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Political Parties

Political Parties. What is a Political Party?. Group that seeks to elect governmental officials under a given label The primary goal of a political party is to win control of government. Roles of political parties. Electioneering Nominate candidates Simplify voting choices

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Political Parties

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  1. Political Parties

  2. What is a Political Party? • Group that seeks to elect governmental officials under a given label • The primary goal of a political party is to win control of government

  3. Roles of political parties • Electioneering • Nominate candidates • Simplify voting choices • Serve as voting and issue cue • Provide stability and policy direction • “big tents” • Coordinate actions of government officials • Propose and pass programs

  4. Why does America have a two-party system? • single-member districts instead of proportional representation • Ballot obstacles and funding challenges • Lack of media attention • political socialization and dualist theory • absorption of third party issues

  5. Nader campaign 2004

  6. Nader faced numerous lawsuits about ballot access

  7. Campaign spending • Expensive presidential campaign • Incumbent v. challenger spending in Wisconsin (finances) • Incumbent advantage overall in 2004

  8. Three faces of political parties • Party in government • Party in the electorate • Party organization

  9. Party in government • party structures the operation of government • Congressional leaders are chosen on the basis of the controlling party • reason--set the agenda for what government will do

  10. 108th Congress House Senate 435 Members 100 Senators(Vice President votes in case of a tie) 229 Republicans205 Democrats1 Independent 51 Republicans48 Democrats1 Independent

  11. 109th Congress House Senate 435 Members 100 Senators(Vice President votes in case of a tie) 232 Republicans201 Democrats1 IndependentRepublicans up by 3 55 Republicans44 Democrats1 Independent Republicans up by 4

  12. House of Representatives • House tends to be more partisan • Dennis Hastert (Speaker) • Nancy Pelosi

  13. Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader Who is the Senate Minority Leader? Leadership of congressional committees goes to the majority party Senate

  14. Party unity • Political parties hold members accountable for voting party will • Trends in congressional voting • Figure 12.3 (455) • Republican split with president? • Ability of parties to raise funds

  15. Party in the electorate • Party identification: person’s affinity for a party, usually resulting in voting for party’s candidates • Roughly split between Republicans, Democrats and Independents

  16. Split-ticket voting • voter chooses candidates from different parties • May lead to divided government

  17. candidate, issue or party centered voting • Vast majority of Americans insist they vote for “the person, not the party” • What are the benefits/weaknesses of each type?

  18. Optional writing assignment • visit the websites of the Republican and the Democratic National Committees (http://www.rnc.org and http://www.democrats.org/) and answer the following: what is the focus for each party? Which site do you prefer, and why? Which party (if either) do you agree with, and why? • Due Tuesday, March 8

  19. Judicial assignment • Supreme Court decisions that are on the docket (www.oyez.org) • Choose a case, choose a justice, predict or describe opinion • What happened this week

  20. Political parties (review) • Party in government • Ability of party to control leadership positions • Party unity • Party in the electorate • Extent people identify with one party • Party as voting cue (candidate, issue or party centered voting)

  21. Democratic party regroups • New chair of the Democratic National Committee • What does each speaker (Elaine Kamarck, Jesse Jackson, Sen. John Breaux, Rep. Tim Ryan) say went wrong?

  22. Party unity • Political parties hold members accountable for voting party will • Trends in congressional voting indicate unity is increasing. Why? • Ability of parties to raise funds

  23. However, Congress represents US! What happens when local and party interests conflict?

  24. Party organization • Republican and Democratic national party committees (national conventions) • State-levelcommittees • County-levelorganizations

  25. Parties appeal directly to voters • DNC • RNC • Do these appeals go too far?

  26. Responsible party model • Parties are distinct, with clear platforms • People vote according to party • Elected officials follow party wishes • Party holds elected officials using label accountable • To what extent does this model describe political parties today?

  27. Redistricting and parties • 2000 census requires redistricting • Power of parties: state legislatures/governors

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