Political Parties

Jefferson: “I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men, whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.”

Political Parties

A political party is a group of voters, activists, candidates and office holders who identify with a party label and seek to elect individual to public office to help facilitate policymaking and create coalitions to reduce the time, energy and effort to get laws passed.

Functions of Political Parties

1. Parties pick policymakers through nominations and caucuses (quality control)

2. Parties structure voting choices and reduces the number of candidates

Functions of parties

3. Parties run the campaigns (serving as bonding agents) even though many campaigns run independently thanks to technology.

4. Parties articulate policies and propose alternatives programs

Functions of parties

5. Parties coordinate policy-making between officeholders and the three branches

6. Parties act as watchdog over the other party.

Theoretical party structure

National Chairperson and National committee

National convention and delegates

State Chairperson/Committee

County Chairperson/Committee

Township Chairperson/Committee

Precinct Chairperson/Committee

Each layer is representative of a level of government; although there are linkages, each layer is fairly independent of the other in terms of financing, supporters, nominations, and platform. No one level has real control over the other.

Who is a Republican or Democrat?

Who is a Republican or Democrat? Most Democrats are labor union members,

minorities (especially Hispanic and African-American), 18-29 year olds, blue-collar workers and unemployed, widowed, Liberals, non-religious, and people that live in urban areas.

Most Republicans are men, professionals, executives, Protestants, married couples, conservatives, have European ancestry and live in rural areas.

Where are Democrats and Republicans?

Where are Democrats and Republicans?

Party eras

Typically the electoral arena has been dominated by one party for a period of time until it is replaced by another dominant party following a critical election. This change is referred to as electoral realignment. There have been at least 5 major party eras.

1800-1828 Jeffersonioan Republicans/Democratic-RepublicansEra of personal politics-

elections focused on character, not party identification

No real party opposition at this time, goal was to limit the power of government (even though national bank established, Louisiana purchased, high tariffs passed, undeclared war; candidates chosen by caucuses in Congress

1828-1856 Jacksonian Democrats Suffrage expanded and

role of parties, people now choose electors instead of state legislatures. Beginning of national conventions and party platforms. Candidates not from the elite.

1860-1932 Republican Domination (Grand Old Party) Lincoln wins with 39.9% of

vote. Republicans opposed slavery, had support of Northern, industrial states. Republicans emphasized economic development and modernization. Rise of Solid South, when Democrats controlled (who supported slavery) all the southern states. Republicans only lost 4 election, one because of Teddy Roosevelt who split the ticket and introduced Progressive reforms.

1932-1964 the New Deal Democrats

Democrats and FDR expand the role of government through federal programs to combat the Great Depression. They adopt many socialist and progressive ideas, but Solid South begins to fall apart as the Democrats decided to focus on civil rights issues. Kennedy’s New Frontier and Johnson’s Great Society continue FDR’s traditions.

1968-Present divided government Neither party has truly

dominated, parties have declined in importance leading to gridlock and difficulty in policy making. Democrats primarily controlled Congress until 1992, but only 3 Democratic presidents.

Why do we have a 2 party system? 1. We live in single member districts

requiring a plurality of voters to win. In other words, a state entitled to 10 representatives will be divided into 10 districts, and each district elects 1 representative.

2. Winner-take-all aspect of the Electoral College. In order to receive any college votes, a candidate has to win the plurality of votes in that state.

Why a 2 party system? 3. The two parties make electoral rules to exist. In

most states, third party candidates are required to have petitions signed in order to gain ballot access.

4. The ability of the two major parties to build coalitions and absorb as many people as possible makes it difficult for 3rd parties to attract voters.

5. The cost of elections makes it difficult for 3rd parties raise the money needed to win. In 2004, the two major candidates spent roughly $150 million.

Third parties

3rd parties are important, however, because they represent social and economic interests not covered by the 2 parties.

4 types of 3rd parties:

1. Ideological: Reform, Libertarian, Progressives

2. Single-issue: Free Soil, Greenback, Know-Nothing

3. Economic protest: Socialist, Communist

4. Splinter party: Bull Moose, Dixiecrats, Republicans

Why don’t Third Parties last?

3rd parties are important as barometers of change, but typically their popular ideas are then absorbed by the two major parties such as the Progressives and Socialists.

3rd parties are often seen as a wasted voted because they have little chance of winning in a winner-take-all system.

3rd parties have difficulty raising the money needed to compete, and have win 5% of the popular vote in the last election to receive federal matching funds.

3rd parties also can hurt an election by taking votes away from another candidate such as Teddy Roosevelt in 1912, or Ralph Nader in 2000.

Why are parties important?

1. Strong parties are important for good electoral competition by those lacking the resources needed to run campaigns.

2. Parties protect liberty by providing opposition groups to those who attempt to take it away.

Why are parties important?

3. Parties promote voter turnout by providing incentives to vote.

4. Parties make democratic government possible by linking our participation to “effective” decision making.

Political Parties have declined because: Changes to the primary system: in order to

democratize the selection process many states switched to primary elections instead of state convention. Forced candidates to develop individualized and

independent campaign machines. Candidates also not forced to adhere to party

doctrine. National convention simply a “dog and pony”

show since primaries have already selected the winner.

Political Parties have declined because: The growth of television: TV has replaced

party and best way to reach the largest number of voters. Candidates selected based on their ability in front of TV cameras and newsmen become the dispenser of political information and what the candidates are doing. Plus, it allows the candidates to become more individual and switches the election from issue-centered to candidate-centered.

Political Parties have declined because: Weakened party identification: people are

more educated today with more access to information that the parties traditionally provided. There has also been a rise in the number of independents because they have become disillusioned with the two parties, and feel they can make their own decisions without party influence.

Political Parties have declined because: Rise of Political Action Committees: PACs

provide an alternative source of funding for candidates and as a way to build electoral support. Reliance on the mass media, polls and mailings, the campaign services of the parties are not needed. PACs have also eroded party discipline.