AP GOVERNMENT

POLITICAL PARTIESChapter 7

What is a political party?

•A group of political activists who organize to win elections, operate government, and determine public policy.

How do PPs differ from Interest Groups?

•IGs do not want to operate government

•IGs sharpen issues (make distinctions) and PPs try to manipulate issues in order to get support

How do PPs differ from factions?•Factions come before the

PP•Factions are not always

permanent•Factions are smaller•Factions are out to obtain

certain benefits for themselves

What do political parties do?1. Organize the competition

• Recruit and Nominate candidates

• Register voters• Train candidates • Aid candidates ($)• Organize volunteers

2. Unify the Electorate• Moderate Conflict by

bringing together different viewpoints under one party

Extreme Liberal Extreme Conservative

3. Help Organize Government

• Not as cohesive or “vital” in the US as in Europe

• Committees dictate the issues Congress addresses and committee membership is determined by pp and seniority

4. Enact policies and implement campaign promises (effectively changing government with legislation)

• No guarantee that candidates will follow party platform

• Soft Money usually means candidates follow party platform

5. Provide opposition to the party that controls the White House or Congress

• Honeymoon period everyone gets along

• The “out” party provides the public with alternatives to the “in” parties policies

The Three Faces of a Party

1. Party-in-the-Electorate•Those who identify

themselves with the party

2. Party Organization•Formal structure and

leadership•National Convention

•Every 4 years•To nominate a candidate•Party platform (written & ratified)

•National Committee -direct party activities for the next four years

•National Chairperson -spokesperson for the party AND Manage national election

•State Central Committee – runs the party within the state•Made up of representatives

•Unit Rule – all of a state’s electoral votes are cast for the candidate with the most votes

3. Party-in-Government•Elected or appointed

officials from the party

•Ticket splitting – voting for candidates from two or more parties•Prefer divided gov’t•Other issues

How do parties nominate a candidate?

• Caucus-closed meeting to pick candidate

• Party convention-candidates chosen by party members

• Direct primary-elections to determine candidates (mostly used today!)

Different types of Primaries:•Open Primaries-any voter

can participate in elections (no matter the party affiliation)•Crossover voting

•Closed Primaries-only voters registered as that party can vote

Party System

• Know the following terms:•Two-party system•Multiparty system•Presidential system•Parliamentary system•Coalition gov’t•Proportional representation•Winner-take-all system

Minor Parties

• Third parties• Grouped by ideology • Examples: Anti-Mason, Bull

Moose Party, American Independent Party, Reform Party, Green Party

History of Political Parties in the US

• Founding fathers did not support parties

• Not mentioned in Constitution• Federalists v. Democratic-

Republicans• Realigning Elections-turning

points in history that align voters and political agendas

• 1824, 1860, 1896, 1932

1824 Jackson and the Democrats• Four Democrat-Republican

candidates• Andrew Jackson won the popular

vote but did not get the majority in the electoral college

• John Q Adams and the “corrupt bargain” with Henry Clay

• 1828 Rematch-Jackson won (Democrat v. National Republican)

• Two-party system established

1860 Civil War and the Republicans• Crisis of slavery lead to a new

party-the second Republican party (“Grand Old Party” or GOP)

• Abraham Lincoln won• 1860, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, 88, 96,

1900, 04, 08 –all Republican victories

• 1884 &1892 –Cleveland’s (D)• The Democrats survived b/c of

strong base of white males in the south

1896 Repubican Party in Transition• Party does not lose power but

realigns due to the industrial revolution

• Hard times for farmers and miners•United with workers in the East

and Midwest to combat foreign investments in US

The Progressive Era in the Republican Party• 1900-1920• Progressive wing of Republican

Party• Focused on corrupt political parties• Direct primary elections• 17th Amendment (1913) Senators

elected by popular vote• Remained dominate party until the

1930s

1932 FDR and the New Deal

• difficulty