Political Parties

What are political parties

Organizations of people with similar ideas that are formed to win elections.

What are political parties• Political parties can

form from factions. • Washington warned

against factions tearing the country apart.

• Madison wrote in Federalist 10 that they were bound to develop.

Political Party History

• The 1st political party was the Federalists from 1789 -1815 began by Madison and Hamilton.• The Democratic-Republicans began

in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson

Democrats

• In 1828 the modern Democrat party began and elected Andrew Jackson as their first President.

Whigs

• The Whig Party began around 1834 and ended around 1852.

Republicans• In 1853 the

Republican Party grew from the abolition movement.

• The abolition movement was a started to end slavery.

Republicans

• In 1860 Abraham Lincoln became the 1st Republican president. He ran on the issue to end slavery.

Third Parties

• Over time Third Parties have formed in an effort to challenge the Dems and Repubs

Some 3rd Parties• Anti-Masonic• Constitutional, Southern Democrats• Populist• Progressive• States’ Rights• Socialist-Labor• American Independent• Libertarian• Green• Communist

Structure

• National Committee State Central Committee County Committees

Precinct Level Party Workers

Political Parties

• Nominate candidates• Pick the best person to run• Governs• Acts as a watchdog

Political Parties

• A multi-party system brings a broader and more diverse electorate but it also causes instability.

• A one-party system is the same as a no-party system.

Political Parties

• Democrat electorate usually consists of Catholics, Jews, African-Americans, high-school graduates single, younger.

• Republican electorate usually consists of Protestants, business people, college graduates, married, older.

Political Action Committees

• Political Action Committees, commonly called "PACs," are organizations dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat political candidates.

Political Action Committees

• Most PACs are directly connected to specific corporations, labor groups, or recognized political parties.

Political Action Committees

• Examples of these PACs include Microsoft (a corporate PAC) and the Teamsters Union (organized labor).

Political Action Committees

• PACs solicit contributions from employees or members and make contributions in the PACs name to candidates or political parties.

Political Action Committees• Non-connected or

ideological PACs raise and spend money to elect candidates -- from any political party -- who support their ideals or agendas

Political Action Committees

• Non-connected PACs are made up of individuals or groups of U.S. citizens, not connected to a corporation, a labor party or a political party.

Political Action Committees• Examples of non-

connected PACs include the National Rifle Association (gun owner rights) and Emily's List (abortion, pro-choice). A non-connected PAC can solicit contributions from the general public of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Political Action Committees

• A third type of PAC, called "leadership PACs" are formed by politicians to help fund the campaigns of other politicians.

Political Action Committees

• Politicians often create leadership PACs in an effort to prove their party loyalty or to further their goal of being elected to a higher office.

Political Action Committees

• Under federal election laws, PACs can legally contribute only $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC.

Lobbyists• Someone who

tries to persuade legislators to vote for bills that the lobbyists favor

Lobbyists• A lobbyist is one

who is professionally employed to lobby on behalf of clients or who advises clients on how to lobby on their own behalf.

What Are Interest Groups?

• An interest group (special interests) is an organization of people with similar policy goals that try to influence the political process to try to achieve those goals.

• Interest groups try to influence every branch and every level of government.

The Roots and Developmentof American Interest Groups

• Interest groups have been part of the American political landscape since the country’s founding.

What Do Interest Groups Do?

• The most common and effective interest group technique is lobbying or seeking to influence and persuade others to support a group's position.

What Do Interest Groups Do?

• Lobbyists are hired by a college or university, businesses, foreign countries,

trade associations, and anyone else wanting their voice heard on policy matters.

Important Points to Think About

Interest Groups:• Promote interest in public affairs• Provide useful information• Serve as watchdogs• Represent the interest of citizens

Interest Groups and PACS

Public opinion is a dominant force in American politics and especially so during the long electoral process. If a presidential candidate fails to hit it off with the media at the first primary, then that presidential candidate is likely to have a political mountain to climb up to the November election.

National television has ensured that candidates pitch every word that they say with great care. What a candidate does,what a candidate will do on a campaign trail and what he says is usually determined by the availability of television coverage. It is the primary purpose of a campaign manager to ensure that a candidate gets this. Speeches have now become orientated to television and 30 seconds sound bites have become the norm rather than a classic speech. Short, sharp quotes are far more media friendly than a long speech on financial reform, welfare reform etc

The Media and Public Opinion

Which of these describes the political party system in the U.S.: one party system, two party system, or multi-party system?

Which of the images shown above are examples of the "mass media"?

What election is conducted with the Electoral College system?

Political process:political parties two-party systemthird partiescampaign platformnational conventions (Republican, Democratic)role of media special interest groups and associationsPACs LobbyistsPolitical spectrumreactionary conservative moderate liberal radical hawk dove