POLITICAL PARTIESCh 9

What is a Political Party? Group that seeks to elect candidates to

public office by supplying them with a label by which they are know to the electorate

Party exists as 1. label in the minds of the voters 2. organization that recruits and campaigns

for candidates 3. a set of leaders who organize

government

Political Parties

United States Europe

Parties have become weaker in all three areas

Party as label and nominating function has become much weaker

Party as a set of leaders still somewhat strong

Candidates chosen by primary elections

Parties much stronger as nominating function

Party loyalty stronger Parties choose the

candidates who are running

Parties play a more comprehensive role in people’s lives

The rise and decline of the Political Party Founders disliked parties No mention in the Constitution Washington’s CabinetJefferson Republican vs Hamiltonian

Federalists

Critical or realigning elections Periods when a major lasting shift occurs

in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties

5 Major realignments 1. 1800 election 2. 1828 election 3. 1860 election 4. 1896 election 5. 1932 Election

1824-The Jacksonians

Rise of political participation as a mass phenomena-drop in property qualifications

1831-Anti-Masonic Party and the rise of National Conventions

1860-Civil War and Sectionalism

1860-Sectionalism

North became Republican South became Democratic GOP controlled the White House and

the senate

William Jennings Bryan-3 time presidential candidate-deepened divisions in country

Many states became one party states

1896 election

2 major factions in parties The “stalwarts” –The old Guard

Party regulars who built the party, enforced loyalty, and dispensed patronage

The “mugwumps” or “progressives” Disliked party patronage and the

machinery. Wanted reforms like civil service reform and primary elections

1932 election

Takeaways on critical elections A new issue of utmost importance

cuts across existing party divisions Shift in the voting patterns of the

south Southern white independents

overwhelmingly vote for Republicans Rise of dealignment rather than

realignment

2012 Map

Party decline

Decline of party identification

Rise and decline of Split ticket voting

Political Party organization Decentralized Nature of American

Parties-at each level of structure they do pretty much what they want and operate independently

National Party structure-5 elements

Political Parties

National Party Committee (DNC and RNC)

Chooses the National party chairman Helps prepare the national convention

every 4 years

National Party Chairman

Chosen by the national party committee for a 4 year term

Directs and coordinates party activities at national level by raising money, recruiting candidates, and motivating voters

National Convention

Delegates meets every 4 years to choose the party nominee for Pres and Veep

Sets party platform and party rules Delegates allocated to states by

complex process set up national committees

National Convention continued Delegates now are really just ratifying

choices already determined by primaries and caucuses-voters in these primaries Democrats have adopted rules to

make delegates more reflective of racial minorities and women

Democrats allow for super delegates-elected officials and party leaders not tied to any one candidate based in their party status

Super delegates!!

House and Senate Democratic and Republican Committees Recruits candidates to run against

other parties vulnerable Hose and Senate members

Protects your own members who are incumbents

Raise money for election cycle

State and local level-determined by state law State Party committee headed up by

state chairman County Party committee headed by

local chairman Porter County Republican Committee Porter County Democratic Committee

The Machine

Party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives-money, political jobs, an opportunity to get favors from government

Tammany Hall in NY City and the Tweed Ring

1870’s-1/8 voters had a federal, state, or city job

The Machine

Immigrants received government services in return for votes

Machine was a vast welfare association Fraud and corruption! “Vote early and vote often!”

Power of the machine has been reduced!Hatch Act-Illegal for federal service

employees to take part in politicsCivil Service reforms-reduced patronage

Cook County and Chicago

Democratic Machine Politics

The Two Party System

Only 15 nations have 2 party systems

English style politics Elections based on the plurality

winner take all system Single member district The electoral college-winner take

all!! Broad consensus on major economic

issues Laws of states make it difficult for 3rd

parties

Minor parties

Permanent part of American political life 4 types of 3rd parties

A. Ideological parties-socialists, Marxists, Libertarian

B. One-Issue Parties-Free soil Party, Prohibition Party

B. Economic Protest parties-Populists D. Factional Party-Bull Moose Party, Dixie

Crats, Reform Party of Ross Perot

1912 Presidential Election

1988 Presidential Election

2000 Presidential election

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