Political Party A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office Political Parties Major party United states has two major parties the Republicans and Democrats ID: 267058
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Political PartiesSlide2
Political Party
A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office.Slide3
Political Parties
Major party – United states has two major parties, the Republicans and Democrats
Minor party- any political party that is not Democrats or RepublicansSlide4
Who am I? What did I do? And what political party am I in?Slide5Slide6Slide7Slide8Slide9Slide10Slide11Slide12Slide13Slide14Slide15Slide16Slide17Slide18Slide19Slide20Slide21Slide22Slide23Slide24Slide25
What D
o Political Parties Do?
Parties are the major mechanism behind the development of broad policy and leadership choices.
The vital link between the governing and the governed.Slide26
Partisanship
A firm allegiance to a political party.
Party Politics- Voting for bills, candidates, ideas based almost strictly upon the request of the party.
Democrats vote with President Obama
Republicans voted with President Bush
They each voted against the opposing party.
Party in Power – the political party that controls the executive branchSlide27
Why the Two-Party system?
Just because we have 2 main parties does not mean they are both in position to become the party of power.
Some states always vote Republican
Examples?
Some states always vote Democratic
Examples?Slide28
Historical Basis
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Hamilton vs. JeffersonSlide29
Tradition
Once established, human institutions are likely to become self-perpetuating.
Because that’s how it started, that’s how it is going to stay.
People accept the idea of a two party system simply because that is how it has always been done.Slide30
Electoral System
Single-member districts- contests in which only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot.
Winner take all elections
Plurality- the person that gains the most of votes, regardless of how many votes are controlled, takes office.
This does not need to be a majority.Slide31
Electoral System
Single-member districts discourage minor parties… why?
You can either vote for the winner or the losers, so naturally, most people will vote for a person that has a chance of winning.
Most voters think a vote for a minor party is a wasted vote.Slide32
Electoral System
Much of electoral law is purposely written to discourage non-major party candidates.
One of the few instances where bipartisanship is encouraged and enacted.
Both republicans and democrats working together.
In many states it is far more difficult for a minor party to even be listed on the ballot.Slide33
Electoral SystemSlide34
Electoral SystemSlide35
Electoral System
Bush and Gore in 2000 were on every ballot for President.
No other candidates were on every ballot.
Only 7 times has a non party candidate made it on every states presidential ballots.
Eugene Debs was the first to make it on all ballots.
Socialist candidate.
More recently Pat Buchanan was on 49 ballots, Ralph Nader was on 43 ballotsSlide36
American Ideological Consensus
Americans, over time, have shared many of the same ideals, the same basic principles, and the same patterns of belief.
Pluralistic society – One consisting of several distinct cultures and groups.
Increasingly the members of various ethnic , racial, religious, and other social groups compete for and share in the exercise of political power.Slide37
Common Sense Reasons
The two party system is simple.
Our society is filled with examples of a winner vs. loser mentality… good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, Steelers vs. Ravens.
Americans want a Super Bowl not the BCS
The easiest way to go from a have-not to a have is to join the other side.Slide38
One-Party Systems
In nearly all dictatorships today, only one political party is allowed.
A one-party system is in essence a no party system.
A one party system allows for the ruling power to become the only voice that can be heard.
All other voices
are silenced.Slide39
Other types of party systems
One-Party Systems
Example:
Republican North and Democratic South until the 1950s.
Modified One-Party Systems where one party regularly wins most elections
One Party Systems where only one party is allowed.
Example:
Dictatorships such as Stalinist RussiaSlide40
Factors that can influence party membership:Slide41
Multiparty System
A system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win, public office.
Various parties are based on particular interest, such as economic class, religious belief, and political ideology.
Many countries in Europe use this model.
Downfalls?Slide42
Multiparty system
Parties must form
coalitions
in order to become elected and pass laws.
A coalition is a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government.Slide43
The Three Historical Eras
The Era of the
Democrats
, 1800—1860
Democrats
dominate all but two presidential elections.
The
Whig
Party emerges in 1834, but declines by the 1850s, electing only two Presidents.
The
Republican
Party is founded in 1854.
The Era of the
Republicans
, 1860—1932
Republicans
dominate all but four presidential elections.
The Civil War disables the
Democratic
Party for the remainder of the 1800s.
The Return of the
Democrats
, 1932—1968
Democrats
dominate all but two presidential elections.
Democrat
Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President four times.Slide44
American Parties: Parties Today
The Start of a New Era: The Era of Divided Government
Since 1968, neither Republicans nor Democrats have dominated the presidency and Congress has often been controlled by the opposing party.
1968–1976
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Democrats
1976–1980
Democrats hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Democrats
1980–1992
Republicans hold the presidency
Senate controlled by Republicans 1980-1986, controlled by Democrats from 1986 to 1994
1992 – 2000
Democrats hold the presidency
Congress controlled by Republicans, 1994 to present
2000
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by RepublicansSlide45
Splinter
Party
Those parties that split away from a major party to form a small party
Example: “Bull Moose” Progressive Party
Economic Protest
Parties
Do not have a specific set of goals, rather just a voice of economic discontent.
Example: The Greenback
Party
Tea Party
Ideological Parties
Based on a particular set of beliefs.
Example
:
Libtertarian
Party
Communist Party
Types of Minor Parties
Single-issue
Parties
Based on one specific public-policy matter.
Example: Free Soil
Party
US Marijuana PartySlide46
Minor PartiesSlide47
Roles of the Minor Party
“
Spoiler Role”
Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party
.
Critic
Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore
.
Innovator
Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two majorSlide48
The Party in the Electorate
Those who always or almost always vote for party candidates.
The Party Organization:
Those who run and control the party machinery.
Party Components
The Party in Government
Those who hold office in the government.