AP US Government

1. You’ll Need: Pen/Pencil, warm-up sheet, and Notes.. Last Night’s Homework: None AP US Government Tuesday, November 20, 2012

2. Warm-up 10 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

3. Warm-up 9 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

4. Warm-up 8 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

5. Warm-up 7 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

6. Warm-up 6 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

7. Warm-up 5 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

8. Warm-up 4 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

9. Warm-up 3 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

10. Warm-up 2 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

11. Warm-up 1 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

12. Warm-up 0 • If you were in charge of creating your own political party… • What would it be called? • Which three issues would your party focus on the most? • How would you recruit people to join your party? • Would you give more power to the state party or national party? Explain why. • In what ways would your new political party be different than the Republicans and Democrats?

13. Political Parties Chapter 8

14. On Political Parties… “If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.” –Thomas Jefferson “…political parties created democracy…and democracy is unthinkable save in terms of the parties.” -E.E. Schattschneider

15. The Meaning of Party • Political Party: • A team of men and women seeking to control government by winning elections. • Parties can be thought of in three parts: • Party in the electorate (voters) • Party as an organization (local and national) • Party in government (elected officials)

16. The Meaning of Party • Tasks of the Parties: • Linkage Institution: The channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda. • Parties Pick Candidates • Parties Run Campaigns • Parties provide political identity • Parties Articulate and Endorse Policies • Parties Coordinate Policymaking

17. The Meaning of Party • The Downs Model: Most voters are moderate so… Figure 8.1

18. Downs Model • The wise party selects policies that are widely favored (moderate). • Both parties stay in the middle on most issues. • But they also try to show how they differ. • 2/3 of the population believes there is a difference between the two parties.

19. Party identification is a citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other. Ticket-splitting: Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. Ticket-splitting has become the norm in American voting behavior. The Party in the Electorate (Voters)

20. The Party in the Electorate

21. The Party Organizations(local and national government) • These are the people that work for the party. • Local Parties • Party Machines: Corrupt local interests that controlled city politics prior to 1930’s • Patronage: A job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit. Used by party machines to maintain power. • Grassroots Movements: Local, citizen-driven action taken to address a hot issue (Em-X bus line, for example)

22. The Party Organizations • States: Holding elections is an important state-level task • Closed primaries: voters must be registered with their party in advance and can only vote for that party • Open primaries: voters decide on election day which party to participate in, and then only that party • Blanket primaries: voters get a list of all candidates and can vote for one name for each office, regardless of party label

23. You’ll Need: Pen/Pencil and Notes.. Last Night’s Homework: None AP US Government Monday, November 26, 2012

24. Political Parties Chapter 8

25. The Party Organizations • The National Party Organizations • Write the party platform, holds the national convention. • National Convention: The meeting of party delegates to choose a presidential ticket and platform. • National Committee: Keeps the party operating between conventions. • National Chairperson: Responsible for day-to-day activities of the party.

26. The Party in GovernmentElected Office Holders • These are the party members actually elected to government. • Candidates are less dependent on parties to get elected, but they still need help. • Coalition: • A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends. • Farm / Ag states; black caucus; religious right; labor unions…

27. Party Coalitions of Today

28. Party Eras inAmerican History • Party Eras • Historical periods in which a majority of votes support the party in power. • Critical Election • An electoral “earthquake” where new issues and new coalitions emerge. • Party Realignment • The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election.

29. You’ll Need: Pen/Pencil and Notes.. Last Night’s Homework: Read Pages 248-258 AP US Government Tuesday, November 27, 2012

30. Political Parties Chapter 8

31. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics • Political parties other than Democrat or Republican. • Rarely win elections. • Third parties bring new groups and ideas into politics. • Two-party system discourages extreme views.

32. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics • Winner-take-all system: • Legislative seats awarded only to first place finishers. • Proportional Representation: • Legislative seats awarded based on votes received by the party - more votes, more seats. • Coalition Government: • Two or more parties join to run government.

33. Understanding Political Parties • Is the Party Over? • Political parties are no longer the chief source of information for voters. • State and national party organizations are getting stronger. • Majority of people still identify with a party, but still split their tickets. • Parties will continue to be around.

34. Party Eras in America Group PresentationsPresentation(15 points) Research Notes (5 points) • Read the party era section you’ve been assigned from the textbook. • Highlight/underline any topics you plan on investigating further. • Meet with group members to divide the work. • Research the different aspects of your party era. Take at least one page of research notes (will be turned in for a grade). • Begin working on a 3 slide presentation (google docs or keynote) using the information from your research. • Tomorrow we’ll spend the last 20 minutes of class learning about the six party eras.

35. Party Eras in America 1796-1824: First Party System (pink) 1828-1856: Jackson and the Democrats vs. The Whigs (orange) 1860-1928: The Two Republican Eras (grey) 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition (blue) 1968-present: The Era of Divided Party Government (green)

36. Google or Keynote Presentation • You will be creating a presentation to teach the rest of the class about the party era you’ve been assigned. • Requirements: • 3-4 slides. • Presentation topics: • Who were the leaders? • Which parties were in control? • What historical events influenced the elections? • What were some of the policy issues during the era?

37. Party Eras in American History • 1796-1824: The First Party System • Madison warned of “factions” • First party were the Federalists • 1828-1856: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs • Modern party founded by Jackson • Whigs formed mainly in opposition to Democrats

38. Party Eras in American History • 1860-1928: The Two Republican Eras • Republicans rose as the antislavery party • 1896 election revolved around the gold standard • 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition • Forged by the Democrats - relied upon urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners

39. Party Eras in American History • 1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government • Party dealignment- disengagement of people from parties; increase in independents • Party neutrality - people are indifferent towards the two parties

40. The Red and the Blue • Number all of the paragraphs. • While reading the entire article: • Circle any words that are unfamiliar to you. • Highlight Steve Berg’s main arguments. • Underline any stereotypes he gives for red or blue states. • On the back page, come up with five higher level discussion questions. • Higher level: Shouldn’t be yes/no. Should generate more than a simple one word answer.