Transcript of Essential Questions 1. Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy....
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- Essential Questions 1. Identify the functions that political
parties perform in American democracy. 2. Determine the
significance of party identification in America today. 3. Describe
how political parties are organized in the United States. 4.
Explain what coalitions make up the two main political parties in
the United States. 5.Compare and contrast the policy differences
between Democrats and Republicans. 6.Evaluate how well political
parties generally do in carrying out their promises.
7.Differentiate the various party eras in American history.
8.Discuss the effect dealignment has on political parties and
provide examples. 9.Assess both the impact of third parties on
American politics and their limitations. 10.Explain why third
parties so often fail in U.S. politics.
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- What is the meaning behind the political party? Political
Party: o An organized group of people who pursue common interests
and goals by gaining and exercising power through winning elections
Parties can be thought of in three parts: o Party in the electorate
o Party as an organization o Party in government
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- Cartoonist Thomas Nast credited with the Republican Elephant
and the Democratic Donkey o Donkey first used in 1870 o Elephant
first used in 1874
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- The Party ORGANIZATION
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- The Party In-The-ELECTORATE
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- The Party-In-GOVERNMENT
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- Generalities Socio-Economic Status (SES) Education Race Gender
Employment Urban/Suburban/Rural Geographic regions Religion Soccer
Moms and Joe Six- Packs
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- Why a 2 Party System? Consensus of Values Historical Tradition
Winner-Take-All System Political Socialization Organization of
Congress and state governments
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- Essential Questions 1. Identify the functions that political
parties perform in American democracy. 2. Determine the
significance of party identification in America today. 3. Describe
how political parties are organized in the United States. 4.
Explain what coalitions make up the two main political parties in
the United States. 5.Compare and contrast the policy differences
between Democrats and Republicans. 6.Evaluate how well political
parties generally do in carrying out their promises.
7.Differentiate the various party eras in American history.
8.Discuss the effect dealignment has on political parties and
provide examples. 9.Assess both the impact of third parties on
American politics and their limitations. 10.Explain why third
parties so often fail in U.S. politics.
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- What purpose do parties serve? Nominate candidates for office
Coordinate/run campaigns with a given candidate and among all
candidates Give voters an easy way to identify where party and
candidates stand Formulate policy and decide which to support or
oppose and communicate that with citizens
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- What purpose do parties serve? Linkage institution: links
people to their government o Voters have wants and needs o Elected
officials want/need to accomplish certain things o Linkage
institutions help translate voter input into policymaker
output
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- Linkage Institutions Government Agenda Political
PartiesInterest Groups Political Issues Interest
GroupsElections/Media Peoples Concerns Elections/MediaPolitical
Parties
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- What Parties Do Tasks of the Parties o Parties Act as a Linkage
Institution o Parties Run Candidates for Office o Parties Run
Campaigns o Parties Give Cues to Voters o Parties Articulate
Policies o Parties Organize Government o Parties Coordinate
Policymaking
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- Party Platforms
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- Both major parties are "big tents" o Different coalitions exist
within party and compete for attention/influence o Broad variety of
different ideological viewpoints included o Designed to attract
independent- minded voters The Big Tent
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- Party Dealignment Dealignment o Voters moving away from two
major political parties o Identifying themselves as independent o
Increase in split-ticket voting
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- Party Dealignment Ticket-splitting o Voting with one party for
one office and with another party for other offices o Independents
are most likely to split tickets. o No state or race is completely
safe due to split tickets.
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- Party Dealignment
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- The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington The
50 State Party Systems o Closed primaries o Closed primaries: Only
people who have registered with the party can vote for that partys
candidates. o Open primaries: o Open primaries: Voters decide on
Election Day whether they want to vote in the Democrat or
Republican primary.
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- Party Eras in American History Party Eras o Historical periods
in which one political party dominates/gains majority of support
Critical Election o An election that changes the support a
political party gets and helps end a party era o Also called
realigning election Party Realignment o The removal of the majority
party by the minority party, usually the result of a critical
election
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- Party Eras in American History 1796-1824: The First Party
System o Madison warned of factions o Federalists: first political
party 1828-1856: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs o
Modern party founded by Jackson o Whigs formed mainly to oppose
Jacksonian Democrats
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- Party Eras in American History 1860-1928: The Two Republican
Eras o Republicans rose as the antislavery party o 1896 election
centered on industrialization 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition o
New Deal coalition: forged by the Democrats; consisted of urban
working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor,
Southerners
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- Party Eras in American History
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- 1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government o Divided
government: one party controls Congress and the other controls
White House o Divided government due in party to: Party
dealignment: disengagement of people from parties as evidenced by
shrinking party identification Party neutrality: people are
indifferent towards the two parties
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- Party Eras in American History
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- Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics Third parties:
electoral contenders other than the two party parties; rarely win
elections Third parties are important. o Are safety valves for
popular discontent o Bring new groups and ideas into politics
Two-party system o Discourages extreme views o Contributes to
political ambiguity
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- Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics Multiparty
Systems in Other Countries o Winner-take-all system/Plurality
System o Winner-take-all system/Plurality System: legislative seats
awarded only to first place finishers o Proportional Representation
o Proportional Representation: legislative seats awarded based on
votes received by the party - more votes, more seats o Coalition
Government o Coalition Government: two or more parties join to form
a majority in a national legislature
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- Barriers to Third Party Success Wasted vote? Attract good
candidates? Getting on the ballot very difficult Lack of widespread
organization
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- Why do we have only two major political parties? Winner take
all system! Minor parties give up and merge into the big
parties
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- Influence of third parties Ralph Nader ran in 2000 and 2004 3%
of the vote Pulled votes from Gore Cost him the election???? Ross
Perot 1992 Third Party candidate 19% of the vote Influenced the
debate (NAFTA,free trade, and budget deficits) Pulled votes from
both Bush and Clinton
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- Understanding Political Parties Democracy and Responsible Party
Government o Responsible Party Model 1. Parties have distinct
comprehensive programs. 2. Candidates are committed to the program.
3. The majority party must carry out its program. 4. The majority
party must accept responsibility. o American political parties fall
short of these conditions. o No mechanism for party discipline
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- Understanding Political Parties American Political Parties and
the Scope of Government o Lack of uniformity keeps government small
Big programs like Health Care (1994) fail o But also makes cutting
government programs difficult Individuals focus on getting more
from government for their own constituents
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- Understanding Political Parties Is the Party Over? o Political
parties are no longer main source of information for voters; media
are o Yet parties will play an important but diminished role in
American politics State and national party organizations have
become more visible and active Majority of people still identify
with a party
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- Summary Parties are a pervasive linkage institution in American
politics. o Party in electorate, government, and as organization
America has a two-party system. The decentralized nature of
political parties makes major change difficult and encourages
individualism in politics.