Political Parties

1. Political Parties Notes from Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (and others)

2. Political Parties: Goals and Purposes • Chief goal of political parties: get their members elected to office • Purposes / Roles / Functions in the American political system: • Interest aggregation • Synthesize societal demands in public policy • Candidate recruitment / winnow field of candidates for office • Vehicle for candidates to win office • Provide services to candidates (technology, campaign support) • Organize elections and vote choice • Education electorate • Key organizational feature of legislatures • Example: Leadership positions in U.S. Congress determined on basis of majority party membership

3. Classic Conception of Political Parties – V.O. Key • Party in the electorate • Party in government • Party as organization

4. The Ideal Political Party The Responsible Parties Model (Bowman and Kearney (2003; 92); Austin Ranney and others) • Parties must present clear, unambiguous policy positions • Parties should distinguish their issue positions from the opposition – presenting voters with a clear choice • Party in power should carry out campaign promises • Voters should hold party in power responsible for success of its programs • Not especially useful in American politics!

5. Party Platforms – A Brief Consideration • Democratic Party • http://www.democrats.org/platform/index.html • Republican Party • http://www.gop.com/About/Default.aspx • Green Party • http://www.gp.org/

6. Why a two party system? Some answers? (1) Manner in which votes are translated into candidate choice (single-member, simple plurality system) - How might we encourage third parties? answer: proportional representation (2) natural dualism – many issues lend themselves to two opposing positions

7. History of Political Parties – Realignment Theory and the Idea of Critical Elections • Realignment – a reconfiguration in the coalition of voters supporting one or both political parties • Critical Election – national election that produces a reconfiguration in the existing party alignments among voters

8. Six Party “Systems” • The First Party System (Jeffersonian) • Early 1790s to 1824 (Dem-Rep dominance) • Federalists (northern, urban, advocated strong central government) vs. Democratic-Republicans (southern, agrarian, advocated decentralized government, party of Jefferson) • Jefferson’s party winning 7 times between 1800 and 1824

9. The Second Party System (Jacksonian Dem) • 1828-1856 (Democrats dominate) • Andrew Jackson loses pres. race in 1824 • In 1828, voter turnout tripled; Jackson becomes president • Democrats expand coalition of voters via grassroots effort, become world’s first mass party (owed to strategy of Martin Van Buren) • Jacksonian Democrats sought to limit federal power (opposed national bank) • Whig party (Henry Clay) in opposition

10. Third Party System (Civil War and Reconst.) • 1860 to 1892 (Republicans dominate) • Realignment occurs; most competitive era in history of electoral politics • Republicans are the party of the Union; Democrats are the party of the rebels • Party organizations reach their strongest point; high % of straight-ticket voting • New immigrants brought into electorate; “machine politics” on the rise • Depression of 1890s – rise of populism; populists would eventually align with Dems • William Jennings Bryan loses 1896 pres election

11. Fourth Party System (Industrial Revolution) • 1896-1928 (Republicans dominate) • 1896 (critical election) – begins a period of Republican dominance • Dems win presidency only in 1912 and 1916 (Woodrow Wilson campaigns on promise to keep U.S. out of World War I) • 1912 – Theo. Roosevelt and Bull Moose party split off from Republicans – sought to reform American institutions (only time 3rd party got more votes than a major party pres. candidate) • Democrats now strong only in the South • Harding (Rep) wins in 1920 – “return to normalcy” now that War is over • Emerging trends: rural protestants aligning with Reps; urban voters aligning with Dems; • Stock market crash in 1929 eroded public confidence in Republicans as the “party of prosperity.”

12. Fifth Party System (New Deal) • 1932-1964(Democrats dominate) • Dems emerge as the party of the working class; Reps remain the party of establish, monied interests • FDR (Democrat) wins presidency in 1932 • Dems splintering over liberals/African American interests in the north vs. southern expectations • 1948-1960s – southerners abandon the Dems, disliking the party’s pro-civil rights / racial equality agenda. South turns Republican

13. Sixth Party System (Divided Government) • 1968 – present? (Republicans dominate) • 1968 – Nixon (Rep) wins presidency • Mid-1960s are critical period – racial activism of Dems; LBJ’s handling of Vietnam; liberal activism of young people increased appeal of Republicans to “middle America.” • High degree of split-ticket voting • Democrats win pres. in 1976 (Carter); do not win again until Clinton in 1992

14. The Democrats women racial minorities the poor residents of the northeast, California, and parts of the Midwest members of labor unions young people Catholics and Jews urban dwellers The Republicans men (by a narrow margin) Whites / Caucasians Wealthy / high SES voters Residents of South, West White collar workers suburban dwellers evangelical protestants Who are today’s Democrats and Republicans?

15. Are American political parties weak? • Yes – compared to (a) the more unified, highly organized parties in other industrialized countries; and (b) the strength of parties in late 19th and early 20th centuries • Historically, parties were not national parties, but primarily organized at the state level (active only in election yrs) • This may underlay regional splits within parties – leading to difficulties in creating national party cohesion and sense of purpose • Much of 20th century – American parties in decline (according to some political scientists) • Party cohesion declines (legislators engaging in less party-line voting) • Presidential support in Congress declines • Mid 1960s – rise in independent identifiers (sense of alienation) • Mid-1980s – party cohesion increases; presidential support in Congress increases • Republicans rebound in dramatic fashion in 1980s (Reagan years)

16. Party Organizations – a closer look • Strongest near end of 19th century • 1890s – progressive reform movement, sought to reform government and parties – enhance connections between individuals and government • Sought fairness in American politics – destroy political machines • Sought to intellectualize politics • Introduced literacy tests for voting eligibility • Favored direct democracy (primary elections to select candidates, initiatives and referenda) • Sought to end patronage (preferred civil service system) • Unionization of public employees after WW II shielded government workers from excessive party influence • Post WW II – better educated electorate is less reliant on parties for information, guidance in vote choice • Suburbanization – suburbs and rural areas less organized than inner city populations • Reapportionment of legislative districts in the 1960s – new district boundaries cut across cities and counties, breaking apart old alliances between legislators and local party officials

17. Another Look at “Parties in Decline” Argument • Indication that party organizations decline in power during years following Progressive Movement: • Party officials lose control of both patronage (rise of civil service systems) and nominations for office (the direct primary was a key Progressive era reform) • Communications revolution (clearly in place by early 1960s) - elections less labor intensive; technology allows candidates to reach large numbers of voter quickly, efficiently • Increased mobility among Americans – social, economic, residential

18. Yet, parties may be in resurgent stage! • Last 25 yrs • National and state party organizations becoming more active (better at fundraising, more resources to recruit and support candidates) • Thriving campaign committees in U.S. House and Senate