Political Parties

1. Political Parties

2. Political Ideologies

3. What do political parties do? • Nominating candidates • Informing & activating supporters • Bonding Agent Function • Govern • Acting as a watchdog

4. 1874, Thomas Nast 1870, Thomas Nast

5. Nominating candidates • Parties select candidates and present them to voters • Parties work to help candidates win elections

6. Informing & Activating Supporters • Basically, parties try to get voters involved and informed in upcoming elections • Inform voters on: their candidate, the issues and the problems of their opponent

7. Bonding Agent Function • The parties try to make sure their candidates are both qualified and of good character • Parties try to ensure the good performance of their candidate

8. Governing • Parties govern according to their party platform • Congress is organized along party lines • Votes often go along party lines (partisanship) • Appointments are often made with party considerations

9. Watchdog • Parties keep a close eye on the actions of the opposing party • Most often occurs as the party out of power watches the party in power

10. The Two-Party System America started out as a two-party system so it remains a two-party system

11. Other Political Systems • More choices for voters • Inconsistency due to unstable coalitions • Where only one party is allowed • Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia • Where one party regularly wins most elections • Texas or California Multiparty systems Single-Party Systems

12. Party Membership • Influenced by many different factors, including:

13. America’s History of the Two-Party System America has always been a two-party system so it will probably continue to be a two-party system

14. 1st American Political Parties • Federalists • Led by Alexander Hamilton • Favored a strong central government • Pro-ratification of the Constitution • Antifederalists • Led by Thomas Jefferson • Favored limited national government • Anti-ratification of the Constitution until the Bill of Rights was added

15. The Era of the Democrats (1800-1860) Four Major Eras 1860: Civil War The Era of the Republicans (1860-1932) 1932: The Great Depression The Return of the Democrats (1932-1968) 1968: Vietnam War The Era of Divided Government (1968 – Present) ?????????

16. Party Platform Notes

17. Example: 2008 Republican Party Platform • Economy • Taxes: 2001 & 2003 tax cuts permanent • Housing: Help to those most affected, but not to implicitly encourage anyone to borrow more than they can afford to repay • Jobs: Reduce corporate tax rate to help businesses grow • Healthcare • Health care: Not allow a government monopoly of health care • Medicare & Medicaid: Promote competition, provide more options • Retirement: Comprehensive reform that would not affect current or near-retirees, allow choices

18. Example: 2008 Republican Party Platform • Energy & Environment • Energy: Reduce petroleum dependence • Climate Change: Support “sound science” to decrease emissions • National Security • Iraq: No timetable for withdrawal • Afghanistan: Nationwide counterinsurgency plan led by a unified commander • Iran: Increase political, economic, & diplomatic pressure • Immigration: • Illegal Immigrants: “We oppose amnesty.” • Legal immigrants: “integration into American life” • Border & Port Security: Complete border fence quickly & secure the borders

19. Example: 2012 Democratic Party Platform • Economy • Taxes: Extending tax cuts for 98% of Americans, $250,000 goes up • Jobs: Focus on supporting small business • Marriage & Reproductive Choices • Support of a woman’s right to choose • Support of same-sex marriage

20. Example: 2012 Democratic Party Platform • Energy & Environment • Energy: “All-of-the-above” policy • Climate Change: International effort to reduce emissions • National Security • Afghanistan: End war in Afghanistan in 2014 • Iran: Diplomatic first, but all options on the table • Immigration: • Illegal Immigrants: Comprehensive reform, DREAM Act

21. Political Party Platform • Social Stances • Fiscal (Economic) Stances • Foreign Policy Stances

22. Social Issues • Religion • Education • Housing • Immigration • Jobs • Gay Marriage • Reproductive choices • Drug policy • Veterans’ benefits • Healthcare • Environmental laws • Affirmative Action • Gun laws • Crime • Poor • Censorship

23. Economic Issues • Jobs • Taxes • Individual • Corporate • Regulations • Agriculture • Trade • Wages • Healthcare/insurance • Education • Government loans

24. Foreign Policy • Iraq • Iran • Afghanistan • North Korea • China • Russia • Israel • Immigration • Terrorism • National security policy • Nuclear weapons • European alliances • Asia-Pacific alliances

26. Example of Differences To help spur economic growth, President Obama and the Democratic Party cut taxes for every working family – providing $3,600 in tax relief to the typical family over the President’s first term in office – and we are committed to extending the middle class tax cuts for the 98 percent of American families who make less than $250,000 a year, and we will not raise taxes on them. Our goal is a tax system that is simple, transparent, flatter, and fair... To that end, we propose to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax relief packages—commonly known as the Bush tax cuts—pending reform of the tax code, to keep tax rates from rising on income, interest, dividends, and capital gains; Democrats Republican

27. Minor Parties Definition: One of the political parties not widely supported

28. 4 Types of Minor Parties

29. Ideological Party • Example: Socialist & Communist parties • Example: Libertarian party • Parties based on a particular set of beliefs, a comprehensive view social, economic, and political matters

30. Single Issue Party • Example: Free Soil Party (opposed the spread of slavery) • Example: Right to Life Party • Parties that concentrate on only one public policy matter

31. Economic Protest Party • Example: The Populist Party • Example: The Tea Party • Parties rooted in poor economic times, lacking a clear ideological base, dissatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times.

32. Splinter Party • Example: The Progressive or “Bull Moose” Party (broke away from the Republican party) • Parties that have split away from one of the major parties

33. Minor Party Roles • “Spoiler Role” • Can pull votes away from a major party, especially if the minor party is a splinter party • Critic • Usually from Single-Issue parties, this role is to draw attention to controversial issues • Innovator • After drawing attention to controversial issues, minor parties often come up with innovative solutions. If these solutions become popular, they are often integrated by the major parties