Development of American Political Parties

1. DevelopmentofAmericanPoliticalParties TheTwo-PartySystem CH 5.1-2-3-4

2. What Is a Political Party? • A political party is a group of citizens who try to control government by winning elections and holding public offices. • Why do parties want to control government? • These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views. • Essential to democratic government. • Help link the people and their wishes to government action. • Help unify the people by finding compromise among contending views.

3. Functions of Political Parties • Nominate candidates: select and gain support for candidates for office. • Inform and inspire voters: inform people about and stimulate interest in public affairs. • Help govern: Operate on partisan lines in Congress and State legislatures. • Partisanship: the strong support for their party and its policy stands. • Act as watchdogs: Observe and criticize the operation of government, especially officials of the other party.

4. The Two-Party System • In the U.S., there is a two-party system: two major political parties dominate politics. • Minor parties exist but do not hold wide support. • Emerged during ratification of Constitution. • 2 Parties: Feds & Anti-Feds • The Republicans emerged as a major party in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln. • The Democratic Party formed under Andrew Jackson twenty years earlier. • Why still two-party? • Tradition • Electoral college • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9mM8Xbbw

5. http://www.270towin.com/

6. Minor Parties • Four types of minor parties have played a role in American politics. • Ideological parties: based on certain social, economic, or political ideas. • They do not often win elections, but they remain active for a long time. • Single-issue parties: focus on one public policy matter. • Fade away once issue has been resolved. • Economic protest parties: appear during tough financial times. • Criticize the economic actions and plans of the major parties. • Splinter parties: parties that have broken away from one of the major parties. • Usually have a strong leader who lost a major party’s nomination. • Although most do not support, still have an impact on politics and on the major parties. • Act as critics and innovators, drawing attention to otherwise neglected or controversial issues. • Third parties do act as “spoilers”, pulling votes away thus making party weaker.

7. Minor Parties in the United States

8. The Odds Are Against Them • It is difficult for third parties candidates to raise enough money to compete with the major parties. • Only one candidate can win in a given district. Usually the winner is either Democratic or Republican. • Third-party candidates must show they have support by getting voter signatures to even be placed on the ballot for national office. • Ross Perot ran for President in 1992 as a third party candidate against Bill Clinton and George Bush

9. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1617738511612628668&q=third+party+politics&total=210&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1617738511612628668&q=third+party+politics&total=210&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0