Exploring Political Parties in the United States

1. Chapter 9: Political Parties!!!

2. INTRO TO POLITICAL PARTIES3 components of parties Party-in-Government - Party leaders occupy positions in: Presidency Congress State governors State legislature E. Local governments (though sometimes these are nonpartisan positions)

3. POLITICAL PARTIES 2. Party-in-Electorate A. Registered Democrats Democratic identifiers or leaners C. Registered Republicans Republican identifiers or leaners

4. POLITICAL PARTIES 3. Party Organizations- Parties are decentralized, along federal lines National level a. National Convention = Highest authority b. National Committee. When convention not in session c. National Chairperson d. Congressional Campaign committees (for House seats) e. Senate Campaign Committees f. State Committee Local Committees: city, ward, precinct levels

5. POLITICAL PARTIES Neither DNC or RNC can “punish” state/local committees if they stray from the party line – again, parties are decentralized

6. Functions of Political Parties A. Nominate candidates 1. Previously: caucuses ---> nominating conventions ---> now primary elections 2.W/expansion of primaries, nominating function now seriously lessened. Party leaders no longer control nominations  more candidate-centered politicsthan party-centered politics. Contrast with responsible party system in Europewhere officeholders are more accountable to their parties

7. Functions of Political Parties B. Raise and spend campaign funds ---> declining importance w/advent of "candidate-centered" campaigns C. Register voters D. Simplify decisions for voters: Provide a "shorthand" through which busy and uninterested voters can base a voting decision -- use of "party lens" by voters

8. Functions of Political Parties E. Unify diverse interests 1. Example: FDR's grand coalition – urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, poor, South, blacks and farmers 2. However, to appeal to such a wide variety of party members, parties must avoid taking strong stands Charges of "tweedledee/tweedledum" and "not a dime's worth of difference between the parties" 3. U.S. not as party-centered as Western Europe U.S. more of a candidate-centered system

9. Functions of Political Parties F. Act as moderating influence on government 1. To win elections, parties must usually nominate moderate candidates who appeal to the vast center of the American electorate. Fringe elements squeezed out 2. Again, this is in contrast to the European multi-party system, where fringe parties and candidates are common

10. Functions of Political Parties G. Reduce diffusion of power in govt 1. In theory, a party brings govt together in order to overcome the systems of separation of powers and checks and balance - parties act as a unifying force 2. In reality, people tend to split their tickets ---> divided government 3. Office-column ballotfacilitatessplit-ticket voting(as opposed to party column ballot, which facilitates straight ticket voting)

11. Functions of Political Parties H. Provide patronage 1. Rewarding loyal individuals for their support through government positions… 2. But…appointment of people with political connections has often resulted in corruption and incompetence (e.g., Harding's "Ohio Gang," Nixon's "Palace Guard")

12. Functions of Political Parties I. Inform public through party platforms J. Provide “loyal opposition” (after the “honeymoon period”) Main purpose: Linking mechanism between people and government

13. PARTY WEAKNESSES Parties lack strong rank-and-file membership/lack strong grass roots organization A. Anyone can join merely by registration B. No duties or dues C. Most activities occur only at election time D. Most Americans are mere spectators, rather than participants, in party activity E. Small percentages of “Strong Democrats” and “Strong Republicans” F. Increase in percentage of Independents (though most of these are “leaners”)

14. Group Work With a partner choose what you believe to be the two most important functions of political parties. Write your functions and your supportive evidence on a piece of paper.

