POLS 125

1. POLS 125 Political Parties & Elections

2. What do these terms mean? • Lib-er-al[lib-er-uh l] : Open-minded or tolerant, especially free and not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. • Con-serv-a-tive[kuh n-sur-vuh-tiv] : Disposed to preserve existing conditions, and institutions, or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.

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4. Political Ideology A Working Definition • LIBERALISM: A belief in the positive uses of government to bring about justice and equality of opportunity. • CONSERVATISM: A belief that limited government ensures order, competitive markets, and personal opportunity. LIBERAL MODERATE CONSERVATIVE Is a single dimension really adequate?

5. Government Control Social and political conservatives favor broad government regulation of individual behavior CONSERVATIVE STATIST SOCIAL POLICY CENTRIST LIBERAL LIBERTARIAN Social and political liberals favor limited government regulation of individual behavior Government Control Freedom ECONOMIC POLICY Economic conservatives favor fiscal responsibility and limited government involvement in economic policymaking and regulation of business Economic liberals favor spending and broad government involvement in economic policymaking and regulation of business

6. A Primer on Party Factions The Democratic Party • “New Democrats” – Centrists who take liberal positions on social issues, and conservative positions on economic issues, organized as members of the Democratic Leadership Council (e.g., Bill Clinton) • “Blue Dog Democrats” – Choked “blue” by the party’s more liberal leadership, a group that pushes an agenda of social conservatism and fiscal responsibility • “Boll Weevils” – 1980s term for socially conservative southern Democrats • “Dixiecrats” – 1950s term for socially conservative southern Democrats • “DINOs” – Democrats-in-name-only (e.g., Zell Miller, Joe Lieberman) • “Progressives” – Preferred term for those who find the “L-word” (liberal) pejorative

7. A Primer on Party Factions The Republican Party • “Rockefeller Republicans” – 1970s term for those who were socially liberal, pro-business, and conservative on foreign policy, willing to raise taxes instead of running deficits. The social conservatism of the Reagan Revolution pushed them to the left edges of the party • “The Mod Squad” – Group of moderate, socially liberal U.S. Senators (e.g., Lincoln Chafee, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, etc.) • “Gypsy Moths” – Republican moderates from the North East and Midwest, 1980s • “Log Cabin Republicans” – Gay, lesbian, and bisexual supporters of the Republican Party • “Neo-Cons” – Big government conservatives, foreign policy hawks (e.g., Paul Wolfowitz) • “Pro-Cons” – a.k.a. “Progressive Conservatives,” fiscal conservatives, social moderates, foreign policy eagles (not hawks) • “RINOs” – Republicans-in-name-only (e.g., John McCain, Arlen Specter)

8. Government Control FOREIGN POLICY? Social and political conservatives favor broad government regulation of individual behavior Republican Party G.W. Bush? “Pro-Cons” “Mod Squad” SOCIAL POLICY “Blue Dog” Democrats DLC Democratic Party Bill Clinton Social and political liberals favor limited government regulation of individual behavior Government Control Freedom ECONOMIC POLICY Economic conservatives favor fiscal responsibility and limited government involvement in economic policymaking and regulation of business Economic liberals favor spending and broad government involvement in economic policymaking and regulation of business

10. Political Ideology vs. Partisan Identification Percent responding Percent responding Extremely Liberal Moderate Extremely Conservative Strong Democrat Strong Republican Independent

12. Rebranding the Republican Party

13. Rebranding the Republican Party Rebranding the Republican Party

14. Rebranding the Republican Party

15. Trends in Partisan Identification, 1952-2004Including “Leaners” Source: National Election Studies, various years.