Political Parties

Political Parties “Linkage Institution”

Political Party • A “team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.” • In English,

What is the Main Goal or Function of a Political Party? • WIN ELECTIONS

Function of Parties • Connecting citizens to government (linkage institution) • Run candidates for political office • Inform the public – help voters decide who to vote for in elections and what proposed policies or legislation will do or not do. • Organizing government – coordinate government policy-making

3 parts of a political party • Party in the electorate • Party as an organization • Party in government

Party in the Electorate • Party Image • The voter’s perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism. • Party Identification • A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other.

Party in the Electorate • Party identification is the most important factor in explaining the political behavior of voters. • People who do not identify with a party are political independents, are the crucial swing voters who can go either way, are more likely to split their tickets, and are more likely to be young people.

Party Organizations • Local Parties • Party Machines – Political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements to win votes and to govern. • Patronage – A job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit; used by party machines.

Party Organizations • “Grass Roots” – parties can also reach the voters personally and “get-out-the-vote” on a local level

Party Organizations • Political party organizations are decentralized and fragmented. • National party can rarely tell state parties what to do. • State party organizations have a good deal of discretion as to how to choose their nominees for state and local offices.

Party as an Organization • The 50 State Party Systems • Closed primaries – People who have registered with the party can vote for party’s candidates. • Open primaries – Voters decide on Election Day to vote in the Democrat or Republican primary. • Blanket primaries – A list of candidates from all parties.

Party as an Organization • National Party Organizations • National Convention – Meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and the party’s platform. • National Committee – Keep party operating between conventions. • National Chairperson – Day-to-day activities of the party. • Congressional Campaign Committee – supports party’s candidates

Party in Government • Party in Government • Elected officials who call themselves members of the party. • Coalition • Individuals and groups that support the political party. • Promises and Policies • Parties translate their platform promises into public policy.

Party in Government • Political parties affect policy through their platforms. • Despite much cynicism about party platforms, they serve as important roadmaps for elected officials once they come into office. • More promises are generally kept than broken.

Party Eras in U.S. History • Party Eras • Periods in which a majority of votes cling to party in power. • Critical Election • Electoral “earthquake” where new issues and new coalitions emerge • Party Realignment • Displacement of majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1796–1824: The First Party System • Federalist Party was the first political party and capitalists supported the Federalists. • Democratic-Republican Party derived its coalition from agrarian interests and dominated the era after the 1800 election.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1828–1856: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs • Democrats coalition included Westerners, Southerners, new immigrants, and settled America. • Whigs coalition included Northern industrialists and Southern planters. • Democrats dominated this era.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1860–1928: The Two Republican Eras • The main issue of the election of 1860 was slavery. • The main issue of the election of 1896 was the economy. • Republicans dominated both party eras by forming new coalitions and winning both elections.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1932–1964: New Deal Coalition • A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. • Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government • 1987 Southern delegates – 77 of 116 House seats, and 6 of 22 Senate seats were from GOP. • 2009 Southern delegates – 70 of 131 House seats, and 15 of 22 Senate seats were from GOP.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government • Divided government – When one party controls the White House and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress. • Both houses of Congress and the presidency have been controlled by the same party for just 14 of the 44 years from 1969 to 2012.

Party Eras in U.S. History • 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government • Party dealignment – The gradual disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

Why 2 parties? • Winner-take-all systemmakes it almost impossible for minor parties to win • Single Member Districts - winner receives a seat while loser receives nothing • Democrats and Republicans are automatically on ballots, minor parties must get signatures on a petition in each state

Why 2 parties? An alternative plan… Proportional Representation – The percentage of votes cast is directly applied to determine the percentage of representatives each and every party would have in the legislature.

“Third” Parties • Third Parties • Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. • Three Basic Varieties • Promote certain causes, usually a single issue. • Splinter parties based on ideology. • Libertarian, Socialist • Extension of popular, charismatic individual with presidential aspirations. • Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party 1912 • George Wallace’s American Independent Party 1968

“Third” Parties • Third Parties Are Important • Bring new groups into the electorate. • Serve as “safety valves” for popular discontent. • Put many social reforms on the political agenda. • Bring new issues to the campaign ignored by the major parties. • Major parties often adopt these issues in an attempt to gain votes. • Minor parties often act as “spoilers” by drawing off votes from the major parties.

Party Identification • Parties, Voters, and Policy: The Downs Model • Rational-choice theory – People act in their own best interest, weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives. • Downs Model – (1) Voters want policies they favor adopted by government, and (2) parties want to win elected office. • Parties need to differentiate themselves to provide choices and create party loyalty.

Party Identification • De-alignment– weak membership, more “independents” or moderates – popular trend in the last 50 years • Straight ticket voting – strong party membership, support all candidates for one party • Ticket splitting – voting for candidates from multiple parties

How Should We Govern? • Responsible party model – A view about how parties should work. • Party should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. • Party in government should carry out their campaign promises.

How Should We Govern? • Blue Dog Democrats – Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and rural parts of the United States, and are resistant to any domestic policy proposals that would enlarge the scope of government.

Political Parties