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Political Parties

Political Parties. 11/16/2011. 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

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Political Parties

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  1. Political Parties 11/16/2011

  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. 

  3. Office Hours and Readings • Chapter 6 • Office Hours • None on Thursday • Monday 8-10:30

  4. The Parties in the Constitution • Not mentioned at all • Believed they would create trouble and strife • a threat to good government and public order.

  5. Despite this, Parties thrived • The Ratification Battle • The First Amendment • Federalism • Slavery

  6. What Parties Do

  7. Political Recruitment • Nominating People for Office

  8. Recruiting Candidates who can win

  9. Interest Aggregation • Getting elected officials to work together • Grab issues that are popular and try to push them together.

  10. Interest Articulation • Make Policies when in power • Propose alternatives when out of power

  11. Characteristics of the American Party System

  12. Public • Parties are Public Organizations • Smith vsAllwright (1944)

  13. Pluralistic • No single group is large enough to win nationwide • Parties involve many groups • The Democrats rely on more groups

  14. Fragmented • No single central authority • Disbursed power because of federalism • Votes and money are fragmented

  15. Non-ideological/moderate • Very moderate compared to other nations • Parties are election-based, not policy based • Extreme policies are harmful

  16. Hypocritical

  17. The Realms of the political party

  18. The Party in the Electorate • What is it • Where do we Get it • How Important is it

  19. Partisan Voting in Recent Elections 2008 2010

  20. The Partisan Balance in 2012 • Roughly equal across (D,R,I) • This makes turnout important • Low Turnout will favor Republicans

  21. Partisanship and TV

  22. Partisanship and Sports

  23. Activists vs. Rank and File Rank and File Activists Tend to Vote at all levels Hold More Extreme Positions Participate other than voting • Sometimes vote • Hold less extreme positions, or opposing positions • Are not Reliable

  24. The Party in Government

  25. The Party in Government • Party Line Voting rules the day • Strong parties mean no need for compromise • The Parties are more extreme than ever

  26. The parties are very similar!

  27. Neither Party Can Rely on a single group • Both Parties are Heterogeneous • Both Parties Must court independents • Both parties move around the spectrum to gain votes.

  28. Even the South is Less Distinct • It is still the most distinct • Out-Migration of African Americans • More industrialized • Influx of Hispanic Voters

  29. Why Not issue Based? • Issues are boring • We adopt issues based on partisanship, not the other way around • The Parties do not take clear positions on many issues.

  30. Why the Parties are similar • Views on the Economic System • Views on Foreign policy • Sources of campaign finance

  31. The Goal of Both American Parties

  32. The parties are different

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

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

  35. 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

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

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

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

  39. 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

  40. The Religion Gap

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

  42. What about third parties?

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

  44. 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

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

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

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