POLITICAL PARTIES

Chapter 12O’Connor and Sabato

American Government:

Continuity and Change

In this chapter we will cover…

• What is a Political Party?• The Evolution of American Party Democracy• The Roles of American Parties• One-Partyism and Third-Partyism• The Basic Structure of American Political Parties• The Party in Government• The Party-In-The-Electorate

POLITICAL PARTIES

A political party is a group of voters, activists, candidates, and office holders who identify with a party label and seek to elect individuals to public office.

What is a Political Party?

The Evolution of American Party Democracy

• Hamilton and Jefferson, as heads of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist groups respectively, are often considered 'fathers' of the modern party system.

• By 1800, this country had a party system with two major parties that has remained relatively stable ever since.

Democrats and Republicans: The Golden Age

• From the presidential elections of 1860 to the present, the same two major parties have contested elections in the United States: Democrats and Republicans.– Reconstruction -- Republican dominance

• Republican party formed 1854 by anti-slavery activists

– 1876-1896 -- closely competitive– 1896-1929 -- Republican dominance– 1930s and 1940s -- Democratic dominance– 1950s and 1960s -- closely competitive– 1970-present -- neither party dominant

The Roles of American Parties

• The two party system has been used to resolve political and social conflicts.– Mobilizing Support and Gathering Power

– A Force for Stability

– Unity, Linkage, Accountability

– The Electioneering Function

– Party as a Voting and Issue Cue

– Policy Formulation and Promotion

One-Partyism

• A significant trend of recent times is the demise of one-partyism (one party dominance of elections in a given region).

• The formerly "Solid South" is no longer only Democratic.

• There are no Republican or Democratic states at this time.

• Many individuals split their vote between the parties, and sometimes vote for third parties.

Minor Parties: Third-Partyism• Minor parties are not a threat to the two major

parties.

• Only eight third parties have won any electoral votes in a presidential contest.

• The third parties that have had some success are:– 1996 and 1992: Ross Perot’s Reform Party– 1968: George Wallace’s American Independent Party– 1924: Robert LaFollette’s Progressive Party– 1912: Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party– 1856: Millard Fillmore's American Party

The Golden Age 1874-1912

• Party stability- rare• Big city and big party organization-political

“machines” Chicago• Party was viewed as government-party

provided social services directly=patronage and allegiance

• Intense devotion=high voter turnout 76% or better in elections form 1876-1900

Modern Era• 1930s-social services began to be provided by

national gov. not parties• Direct primaries meant power of party diminished • Loose ties between candidate and party• Post WWII- issue oriented politics

– Individual candidate became focus– Interest groups rather than party stepped into void– More ticket splitting-voters vote for candidate as much

as the party

Realignment

• A shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections– Jefferson formed Dem-Rep party – Whig dissolved, Republican emerged won pres.

1860– Great Depression-many voters realigned to

Dem

Crashing the Party

• Winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing

• Two party domination b/c need 50% +1 and you win

• Third parties do best when there is declining trust in two parties

The Basic Structure of American Political Parties

Party organization

• National Committees– estab. National governing bodies Dems

1848(DNC) , Rep (RNC)1856– Congress estab party committees to help

candidates– DNC & RNC have national chairpersons

• Republican National Committee chair Dem

• Regulation of party is up to STATES• 100,00 precincts primary dates

Show Me the $$$$$$• Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) McCain

Feingold Act– Attempted to limit $ spent on campaigns, but opened a tax

loophole=527• 527s can raise unlimited funds used to influence voters through ads-can’t

ask for votes• some 527s have been fined for being too political and breaking rules

– Soft $ virtually unregulated banned by BCRA but Supreme Court had muddied the waters-527s filled the void

– -Citizens United v FEC-unions and corporations can spend unlimited $ on issue ads, not express advocacy

– Hard Money-can only be used for direct electioneering-regulated by FEC Federal Elections Commission

http://www.opensecrets.org/parties/index.php

The Party-In-The-Electorate

• The party-in-the-electorate is the mass of potential voters who identify with specific party.

• American voters often identify with a specific party, but rarely formally belong to it.

• Party identification is often a voter's central political reference symbol.

• Party identification generally come from one's parents. • However party id can be affected by a number of factors

such as education, peers, charismatic personalities, cataclysmic events, and intense social issues.

• Chambers of Commerce tend to vote Republican• The West tends to be more Republican• Men tend to split fairly evenly between the two parties• Cuban Americans are generally Republicans (anti-Castro) • Professionals, executives, and white collar workers

tend to be Republican• High status Protestants tend to be Republican• Married couples tend to be Republican • Conservatives tend to be Republican

Loyalty Trends - Republican

Loyalty Trends - Democratic• Labor union members tend to vote Democratic• Democrats have a lead in garnering the women's

votes• Over 80% of African Americans • Hispanics vote 3 to 1 Democratic• Young people are again more Democratic• Most blue collar workers and unemployed are

Democrats• Catholics and Jews are mostly Democrats• The widowed are mostly Democrats

Declining Party Loyalty?• Dealignment-general decline in partisan id

• The number of independents in the U.S. rose from 19% in 1958 to 37% twenty years later.

• Identification with the two major parties today is in the mid 80% range.

• Pollsters often find that many self declared independents often 'lean' quite strongly to either the Democrat or Republican party.

• “Leaners” do feel party affiliations, but choose not to self-identify with a party.

http://www.mysterypollster.com/main/2006/04/rasmussen_and_p.html

http://www.electionstudies.org/nesguide/toptable/tab2a_1.htm

2008 http://www.mysterypollster.com/main/2006/04/rasmussen_an

d_p.html

WebsitesMajor Parties• Democratic National Committee

– www.democrats.org

• Republican National Committee– www.rnc.org

Third Parties• Third Party Central

– www.3pc.net/index.html

• Libertarian Party– www.lp.org

• Reform Party.– www.reformparty.org