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Unit 2: Chapters 5-6

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A political party is a group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office Platform: Formal statement of basic beliefs, opinions, and objectives.

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Nominate Candidates President, Congress, Governor, City Council, etc. Combine people who support similar ideas Oppose ideas together Raise money to fund elections TV & radio ads, signs, etc.

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America has always had a two party system They have changed through history Federalists & Anti-Federalists Whigs and Democrats Democrats & Republicans (for the last 150 years) Minor parties have always existed as well

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Conservative Party Red GOP Elephant Right Winged Do NOT have control of Presidency DO have majority in the HOUSE

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Republicans Issues: Pro-Life (oppose abortion) Limited/Small government (less involvement in everyday affairs) Stronger support for staying the course in Iraq, Afghanistan Leaders: John Boehner John McCain Mitch McConnell Sarah Palin***

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Liberal Blue Donkey

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Democrats Liberal Blue Donkey Left Winged Have a majority in the Senate and control the Presidency

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Democrats Issues: Pro-Choice (support abortion) Big government (more involvement in everyday affairs) Cut taxes for poor & raise taxes for businesses and upper class End involvement in Iraq & Afghanistan ASAP Leaders: Barack Obama Joe Biden Harry Reid Hillary Clinton

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Minor Parties Why are Minor Parties important? Spoiler, Critic, Innovator Often have big influence on elections

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Ideological Parties: Libertarians reducing government Socialists Karl Marx ideas Single Issue Parties: Free-Soil Party abolition of slavery Right to Life opposes abortion

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Minor Parties Economic Protest Parties Disgust for .. Splinter Parties Break off a larger party 1912 Progressive (Bull Moose) Ross Perot won almost 20 million votes in 1992 Presidential election

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Each party has a headquarters in every state. Downtown Nashville Delegates are chosen in each state to represent the states interests Conventions Used to rally supporters and choose candidates

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Senators for TN Lamar Alexander (R) Bob Corker (R) House of Representatives 9 Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R) represents most of Williamson County & Friends Jim Cooper (D) Davidson, Wilson, etc.

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Gerrymandering Drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group or party Used to guarantee a party will win / lose.

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Suffrage right to vote (Franchise) 1776: Male White Over age 21 Land Owning Literate Passed Religious test Paid Tax 2010: Male/Female All Races Over age 18 No ownership qualifications No tests, etc.

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1810: most religious tests, property requirements had been eliminated After Civil War 13 th Amendment outlawed slavery 14 th gave citizenship rights to former slaves 15 th outlawed denying right to vote based on race or color NOT enforced

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History of Suffrage Voting discrimination Poll Taxes Voting fee, administered by poll workers after 15 th Amendment Fee to African Americans to prevent from voting Literacy tests Required before allowing to vote Grandfather Clause If a persons ancestor voted before 1870, they could vote without paying a poll or taking literacy test.

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History of Suffrage 1920 19 th Prohibited denying right to vote based on gender 1960s Civil Rights Acts & Voting Rights Act 23 rd Amendment DC 24 th outlawed poll taxes 1970s 26 th Voting age lowered to 18

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Suffrage Timeline Include 14 items: Amendments: 15 th, 19 th, 23 rd, 24 th, 26 th Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964 Voting Rights Acts of 1965, 1982 Motor Voter Law Supreme Court Cases: Harper v. Virginia Oregon v. Mitchell Hill v. Stone Explain ALL items very briefly

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Who can vote? Citizens of the United States Legal residents of the state they will vote in At least 18 years old States can legally restrict the voting rights of: Mentally incompetent Convicted of serious crimes Dishonorably discharged from Military

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In November 08, only 56.8% of eligible people voted in the Presidential election Participation is even lower for off-year elections Off year Congressional elections held between Presidential elections Straight Ticket voting Voting for candidates of only one party Split Ticket voting Voting for candidates of multiple parties Aka: a candidates party affiliation is less important

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Idiotes non-voter in Ancient Greece Why do people not vote? Inconvenience Dont believe their vote will make a difference Distrust of politics or candidates Bad weather on voting day

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Picking a Candidate is complicated Candidates are chosen either by being chosen through a primary or making an announcement that they are running. Primaries are a way for the public to voice their opinion. They help pick the candidate. But states do it many different ways