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A linkage institution is a structure within a society that connects the people to their government.

Your Task…

1. Can you draw any conclusions about who is a democrat and who is a republican?

2. Has there been any change from 2008 (on bottom) to 2012 (on top)?

3. What do you predict for 2016?

2012

2008

Parties and Democracy

Linkage System- Linked to government

Party Competition- battle for control of public office. No Competition we would have a dictator

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Political Party

Win Elections Team of individuals seeking to

control the government through elections

Team (three headed political giant) Party in the electorate-society no

membership Party as an organization-party members that

keep the party alive and organized Party in government-elected officials4

Main job of the Party

Linkage Inst Choose Candidates Run Campaign-national, state, local Voting Cues- Republican –conservative Principles,

Democrat- liberal side No need to research candidates

Advocate Policies

Partisan in all Branches to get the job done

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Centrist Future

Rationale-Choice Theory- Voters want to maximize adoption of polilcy

in their favor Parties want to win elections

No real major difference-both center GMC v Chevy

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Choosing a Party

Party Image- voter perception of party What they think they know

Party Identification- identifying yourself or picking a party

Trends Democrats losing people, Rep not gaining Shift to Centrist, political independence

Ticket Splitting v. Straight Ticket Happens evidence- California- Rep Governor7

(I)When we say someone is an “Independent” it doesn’t mean they are a dedicated member of the Independent Party. They are political free agents who can vote for who they want (D or R).

Independents like to ticket-split.

Party Breakdown

Local Centralized up until 1930’s because of

• Party Machines-non fragmented that rewards with materialistic items

• Patronage-giving jobs on who you know not merit• Steamrolling-papers, legislation, job

opportunity Today-Local- decentralized and fragmented

Bid on Contracts Using Polls Campaign- signs, stickers etc…. Don’t need a party at local level

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State Party

So many different types. This leads to more decentralization-discretion in elections Closed Primary Open Primary Blanket Primary – either party can be

selected Ballot-Straight Ticket

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National Party

National Convention-party delegate meeting to choose the president on the ticket and write the platform

National Committee-Reps from the states, assorted governors, members of Congress, and other party members National Chairperson- day to day activity-

raise staff, money and pay bills11

How do Parties keep promises?

Coalition- Group of people with common interest on which the political party depends

Get people to join by doing what you promised.

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Why 2 Parties?

One reason for the persistence of a two-party system in the US is

a) the lack of divisive issues in US politics

b) the separation of powers

c) the single-member district electoral system

d) the lack of a strong labor movement

e) low voter turnout in most elections

From the 2009 AP Exam 57% of nation got it wrong

How can I beat out all these other

people?Should we team up?

Winner Take All! The most popular candidate wins the one Congressional seat in this district.

Each colored triangle is a political party with a unique ideology

I think we’re

going to win

Yellow & Orange, join us, and we can beat Blue.

OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST THROW

AWAY YOUR VOTE!

I’m unwilling to compromise my ideology

even if I never win.

RED wins the SingleMember District!

Next election

we’ll have to broaden our base so we

can win.

Although there are more than two

parties in the US, we call our system a

TWO PARTY SYSTEM.

Any country that uses single member districts paired with plurality elections

(the most votes wins) will typically

have only two parties.

Big Tent Parties

Progressives

Crunchy Liberals

Dixie-crats

Pro-Life Democrat

s“New” Democrat

s

Blue Dog Democrat

s

Obamamas

Reagan Democrat

s

New Deal Democrat

s

WWWD?

Tree Huggers

Stonewall Democrat

s

Congressional Black Caucus

Types of Minor Parties

Ideological Party Single Issue Party Economic Party Splinter Party

Importance- Spoiler Effect, taking a stand,

RepresentativeCollin Peterson MN-7

Party Era

Historical periods in which majority of voters cling to party in power Critical Elections-earthquake of politicas,

new issue displace party in power and minor party takes over, new coalition

Party Realignment- Parties beliefs change completely

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1796-1824

First Party Alexander Hamilton get votes-Federalist

Party Short lived-1800 loss you eliminate the party

Democratic-Republicans-AKA Jeffersonian Madison and Monroe Agrarian Coalition

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1828-1856

Andrew Jackson- include westerners and southerners and new immigrants Democratic Party-Mobilize and eliminate

elitism Opposition- The Whigs-Northern industry,

and southern planters (opposition)

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Q: “Wait…Democrats were the party of segregation and Republicans are the party of Lincoln, why do over 90% of African Americans vote D?”

A: Party Realignment Parties change with the times. Sometimes a major crisis causes

parties to take on new issues and large numbers of people shift party allegiance.

1860-1928

Slavery Dominated the Scene over extending into new states

Republicans rose in 1850’s- Anti-slavery- coalition to get Lincoln elected Dominate for next 60 years

Big Battle over Gold and Silver Dem-William Jennings Bryan- Silver yes-

devalue money, silverites Rep-Gold-Against radical farmers, liked

industrialization, banks, high tarriffs, William Mckinley 28

1932-1964

Great Depression- Hoover-Rep FDR-Dem-New Deal- social

programs See Shift

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Critical Election Theory

Party realignments go hand-in-hand with critical elections

In a critical election, a new party controls the entire government and is dominant for a significant period of time.

1932: FDR & the Democrats swept into power with the New Deal Coalition (Labor, Immigrants, Urban, Liberal, African Americans, Southern Whites)

‘The Solid South’1860

‘The Solid South’1880

‘The Solid South’1900

‘The Solid South’1920

‘The Solid South’1940

‘The Solid South’1960

"I think we have just delivered the South to the Republican Party for a long time to come."

LBJ to an aide on signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964

‘The Solid South’1980

‘The Solid South’2000

‘The Solid South’2008

Proof of Dealignment?