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American Government Unit 6: Elections, Political Parties, and Special Interest Groups

Explore the influence of political parties & interest groups in the American electoral system, history of parties, voting behavior, and special interest groups. Discover key eras from Democrats to Divided Government.

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American Government Unit 6: Elections, Political Parties, and Special Interest Groups

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  1. American GovernmentUnit 6: Elections, Political Parties, and Special Interest Groups Mr. Chortanoff Overview and Insights Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

  2. Unit Essential Question: How do political parties and special interest groups influence our American electoral system? 3 Concepts

  3. Political Spectrum:A way to determine and understand your political, economic, and social beliefs. 1. Economic Scale goes Left (communist) to Right (free market) 2. Social Scale goes Bottom (weak/no gov’t) to Top (strong gov’t/dictatorship) Use this hyperlink to connect to an online version. http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

  4. Political Parties are groups who seek to control government • Govern • Want to win elections and hold office • Inform and activate supporters (get involved) • Represent people’s will • Power brokers (resolve conflicts in gov’t/people) • Nominate candidates • Watchdogs of the other party for abuses/mistakes

  5. Two-Political Party System • Origin: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists fight over Constitution in the 1780s. • Not in Constitution • Tradition • Both Parties tend to be moderate, but have extremists factions on the “edge” • Electoral system • Winner take all in Single Member Districts…not seated by percentage of votes received (like in a parliamentary gov’t)

  6. Other Forms: Multiparty and Single Party • Multi-party System • Parties are based on single issues or interest • Economic class, religious beliefs, political ideology) • Have several major and many minor parties exist • More diversified representation of the electorate • Compete • compromise / form coalitions or temporary alliances • Tend to be unstable (“Gov’t falls due to a ‘vote of no confidence’ in Parliament for a PM and his cabinet”) • Single Party • Communist or Fascist Dictatorship

  7. American Parties: Four Major Eras Three Historical Eras of Party Influence 1. The Era of the Democrats, 1800—1860 • Democratsdominate all but two presidential elections. • TheWhigParty emerges in 1834, but declines by the 1850s, electing only two Presidents. • The Republican Party is founded in 1854. 2. The Era of the Republicans, 1860—1932 • Republicans dominate all but four presidential elections. • The Civil War disables the DemocraticParty for the remainder of the 1800s. 3. The Return of the Democrats, 1932—1968 • Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections. • Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President four times.

  8. 4. 1968 to Present The Start of a New Era: The Era of Divided Government Since 1968, neither Republicans nor Democrats have dominated the presidency and Congress has often been controlled by the opposing party. 1968–1976 Republicans hold the presidency Congress is controlled by Democrats 1976–1980 Democrats hold the presidency Congress is controlled by Democrats 1980–1992 Republicans hold the presidency Senate controlled by Republicans 1980-1986, controlled by Democrats from 1986 to 1994 1992 – 2000 Democrats hold the presidency Congress controlled by Republicans, 1994 to present 2000 Republicans hold the presidency Congress is controlled by Republicans 2008-? Democrats take presidency Congress is controlled by Democrats

  9. Minor Parties • Ideological (socialist, communist) • Single Issue (Green Party) • Economic Protest (Greenbacks, • Populists) • Splinter (Bull-Moose) • Importance • Innovator: New ideas (raises awareness) • Spoiler role (takes votes, i.e. Nader in 2000) • Critic of Major Parties

  10. Special Interest Groups • Need them? • Legal? • Examples?

  11. Special Interest Groups and Political Parties

  12. Types of Interest Groups Based on Economic Interests

  13. Campaign Funding: $$$$$ • Public / Tax Payers • PACs • “political action committees,” which are the political arms of special interest groups that seek to affect elections and public policy • Candidates / Families • Donors: • Wealthy Americans • Average Americans • Online Donations • Political Party • Fundraisers: Dinners, Speeches, Donations

  14. Elections • All levels: • Federal • State • Local • All are run by the states • All are secret • Methods: • Ballot / booth • Online • Vote by Mail (absentee) • History: The number of AA office holders has dramatically increased from 1970 to 2008 • EX: Mississippi • 81 to 892 • Other: • Opinion Polls and Survey • EX: Gallup Polls • Media: TV, Newspapers, Talk Radio, Magazines, Websites • Primary vs. General Election • Open Primary vs. Closed Primary

  15. Voters Behavior • In American history, suffrage has been extended to more and more people. • Early 1800s, religious membership, property ownership, and tax payment requirements are dropped • Post Civil War, 15th Amend’t gives AA men the vote • Post WWI, 19th Amend’t gives women the right to vote • Civil Rights Era, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed discrimination barriers for AAs • 23rd Amend’t gave DC the vote • 24th Amendment removed the poll tax • 26th Amend’t set the minimum age for voting 18

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