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POLITICAL PARTIESCh 9
What is a Political Party? Group that seeks to elect candidates to
public office by supplying them with a label by which they are know to the electorate
Party exists as 1. label in the minds of the voters 2. organization that recruits and campaigns
for candidates 3. a set of leaders who organize
government
Political Parties
United States Europe
Parties have become weaker in all three areas
Party as label and nominating function has become much weaker
Party as a set of leaders still somewhat strong
Candidates chosen by primary elections
Parties much stronger as nominating function
Party loyalty stronger Parties choose the
candidates who are running
Parties play a more comprehensive role in people’s lives
The rise and decline of the Political Party Founders disliked parties No mention in the Constitution Washington’s CabinetJefferson Republican vs Hamiltonian
Federalists
Critical or realigning elections Periods when a major lasting shift occurs
in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
5 Major realignments 1. 1800 election 2. 1828 election 3. 1860 election 4. 1896 election 5. 1932 Election
1824-The Jacksonians
Rise of political participation as a mass phenomena-drop in property qualifications
1831-Anti-Masonic Party and the rise of National Conventions
1860-Civil War and Sectionalism
1860-Sectionalism
North became Republican South became Democratic GOP controlled the White House and
the senate
William Jennings Bryan-3 time presidential candidate-deepened divisions in country
Many states became one party states
1896 election
2 major factions in parties The “stalwarts” –The old Guard
Party regulars who built the party, enforced loyalty, and dispensed patronage
The “mugwumps” or “progressives” Disliked party patronage and the
machinery. Wanted reforms like civil service reform and primary elections
1932 election
Takeaways on critical elections A new issue of utmost importance
cuts across existing party divisions Shift in the voting patterns of the
south Southern white independents
overwhelmingly vote for Republicans Rise of dealignment rather than
realignment
2012 Map
Party decline
Decline of party identification
Rise and decline of Split ticket voting
Political Party organization Decentralized Nature of American
Parties-at each level of structure they do pretty much what they want and operate independently
National Party structure-5 elements
Political Parties
National Party Committee (DNC and RNC)
Chooses the National party chairman Helps prepare the national convention
every 4 years
National Party Chairman
Chosen by the national party committee for a 4 year term
Directs and coordinates party activities at national level by raising money, recruiting candidates, and motivating voters
National Convention
Delegates meets every 4 years to choose the party nominee for Pres and Veep
Sets party platform and party rules Delegates allocated to states by
complex process set up national committees
National Convention continued Delegates now are really just ratifying
choices already determined by primaries and caucuses-voters in these primaries Democrats have adopted rules to
make delegates more reflective of racial minorities and women
Democrats allow for super delegates-elected officials and party leaders not tied to any one candidate based in their party status
Super delegates!!
House and Senate Democratic and Republican Committees Recruits candidates to run against
other parties vulnerable Hose and Senate members
Protects your own members who are incumbents
Raise money for election cycle
State and local level-determined by state law State Party committee headed up by
state chairman County Party committee headed by
local chairman Porter County Republican Committee Porter County Democratic Committee
The Machine
Party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives-money, political jobs, an opportunity to get favors from government
Tammany Hall in NY City and the Tweed Ring
1870’s-1/8 voters had a federal, state, or city job
The Machine
Immigrants received government services in return for votes
Machine was a vast welfare association Fraud and corruption! “Vote early and vote often!”
Power of the machine has been reduced!Hatch Act-Illegal for federal service
employees to take part in politicsCivil Service reforms-reduced patronage
Cook County and Chicago
Democratic Machine Politics
The Two Party System
Only 15 nations have 2 party systems
English style politics Elections based on the plurality
winner take all system Single member district The electoral college-winner take
all!! Broad consensus on major economic
issues Laws of states make it difficult for 3rd
parties
Minor parties
Permanent part of American political life 4 types of 3rd parties
A. Ideological parties-socialists, Marxists, Libertarian
B. One-Issue Parties-Free soil Party, Prohibition Party
B. Economic Protest parties-Populists D. Factional Party-Bull Moose Party, Dixie
Crats, Reform Party of Ross Perot
1912 Presidential Election
1988 Presidential Election
2000 Presidential election
florida