1 / 54

Political Parties

Political Parties. 4/17/2012. Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: discuss and critically analyze political events in the United States government

beryl
Download Presentation

Political Parties

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Political Parties 4/17/2012

  2. Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form • Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: • discuss and critically analyze political events in the United States government • students will be able to identify and explain the role of  informal institutions and their effect on policy.  • students will be able to assess the 2010 and 2012 elections without resorting to partisan bickering.

  3. Office Hours and Readings • Chapter 7 • Office Hours • Today 11-2 • Wednesday 10-2

  4. The parties are different

  5. For Groups to Matter • They must be large • They must vote • They Must be loyal

  6. Race • Race is more important than class • African Americans form a political self-conscious group. And Identify with the Democratic Party

  7. Unlike other nations, social class doesn’t dominate • The Parties do not try to exploit social class • We are all middle class

  8. Social Class and Partisanship Republicans Democrats Do better with poor and working class Do better with the very wealthiest Do better with Union Members • Do better with poor whites in the South • Do better with Upper Middle Class voters • Historically have done better with Middle Class voters

  9. Women and Voting • Women vote more than men • The Gender Gap • Women vote more for Democratic Candidates • Ranges from 5-10 Points in Presidential elections • Issue ownership

  10. Gender in 2008

  11. Marital Status

  12. Married vs. Single Women • Married women vote more Republican • Self-Identified Feminists are very Democratic

  13. Where are the Votes?

  14. Gender in 2010 • The Gap is Down to 1%, the Republicans fare much better • Romney needs something similar if he is to win. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvFzgb7wKlc

  15. Religion • Americans tend to be more religious than other Western nations. • We belong to churches and go more than other nations

  16. Jewish Voters • The Exception to the Rule • Share many Republican characteristics, but are Democratic • More liberal than other groups, except on Israel policy • Meet all 3 criteria in 2 states

  17. The Religion Gap

  18. The biggest differences lie in the beliefs of activists on both sides

  19. What about third parties?

  20. What is it • Any party other than the major 2 • Can be a third, fourth etc.

  21. How Do Third Parties Emerge • New Parties come from • The Gap between the parties • On the fringe • From within the party • Around an Emerging Issue

  22. What Third Parties Want to Do Win elections Threaten Existing Parties

  23. Why They Lose • The System is Geared against them • It is easy to steal their issues • They run political nobodies

  24. "In no country of the world, has the principle of association been more successfully used or applied to a greater multitude of objects than in America“Alexis de Tocqueville

  25. The Interest Groups in the Constitution • No specific mention • Feared by the framers • Lets pray that Madison is right

  26. What do interest groups do

  27. All interest Groups Must: • Share an interest • Know the Interest • Be Organized

  28. Political Interest Groups • Are private • Non-Governmental • Seek policy

  29. What do they Do • Link Members to Government • Represent Members views • Educate members and the public

  30. Why Interest Groups Form

  31. Constitutional Reasons • Protected by the First Amendment • The right to “peaceably assemble” • Federalism

  32. Diversity • Our diverse society creates many differences which give rise to different interests and view on public issues • Issue Diversity • Ideological Diversity • Economic Diversity • Racial and Ethnic Diversity

  33. Traditional Pluralist Theory • Writings of David Truman (no relation to Harry) • Groups will form naturally to press their views on government • Even Unformed groups play a role

  34. Disturbance Theory • Groups will respond to other groups • What will they do • Change the Status Quo • Return to the status quo • Go in a new Direction

  35. An Alternate theory of Group Formation The logic of collective action

  36. Collective Action • The Writings of Mancur Olson • Groups form if it is convenient • Groups form for Benefits

  37. Logistics of Group Formation • Potential Membership • Big groups form more easily (fewer costs) • Small groups have to share less (more benefits) • Geography (not as important today)

  38. Direct Benefits • Benefits that only members get • Excludes Non-members • Economic benefits are most lucrative

  39. Collective benefits • Benefits that the group works for.... • Everyone gets • No One is Denied

  40. Groups that Provide Collective Benefits

  41. Overcoming the Free-Rider Problem • You have to offer people some incentive to join • Appeal to our greed, or appeal to our ideology • These are selective incentives

  42. Selective Incentives Tangible Benefits Ideological Benefits Moral incentives Appeals to one’s ideology Guilt-ingPeople • Real benefits given to members by the group • People outside of the group do not get the goodies • The AARP

  43. Groups that cannot offer any benefits will not be able to form

  44. Kinds of Interest Groups

  45. Private Interest Groups • Limit their Membership and their benefits • Business Groups • Labor Unions

  46. Public Interest Groups • Concerned with that group’s perception of the general welfare of the population • Anyone can join • Everyone receives the benefits

  47. Single Issue Groups • Concerned with a single policy issue • Ensures that members know what they do

  48. Umbrella Groups • Concerned with multiple issues within a larger policy area • Potential for more resources • Potential for in-fighting

  49. Interest Groups Today • Fragmentation • Specialization • Cannibalization • Greenpeace vs. Whale Wars

More Related