pick a candidate (type of primary)

  • Bracket style selection of candidate

  • IOWA

    • Early January, kicks off primary season

    • Candidates must do well or money will dry up

    • Winners need to be ideologically extreme

    • Winners often regret statements in Iowa/NH (EX: Howard Dean)

    • 10 southern states counter w/ super tuesday in march

• Primaries = when parties pick a candidate to run in general election

  • Closed —> only party members can vote

  • Open —> any registered voter can participate

    • Most (like MI) have rules where you cannot vote for both parties

  • Blanket —>

  • Goal of winning primary is to get a certain # of delegates to send to national convention

Money & The Election Process

Campaign Finance

• Golden rule of politics = “those who have the gold, rule”

• FEC (federal election commission) established by law in 1974 to regulate campaign finances

• Requires transparency in spending and fundraising

• Government matches funds up to $75 mil

• Limited individual contributions to $2,000 per candidate (no limit on total spending during an election cycle)

• Buckley vs. Valeo supreme court case

  • Challenged FEC

• Loopholes —> “soft money”

  • Indirect money for a candidate

  • Led to creation of 527 groups or PACs

  • 527s are independent organizations that run ads that are not sponsored by a political party of candidate

  • Hard money = direct money to candidate

McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act (2002)

• Banned soft money to parties from corporations

• No money from people under 18

• Banned issue advocacy ads by non PACs during the 30 days before primaries or 60 days before general elections

• Individuals can now give $2,700/candidate/election

  • $95,000 maximum (for total candidates you give to)

• Challenged in court; upheld in McConnell vs. FEC

  • See graphic organizer

Role and Reputation of Interest Groups

• An organization of people with shared policy goals, entering policy process at several points to try to achieve these goals in many arenas

  • Congress

    • Congressional hearings

    • Lobbying congressional leaders

  • Judicial

    • Arguing before the supreme court

  • Executive

    • Working with executive agencies

  • Also at local, state, and federal levels

• SIGS are policy specialists where as political parties are policy generalists

Theories of Interest Group Politics

1. Pluralist Theory

2. Elite Theory

3. Hyper-pluralist Theory

What Makes a Successful Interest Group?

• Money

  • Access to politicians with cash distributed by PACs

  • Usually give money to incumbents

    • Someone in office who is re-running

• Intensity

  • Single issue groups

  • EX: NRA, abortion

• Size

  • Free-Rider Problem: some people don’t join interest groups because they benefit from the group’s activities without officially joining

  • Smaller are easier to organize and more focused on issue but get less money

  • Larger group are harder to keep organized and have more free-riders but get more dues, etc.

• Good Leaders

  • Prominent leader helps the reputation of the group

  • Enhances their ability to attain goals

Political Action Committees (PACs)

• Political ($) arms of SIGs which have a major stake in public policy

• Used to be the only way for corps and unions to make large donations before CU vs. FEC

• Most associated with economic interest…unions and corporations

• $5,000 max to individual candidates

• PROS

  • Help finance elections

  • Increase knowledge of members

  • Encourage voting and participation

  • Links public with it representatives

• CONS

  • Pressure to make contributions

  • Too much influence on public officials

  • Funds go to incumbents

  • Over 60% are business related

  • Hyperpluralism

Super PACs

• Don’t have to register w/ FEC

  • Don’t have to disclose how much money is being spent and where it comes from

• Independent political committees that support a candidate w/ unlimited, often anonymous, donations from companies, unions, or individuals

• Can’t contribute directly to a candidates, most ads are negative

• People running PACs typically closely connected to the candidate the PAC supports