PLS 121: American Politics and GovernmentPLS 121: American Politics and Government

American PoliticsAmerican Politicsand Governmentand Government

Political Parties, Polls, and Public Opinion

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Political Parties

• Functions performed:– Recruitment

– Interest Aggregation

– Interest Articulation

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Zoön Politikon?

• Aristotle:– Man is a political animal

• Robert Dahl:– Citizens only interest themselves in

politics when it directly touches their lives

• Tip O’Neill:– All politics is local

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In a democracy…

• Citizens are expected to:– Vote

– Run Campaigns

– Lobby

– Stay informed

– Join

– Contribute

– Litigate

– Protest

– Watch the Media

• Citizens are not allowed to:– Riot

– Harass

– Bribe

– Threaten

– Law break

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Participation Hierarchy

• Gladiatorial activities: – Running for office, working in

campaigns, etc.

• Political activism: – Becoming an active member of a

political party or interest group

• Spectator activities: – The simplest kinds of political

activities that demand a minimal amount of effort and a correspondingly low amount of political resources

• Apathy: – Lack of interest in politics

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Voting Participation

• Either:– Ratio of voters to voting-aged

citizens

– Ratio of voters to those registered to vote

– Which is a better measure?

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Voting Participation

• Currently:– About 70% are registered

• In 2000:– Less than 50% of VAP voted

• In 2004:– It was 56.2% of VAP, but it was

72.9% of registered voters (RV)

– Highest:

• Wyoming (104.7% RV)

– Lowest:

• Indiana (57.4% RV)

Election Winners

%PV EV %EV %VAP

• 1976 Carter 50.1 297 55.2 26.8

• 1980 Reagan 50.7 489 90.1 26.7

• 1984 Reagan 58.8 525 97.6 31.2

• 1988 Bush 53.4 426 79.2 26.8

• 1992 Clinton 43.3 370 68.8 23.1

• 1996 Clinton 49.2 379 70.4 23.2

• 2000 Bush 47.8 271 50.4 24.9

• 2004 Bush 51.1 286 53.2 28.7

Results by State (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by State (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by State (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

Results by County (2004)

Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

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Voting Participation (%VAP)

• Guatemala 24%

• Switzerland 38%

• Venezuela 50%

• Mexico 59%

• Finland 71%

• Great Britain 77%

• Turkey 80%

• Spain 80%

• Belgium 85%

• Italy 90%

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General Trends

• Increase Turnout:– New

Democracy

– Mandatory Voting

– Proportional Rep

– Postal Voting

– National Crisis

– Easier Registration

– Lessening Barriers

– Competitive Parties

– Tradition

– Large Middle Class

– Moderate Weather

– Weekend Voting

– Parliamentary

– Absentee Voting

– Vote-by-Mail

– Election ‘Theme’

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Political Parties

• Great Britain– About 20 parties (10 in parliament)

– Labor – 63%

– Conservative – 25%

• Italy– About 170 parties

– 13 hold seats in Camera dei Deputati

– 11 hold seats in Senato della Repubblica

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United States

• Two Party System

• Single-member districts

• Winner take all system

• Majority / Minority Parties

• Divided Government

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Third Parties

• Usually impotent. A few exceptions:– Progressive Party (1912)

• “Bull Moose Party”

• Theodore Roosevelt: 88EV, 27%PV

– Independent Party (1992)

• H. Ross Perot: 0EV, 19%PV

– Green Party (2000)

• Ralph Nader: 0EV, 2.7%PV

– Reform Party (2000)

• Patrick Buchanan: 0EV, 0.43%

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Questions

• Is low turnout a good thing or a bad thing?

• Do our two parties represent the US?

• Why are third-parties so difficult to elect?

• Why spend the time and effort to vote?

• In America, do interest groups serve the same functions as third-parties in other countries?