American Political Culture

1. American Political Culture Chapters 4, 7, 8, & 9

2. Alexis de Toqueville • Democracy in America • The effects of “culture” • “Problems” of America • Size • Languages • “melting pot” • Religion • Class Consciousness • Political Equality over Economic Equality

3. Elements of the American Political System • Liberty • Equality • Democracy • Civic Duty • Individual Responsibility

4. Elements of the American Political System • The Role of the Civil Society • The Necessity of Political Tolerance • Proper Definition of Terms • Conservative • Liberal • Where did the Political Spectrum originate?

5. The Political Spectrum

6. The Political Spectrum

7. The Political Spectrum

8. How do we know that Americans share these beliefs? • Why is our society inconsistent with our beliefs? • Why is there so much political conflict? • Does the economy reflect our values? • What is the affect of Religion? • Are we Red, Blue, or Purple?

9. The Value of Public Opinion • Plenty of Problems: • There are many “publics” • Difficult to measure accurately • “We know very little, but we reason fairly well.” • Errors occur: • We don’t use terms correctly. • Our desires are inconsistent. • We hide our truest thoughts. • “Public opinion is often dynamic, not static.”

10. “Inside Information” • Table 4.2 ~ Survey says: We take more pride, believe that we are in control, think kids should be taught the value of hard work, and believe that belief in God is essential to morality than Europe. • Table 4.3 ~ In the past 40 years, confidence in church, schools, newspapers, unions, business, and Congress have all declined. • Table 7.1 ~ young adults are pretty jaded.

11. Scientific Polling • Straw polls • George Gallup • Random sampling • Margin of error (sampling error) • Exit polls • Effect of Elites • Bill Clinton – Overpolling?

12. Political Socialization • Family (basics > party) (kids less partisan) • Age (younger = more socially liberal) • Education (more schooling = less partisan) • Religion (attendance increases Conserv.) • Gender (Women!) • Class (Economics trumps all.) • Race/Ethnicity (Party and Issues) • Region (“Stronghold” – myth?)

13. How do we participate? • Voting • “Getting out” the vote • Campaigning • Donating • Being informed • Signing petitions • Letter-writing • Volunteer work

14. A Brief History of Voting • 1776 ~ White, male, taxpayers (property) • 1828 ~ Removal of most property requirements • 1868 ~ Amd. 14 – male citizens, age 21 • 1870 ~ Amd. 15 – race, color, servitude • 1920 ~ Amd. 19 – sex • 1961 ~ Amd. 23 – District of Columbia • 1964 ~ Amd. 24 – No poll taxes • 1971 ~ Amd. 26 – Age 18 • “Motor voter” laws

15. Other voting issues • NonVoting • Too busy (25%) • Family obligations (12%) • Lack of efficacy (12%) • Disenfranchisement of Criminals • Literacy Tests • Grandfather Clauses • Numerous offices

16. Voting Trends • Chart page 185 • Older voters vote in larger percentages • Presidential elections draw larger turnouts than Midterm elections • Less than half of registered voters ages 18-20 vote in Midterms • Younger voters fluctuate more (disinterest?) • 2008 got the most out of every group

17. Choose your ballot wisely • Early Party “Ballots” • The Australian Ballot • “Office bloc” Ballot (Mass.) • Straight ticket? • Voting machines • The Lever • The Punch Card (The Florida Fiasco - 2000) • The Video Game

18. Political Parties • Despised by the Founders • Factional • Fighting • Treasonous? • A basic label • Becoming less descriptive • Perhaps in decline (but probably not)

19. A Brief History of Political Parties • Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans • (Adams vs. Jefferson) • Killed the caucus system, created Conventions • Whigs vs. Democrats • (Clay vs. Jackson) • Republicans vs. Democrats • Created by Civil War • Union = Republican/ Confederacy = Democrat

20. A Brief History of Political Parties • William Jennings Bryan – Populism • Progressives and Mugwumps • MAJOR CHANGES: • Primary elections, Nonpartisan local elections • Voters’ registration • Initiative and Referendum • Use of mass media • Decrease in patronage

21. A Brief History of Political Parties • FDR and the Final Domination • Alternating Current • Democrats have controlled Congress • Republicans have “controlled” the Presidency • Continuous divided government

22. An even briefer history of “minor” parties • 1964 – George Wallace • 1980 – John Anderson • 1992 & 1996 – Ross Perot • 2000 – Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan • 2010 – Tea Party

23. What are the types of minor parties? • Ideological • Socialists, Communists, Libertarians, Greens • 1-issue • Free Soil, Know-Nothings, Prohibition, Women’s • Economic Protest • Greenback, Populist • Factional • Bull Moose, LaFollette Progressives, Dixiecrats, Henry & George Wallace, Reform, Tea Party

24. 2 Parties or Multiple? • Problems in a 2-Party system • Contentiousness • Corruption • Divisiveness • Problems in a Multiparty system • Coalitions • Run-offs • Plurality

25. Political Conventions • Primary or Caucus? • “Superdelegates” • Usually activists • Delegates do NOT reflect the masses

26. Who’s at the convention?

27. Who’s at the convention?

28. The problem of corruption • Patronage – “To the victor…” • Tammany Hall • Political Machines • Hatch Act

29. Interesting Point • Federalism decentralizes government, and therefore party power. • Political jobs are mostly city and state • Lately, the Federal government has taken on more control of programs, so we would expect parties to make a comeback, but… • Regulations • Primaries • Divided Government • Absence of Coalitions

30. Questions • If we do away with political parties… • How will candidates be found? • How will good candidates be recruited? • Where will candidates find support? • Who will hold candidates accountable for their actions? • Why don’t the best people run for office?

31. Check YOUR Political Standing • http://www.gotoquiz.com/politics/political-spectrum-quiz.html