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Political Participation

UEQ: How do citizens influence government?. Political Participation. LEQ: How are political views formed?. EATs3.1. Political Ideology Political Parties Two-Party System Third Parties Party Platforms. Political Participation. POTUS Party?.

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Political Participation

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  1. UEQ: How do citizens influence government? Political Participation LEQ: How are political views formed? EATs3.1

  2. Political IdeologyPolitical PartiesTwo-Party SystemThird PartiesParty Platforms Political Participation

  3. POTUS Party? • Do you know the political affiliations of the modern presidents?

  4. What is the purpose of political parties? How do you know which political party to join? Beliefs/Issues?

  5. The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. -- John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Social Issues: • Abortion • Legalization of drugs • Death Penalty • Gun Rights • Same-Sex Marriage • Video Game Violence Economic Issues: • Health Care • Taxes • Social Security • National Debt • Bailouts • Environmental Protection

  6. Political Ideology Center LEFT RIGHT Liberty (freedom) versus Security (control) (Theme in Politics/Government)

  7. Political Ideologies • Liberalism • Conservatism • Libertarianism • Statism • Moderates (Centrists)

  8. Ideologies • Liberalism: A set of beliefs that positive government action can improve the welfare of individuals. Tolerance for diversity and social change. • Freedom (left) Social Issues – Control (right) in Economy • AKA = Liberals, Democrats • Conservatism: A set of beliefs that include a limited role of national government in solving problems. Support traditional values and lifestyles, cautious about change. • Control (right) Social Issues – Freedom (left) in Economy • AKA = Conservatives, Republicans, GOP • Moderate: prefer a "middle ground" regarding government control of the economy and personal behavior. • Both Republicans and Democrats can by Moderates.

  9. Freedom Political Ideology Liberal Definition: Libertarian Definition: Social I ssues Moderate (Centrist) Conservative Definition: Statist Definition: Govt. Control (Zero Freedom) Economic Issues Freedom

  10. Take the World’s Smallest Political Quiz! hongovmaris.wikispaces.com Where do you fall on the political map? Plot yourself on your graph!

  11. What are Political Parties? • A political party is an organization of citizens who wish to influence and control government by getting their members (who believe the way they do) elected to office. Political parties: • express the voice of citizens • inform citizens; make it easier to vote • involve citizens in the democratic political process. • recruit and nominate candidates • raise $ • support campaigns • provide organization in government • political parties set goals for the government • advocate issues • write party platform and position statements (planks). • are “watchdogs” (keep other parties accountable)

  12. Political Parties “If I could not go to heaven but with a party [political], I would not go there at all” --T. Jefferson

  13. Brief Party History • Federalist party – Washington, Adams, Hamilton (1789-1800), supported strong central gov.; opposed by Anti-Federalists. • Democratic-Republican party, Thomas Jefferson (1800s-1834), opposed strong national gov. and supported states’ rights. Became Democratic party 1828 (Jackson). • Whig party (1834) opposed democrats and specifically “king Andrew” (royal tyranny). Harrison and Taylor. • Republican party born in 1854 by members opposed to slavery. Lincoln first Republican President in 1860. Republican party dominated until 1930s, FDR, Democrat. • Republican and Democratic parties prevail since 1854.

  14. 1870, Thomas Nast

  15. "The Third-Term Panic." Harper's Weekly in 1874

  16. Third Parties • Third Parties also form to support a cause or candidate • Influence elections by winning votes, press issues, often don’t receive as much financial support. • Few third-party candidates get elected to office • Examples: • Tea Party • Green Party (Ralph Nader) • Reform Party (Ross Perot received 19% of pres. Vote in 92) • Libertarian • Constitution Party • “Bull Moose” (Theodore Roosevelt, 1912) • Progressive • Socialist (Eugene Debs) • Free Soil

  17. Party Organization • Both parties have local, state, and national organizations. • http://www.gop.com/ RNC • http://www.democrats.org/ DNC • http://www.pagop.org/ State • http://www.padems.com/home State • http://yorkgop.com/ Local • http://www.yorkdems.org/ Local • Free Membership (register to vote)

  18. Party Platforms A party platform refers to a political party's formal statement of its basic principles, objectives, and positions on major issues. http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004483 2012 Democratic National Party Platform Which parties have the most members???

  19. Two-Party SystemU.S. Politics • Red or Blue - Why? • A Republican or Democrat has won the Presidency since 1860. • There are 2 independents out of 535 in the 113th Congress. • There is only 1 Independent Governor (30 R – 20 D). • PA Government, Third Parties? • Compare the # of political parties in the U.S. with other Countries: • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2101.html#sw

  20. Voting Systems • Plurality/Majority Systems: U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, India. In the UK, they call it the “First Past the Post” system. The winner (even if only be 1 vote, wins the district or all electors/delegates.) • Proportional Representation Systems: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Parties compete and get percentage of seats based on votes (if 100 seats; 20% get 20 seats, etc.). • Other Mixed Systems

  21. Why a Two-Party System? • Winner Take All Politics • Voting system that rewards candidates with a majority or plurality (more than anyone else) of votes. • discourages “spoiler” vote on other candidates not likely to win • Alternative is “proportional representation” (5% of votes = 5% of seats in legislative body) • Duality of political issues • Two sides to major conflicts (Fed/Anti-Fed, life/choice) • two-sided debates = no room for third [party] point of view • Tradition • Republicans (GOP) and Democrats already make up majority of government members and leadership. States control rules for elections. • Winner-Take-All politics perpetuates the Two-Party System

  22. Proportional Representation

  23. Two-Party SystemAdvantages/Disadvantages • There are a few advantages of the American two-party system: • Stability: Two-party systems are more stable than multiparty systems • Moderation: The two parties must appeal to the middle to win elections, so the parties tend to be moderate. • Ease: Voters have only to decide between two parties. • Direct Relationship with Representatives • But there are also a few disadvantages to our system, including the following: • Lack of choice: Both parties tend to be very similar, limiting voters’ options. • Less democratic: A percentage of people will always feel marginalized by the system (Spoiler Vote).

  24. Resources Video: Brief History of Political Parties http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/gallery/partyaffiliation2008/ http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/political-parties http://www.theadvocates.org/

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