Political Parties

Who warned the nation of factions (group seeking to promote partisan interests)

in the quote below?

Let me… warn you,

in the most solemn manner,

against the baneful effects of the

spirit of party.

What is a Political Party?

• Essential to representative government

• Provides party competition for power

• No member dues• Party Identification: self-

proclaimed preference

What do Parties Do?

• Nominate candidates

• Inform and inspire people to participate

• Articulate policies

• Coordinate policy making

• Act as watchdog

Why Two-Party System?

• No solid answers, a combination of answers• Two-party rooted from beginning• First two set precedent• Single-member districts (one per office)• Plurality (winner by largest # of votes cast)

– Easier to compare two people

• Pluralistic society (several distinct groups)– Same yet different

Parties can be thought of in 3 parts:

• Party-in-the-electorate: identify with party – Decline of both parties– Upsurge of independents

• Party as organization: keep the party running– National office, full-time staff, rules– National Conventions (4 Years)– National Committee

• Party-in-government: people in office– Party control matters when official are elected

The Party in the Electorate

Party Organization

• 50 Party System: they are all different– Well-organized– Spend lots of money– Some have more power than others

• Closed primaries• Open primaries• Blanket primaries• Split-ticket voting• Straight-ticket voting

National Chairpersons

Democrats• Tim Kaine, VA

Republicans• Michael Steele

Party Organization

• National organization– National Convention: 4 yrs, write parties

platform, nominate a candidate– National Committee: composed of reps from

states– National Chairperson: person in charge of

day-to-day activities of the National party

History of the Democrats and Republicans

Democrat & Republican Rap

Two-Party System Section 3

First Parties– Federalist

• Alexander Hamilton, “Rich and well-born”, strong national gov’t, liberal interpretation of constitution

– Democratic-Republicans• Thomas Jefferson, more sympathetic to common

man, strict interpretation of Constitution

Political Eras

• Party Eras: dominance of one political party for a lengthy period of time

• Divided government: when executive and legislative branches are controlled by different parties

American Parties: Four Major Eras

• 1796-1824: The First Party System– First party: Federalists

• 1828-1856: Jacksonian Democrats v. Whigs– Modern party founded by Jackson– Whigs formed to oppose Democrats

• 1860-1928: The Two Republican Eras– Republicans rose as the antislavery party– 1894 Depression kept Republicans in power

• 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition– Forged by the Democrats- relied upon urban working class,

ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners

The Era of the Democrats, 1800—1860

– Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections.

– The Whig Party emerges in 1834, but declines by the 1850s, electing only two Presidents.

– The Republican Party is founded in 1854.

The Era of the Republicans, 1860—1932

– Republicans dominate all but four presidential elections.

– The Civil War disables the Democratic Party for the remainder of the 1800s.

The Return of the Democrats, 1932—1968

– Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections.

– Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President four times.

American Parties: Parties TodayThe Start of a New Era: The Era of Divided Government

Since 1968, neither Republicans nor Democrats have dominated the presidency and Congress has often been controlled by the opposing party.

1968–1976 Republicans hold the presidency Congress is controlled by Democrats

1976–1980 Democrats hold the presidencyCongress is controlled by Democrats

1980–1992 Republicans hold the presidency Senate controlled by Republicans 1980-1986, controlled by Democrats from 1986 to 1994

1992 – 2000 Democrats hold the presidency Congress controlled by Republicans, 1994 to present

2000 Republicans hold the presidencyCongress is controlled by Republicans

Minor Parties

• 4 Types– Ideological: particular set of beliefs (Socialist,

Communist)– Single-issue: focus on 1 public policy (Right

to Life Party (against abortion)– Economic: rooted in period of economical

discontent (Populist 1890)– Splinter: split from one of the major parties

• Bull Moose 1912 (Progressive Party)

Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics

• Political parties other than Democrat or Republican

• Rarely win elections

• Third parties bring new groups and ideas into politics

• Two-party system discourages extreme views

• Spoiler role- “pull vote”

Summary

• Parties are a linkage institution

• Parties’ goal is to win elections

• Parties have operated in several distinct party systems or eras–The current party system is one of divided

government and weak parties–But this trend is beginning to change