American Politics and Government

1. American Politicsand Government Political Parties, Polls, and Public Opinion

2. Political Parties • Functions performed: • Recruitment • Interest Aggregation • Interest Articulation

3. Zoön Politikon? • Aristotle: • Man is a political animal • Robert Dahl: • Citizens only interest themselves in politics when it directly touches their lives • Tip O’Neill: • All politics is local

4. Citizens are expected to: Vote Run Campaigns Lobby Stay informed Join Contribute Litigate Protest Watch the Media Citizens are not allowed to: Riot Harass Bribe Threaten Law break In a democracy…

5. Participation Hierarchy • Gladiatorial activities: • Running for office, working in campaigns, etc. • Political activism: • Becoming an active member of a political party or interest group • Spectator activities: • The simplest kinds of political activities that demand a minimal amount of effort and a correspondingly low amount of political resources • Apathy: • Lack of interest in politics

6. Voting Participation • Either: • Ratio of voters to voting-aged citizens • Ratio of voters to those registered to vote • Which is a better measure?

7. Voting Participation • Currently: • About 70% are registered • In 2000: • Less than 50% of VAP voted • In 2004: • It was 56.2% of VAP, but it was 72.9% of registered voters (RV) • Highest: • Wyoming (104.7% RV) • Lowest: • Indiana (57.4% RV)

8. Election Winners %PVEV%EV%VAP • 1976 Carter 50.1 297 55.2 26.8 • 1980 Reagan 50.7 489 90.1 26.7 • 1984 Reagan 58.8 525 97.6 31.2 • 1988 Bush 53.4 426 79.2 26.8 • 1992 Clinton 43.3 370 68.8 23.1 • 1996 Clinton 49.2 379 70.4 23.2 • 2000 Bush 47.8 271 50.4 24.9 • 2004 Bush 51.1 286 53.2 28.7

9. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

10. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

11. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

12. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

13. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

14. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

15. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

16. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

17. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

18. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

19. Voting Participation (%VAP) • Guatemala 24% • Switzerland 38% • Venezuela 50% • Mexico 59% • Finland 71% • Great Britain 77% • Turkey 80% • Spain 80% • Belgium 85% • Italy 90%

20. Increase Turnout: New Democracy Mandatory Voting Proportional Rep Postal Voting National Crisis Easier Registration Lessening Barriers Competitive Parties Tradition Large Middle Class Moderate Weather Weekend Voting Parliamentary Absentee Voting Vote-by-Mail Election ‘Theme’ General Trends

21. Political Parties • Great Britain • About 20 parties (10 in parliament) • Labor – 63% • Conservative – 25% • Italy • About 170 parties • 13 hold seats in Camera dei Deputati • 11 hold seats in Senato della Repubblica

22. United States • Two Party System • Single-member districts • Winner take all system • Majority / Minority Parties • Divided Government

23. Third Parties • Usually impotent. A few exceptions: • Progressive Party (1912) • “Bull Moose Party” • Theodore Roosevelt: 88EV, 27%PV • Independent Party (1992) • H. Ross Perot: 0EV, 19%PV • Green Party (2000) • Ralph Nader: 0EV, 2.7%PV • Reform Party (2000) • Patrick Buchanan: 0EV, 0.43%

24. Questions • Is low turnout a good thing or a bad thing? • Do our two parties represent the US? • Why are third-parties so difficult to elect? • Why spend the time and effort to vote? • In America, do interest groups serve the same functions as third-parties in other countries?