Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Chapter 8: Political Parties The...

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

Chapter 8: Political Parties

• The Meaning of Party• The Party in the Electorate• The Party Organizations: From the Grass

Roots to Washington• The Party in Government: Promises and Policy• Party Eras in American History• Third Parties: Their Impact on American

Politics• Understanding Political Parties• Summary

The Meaning of PartyLO 8.1: Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy.

• Tasks of the Parties• Parties, Voters, and Policy: The

Downs Model

To Learning ObjectivesCopyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman


The Meaning of Party

• Political Party• A “team of men [and women] seeking to

control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.”

• 3 parts of a political party• Party in the electorate• Party as an organization• Party in government

LO 8.1

To Learning Objectives



• Tasks of the Parties• Pick Candidates• Run Campaigns• Give Cues to Voters• Articulate Policies• Coordinate Policymaking

LO 8.1




• Parties, Voters, and Policy: The Downs Model• Rational-choice theory – People act in

their own best interest, weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives.

• Downs Model – (1) Voters want policies they favor adopted by government, and (2) parties want to win elected office.

LO 8.1


LO 8.1


The Party in the ElectorateLO 8.2: Determine the significance of party identification in America today.

• Party Image• The voter’s perception of what the

Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism.

• Party Identification• A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for

one party or the other.


LO 8.2



The Party in the Electorate

• Ticket Splitting• Voting with one party for one office and

with another party for other offices.• It has become the norm in American voting

behavior.

LO 8.2


The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to WashingtonLO 8.3: Describe how political parties are organized in the United States.

• Local Parties• The 50 State Party Systems• The National Party Organizations



The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington

• Local Parties• Party Machines – Political party organization that

relies heavily on material inducements to win votes and to govern.

• Patronage – A job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit; used by party machines.

LO 8.3




• The 50 State Party Systems• Closed primaries – People who have registered with

the party can vote for party’s candidates.• Open primaries – Voters decide on Election Day to

vote in the Democrat or Republican primary.• Blanket primaries – A list of candidates from all

parties.

LO 8.3




• National Party Organizations• National Convention – Meeting of party delegates every

four years to choose a presidential ticket and the party’s platform.

• National Committee – Keep party operating between conventions.

• National Chairperson – Day-to-day activities of the party.

LO 8.3


The Party in Government: Promises and PolicyLO 8.4: Evaluate how well political parties generally do in carrying out their promises.• Party in Government• Elected officials who call themselves

members of the party.

• Coalition• Individuals and groups that support the

political party.

• Promises and Policies• Parties translate their platform promises

into public policy.To Learning Objectives


LO 8.4



Party Eras in American HistoryLO 8.5: Differentiate the various party eras in American history.

• 1796–1824: The First Party System• 1828–1856: Jackson and the

Democrats Versus the Whigs• 1860–1928: The Two Republican Eras• 1932–1964: The New Deal Coalition• 1968–Present: Southern Realignment

and the Era of Divided Party Government



Party Eras in American History

• Party Eras• Periods in which a majority of votes cling to

party in power.

• Critical Election• Electoral “earthquake” where new issues and

new coalitions emerge

• Party Realignment• Displacement of majority party by the

minority party, usually during a critical election.

LO 8.5




• 1796–1824: The First Party System• Federalist Party was the first political party

and capitalists supported the Federalists.• Democratic-Republican Party derived its

coalition from agrarian interests and dominated the era after the 1800 election.

LO 8.5




• 1828–1856: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs• Democrats coalition included Westerners,

Southerners, new immigrants, and settled America.

• Whigs coalition included Northern industrialists and Southern planters.

• Democrats dominated this era.

LO 8.5




• 1860–1928: The Two Republican Eras• The main issue of the election of 1860 was

slavery.• The main issue of the election of 1896 was

the economy.• Republicans dominated both party eras by

forming new coalitions and winning both elections.

LO 8.5


LO 8.5




• 1932–1964: New Deal Coalition• A coalition forged by the Democrats, who

dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s.

• Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

LO 8.5


LO 8.5




• 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government• 1987 Southern delegates – 77 of 116

House seats, and 6 of 22 Senate seats were from GOP.

• 2009 Southern delegates – 70 of 131 House seats, and 15 of 22 Senate seats were from GOP.

LO 8.5




• 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government• Divided government – When one party

controls the White House and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress.

• Both houses of Congress and the presidency have been controlled by the same party for just 14 of the 44 years from 1969 to 2012.

LO 8.5




• 1968–Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government• Party dealignment – The gradual

disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

LO 8.5


Third Parties: Their Impact on American PoliticsLO 8.6: Assess both the impact of third parties on American politics and their limitations.• Third Parties• Electoral contenders other than the two major parties.

• Three Basic Varieties• Promote certain causes.• Splinter parties• Extension of popular individual with presidential

aspirations.



Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics

• Third Parties Are Important• Bring new groups into the electorate.• Serve as “safety valves” for popular discontent.• Put many social reforms on the political agenda.• Bring new issues to the campaign ignored by

the major parties.

LO 8.6



Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics

• Two-Party Governance• Moderation of political conflict.• Contributes to political ambiguity.

LO 8.6


Understanding Political PartiesLO 8.7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of responsible party government.

• Democracy and Responsible Party Government: How Should We Govern?

• American Political Parties and the Scope of Government



Understanding Political Parties

• Democracy and Responsible Party Government: How Should We Govern?• Responsible party model – A view about

how parties should work.• Party should offer clear choices to the voters,

who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates.

• Party in government should carry out their campaign promises.

LO 8.7


LO 8.7




• Democracy and Responsible Party Government: How Should We Govern? (cont.)• Blue Dog Democrats – Fiscally

conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and rural parts of the United States, and are resistant to any domestic policy proposals that would enlarge the scope of government.

LO 8.7




• American Political Parties and the Scope of Government• Lack of uniformity keeps government

small, but also makes cutting government programs difficult.

• Individual politicians focus on getting more from government for their own constituents.

LO 8.7


Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Chapter 8: Political Parties The...

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