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A Dime’s Worth of Difference?

A Dime’s Worth of Difference?. Party Governance in America. I. The questions of party governance. Do parties behave differently once in government? In a two-party system, are the two parties really all that different? Since American parties are weak, do their members even follow party lines?.

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A Dime’s Worth of Difference?

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  1. A Dime’s Worth of Difference? Party Governance in America

  2. I. The questions of party governance • Do parties behave differently once in government? • In a two-party system, are the two parties really all that different? • Since American parties are weak, do their members even follow party lines?

  3. Party Unity Votes, 1879-2010

  4. II. Do parties matter? The Party-Policy Connection in Congress • Roll-call votes = Behavioral measure of ideology (actions instead of words) • Limited to 109th/110th Congresses (2005-2006 and 2007-2008) • Controversial issues only (split is between 40-60 and 60-40) • High party unity on these votes (party line)

  5. A. Foreign Policy: Republicans hard-line, skeptical of international cooperation

  6. B. Economic Policy: Republicans pro-business, anti-tax, anti-union

  7. C. Incompatible Values: Republicans against Gay Rights, Abortion, Drugs, Multiculturalism

  8. D. Social Welfare: Republicans willing to limit or privatize

  9. E. Environment: Republicans less willing to trade growth/profits for protection

  10. F. Civil Liberties Issues: Party split over which liberties are sacrosanct

  11. F. Civil Liberties Issues: Party split over which liberties are sacrosanct

  12. G. Summary: General differences between parties in Congress In Congress… • Republicansfavor trade (except Cuba) and military expansion, oppose international courts and environmental treaties • Republicansoppose abortion, gay rights, government social welfare programs, services to nonresidents, services to non-English speaking • Republicansfavor business and higher-income workers over lower-income workers or environmental protection, and oppose taxes and unions • Republicans seek to expand gun rights and property rights but not speech rights or 4th Amendment rights • Democrats are opposite on each of these dimensions

  13. H. Caveat: Party Unity Varies By Representative (Weak Party Discipline) • Example: Republican Senators from Maine… • Surprise: Despite reputation for unity, Republican scores were lower than Democrat scores in 2010!

  14. III. Parties at the State Level • Traditional finding: State party control has little effect on state policy • Possible explanation: State parties adapt to voters in the state and move to the center once elected. • Result: Policy tends to follow ideology of state voters rather than which party controls government • Examples: Pro-life Democrats in PA, pro-choice Republicans in NY • Possible exception: Highly competitive states (single-party states give ruling party no incentive to implement policy)

  15. Findings • State ideology determines state party positions • Republicans in liberal states more liberal than Democrats in conservative states!

  16. B. Social Welfare Spending: Democrats favor -- when threatened

  17. IV. Unanswered Questions – Next lecture and Abramowitz • To what extent does ideology predict party positions? • To what extent are divisions between party elites mirrored in the general public? • How do states’ political cultures and ideologies differ?

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