15. U.S. Political Parties The Two Major Parties Smaller Third Parties America First Party American Party American Independent Party America’s Independent Party American Nazi Party American Reform Party American Third Position • Democratic (DNC) • Republican (RNC) The “Big Three” third parties • Constitution Party • Green Party of the United States • Libertarian Party

16. U.S. Marijuana Party U.S. Pacifists Party Workers World Party Working Families Party Veteran’s Party of America Socialist Workers Party Socialist Labor Party Socialist Action Socialist Party USA • Boston Tea Party • Communist Party USA • Freedom Socialist Party • The Greens/Green Party USA • Independence Party of America • Light Party • Modern Whig Party • Objectivist Party • Peace and Freedom Party • Prohibition Party

17. RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES I. Origins A. Dangers of factions mentioned by Madison in Federalist #10 and Washington's warning about the "baneful effects of the spirit of party" B. Nevertheless, parties became necessary in order to get things done in government, e.g.,

18. RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES C. Historical development: the Six Party Systems in American history. Realignment occurs roughly every 36 years or so. 1. 1796-1820: the 1st party system: Federalists v. Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans 2. 1824-1856: the 2nd party system: Jacksonian Democrats v. Whigs 3. 1860-1892: the 3rd party system: Republican dominance as the party against slavery and the party that put the Union back together. 4. 1896-1928: the 4th party system: Second period of Republican dominance with its coalition of big business and the working classes against the Democratic rural interests.

19. RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES 5. 1932-1964: the 5th party system: Democratic dominance begun under FDR and the New Deal FDR’s grand coalition included urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, Blacks, farmers 6. 1968-present: the 6th party system: Era of Divided Government/Dealignment

20. Group Outline of “The Rise and Decline of the Political Party” to answer the following FRQ… • P. 194-201 • I. The Founding (to 1820s) • II. The Jacksonian (to Civil War) • III. The Civil War and sectionalism (to 1930s) • IV. The Era of Reform (beg. In 1900s but chiefly since the New Deal) • V. Party Realignments • VI. Party Decline

21. FRQ Question: • Explain three ways political parties have changed over time, and discuss the results of these changes.

22. Third Parties (Do They Matter?) A. Types • Ideological parties: apply a general philosophy to wide variety of issues (e.g., Green Party, Libertarian Party) • Splinter Parties: rogue factions of major parties (e.g., Teddy Roosevelt’s “Bull Moose” Progressive Party) • Single-Issue: only concerned with one topic or issue, usually short lived (e.g., Free Soil Party (slavery); Right To Life Party (anti-abortion)) • Economic Protest: motivated by economic discontent (e.g., Ross Perot's Reform Party)

23. Third Parties B. Contributions of third parties 1. Raise issues that other parties must address, and often incorporate into their own party platforms 2. Voice for the fringe elements in society 3. Safety valve for discontent in society

24. Third Parties C. Effects of third parties 1. Rarely win elections 2. Influence the outcome of presidential elections (e.g., 1968, 1992, 2000): “spoiler role.”

25. Third Parties D. Obstacles 1. Two-party tradition • Single-member districts, winner-take-all district system for congressional seats(more associated with two party systems), as opposed to the multi-member, proportional system (more associated with multi- party systems) that is common in Western Europe 3. Electoral college's winner-take-all system, e.g., Perot won 19% of the vote in 1992, but had zero electoral votes since he did not win any states 4. Getting candidates on the ballot 5. Money 6. Media coverage 7. Exclusion from TV debates

26. IMPACT OF PARTIES ON GOVERNMENT I. Congress Majority party has a majority on all committees and subcommittees Majority party has chairmen on all committees Minority party has a “ranking member” on each committee The ranking member often becomes the chairman when party control of Congress changes 5. Majority party controls key leadership positions 6. Staffers are partisan

27. IMPACT OF PARTIES ON GOVERNMENT II. Executive branch Nearly all appointments to White House Office are partisan (“political appointees”). Many go to people from election campaigns Nearly all appointments to top positions in other parts of executive branch are partisan (“political appointees”) Development of Civil Service System has greatly reduced party influence over the bureaucracy

28. IMPACT OF PARTIES ON GOVERNMENT U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts III. Judicial branch Federal Nearly all appointments are partisan State and Local 1. Most state govt. positions are partisan 2. Many local govt. positions (e.g., school board, city council) are nonpartisan