CHAPTER 2 POLITICAL PARTIES

1. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 1 CHAPTER 2POLITICAL PARTIES

2. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 2 WHAT PARTIES DO Serve as intermediaries between us and our government Party�s main focus: Win public office in elections Different from special interest groups whose main focus is to influence public policy to advance their interests

3. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 3 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution First two parties to emerge were Federalists and Democratic Republicans (Anti-federalists) Federalists Supported strong national government Supported ratification of the Constitution

4. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 4 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Tended to represent merchants, manufacturers, and other business interests mainly found in New York and New England Supported John Adams in the 1796 presidential election between Adams and Jefferson Democratic Republicans (Anti-federalists) Opposed creation of a strong national government--concerned for state rights

5. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 5 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Tended to represent agrarian interests Supported Thomas Jefferson in the 1796 presidential election between Adams and Jefferson - Jefferson lost in 1796 1800 presidential election: Democratic Republican Thomas Jefferson elected president In 1820 Federalist party ceased to exist

6. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 6 FATHER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Andrew Jackson is considered the father of the Democratic Party Ran for president in 1824 and lost Elected president in 1828 Jackson and his successor Van Buren focused on organizing a national campaign In 1832 Jackson was the first president nominated in a party convention

7. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 7 FATHER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY Abraham Lincoln is considered the father of the Republican Party Republican party emerged after the Whig Party splintered over the issue of slavery Abraham Lincoln elected president in 1860 Republican Party won every presidential election from 1860 to 1912, except for two wins by Democrat Grover Cleveland

8. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 8 PARTY SYMBOLS The symbol of the Republican Party is an elephant. The symbol of the Democratic Party is a donkey. Both symbols originated from cartoons in the mid-1800�s.

9. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 9 1930�s/1940�s Crash of 1929 brought on great depression Republicans were in power (President Hoover) and were blamed 1/4 of labor force out of work Democrat Franklin Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 and re-elected for three consecutive terms. Franklin Roosevelt instituted federal programs to put people to work and end the depression (called it �The New Deal�), guided the nation through most of World War II and reformed the national banking system.

10. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 10 1930�s/1940�s 1932 is considered a realignment election where groups permanently moved from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party Roosevelt formed a new coalition which included Working classes and union members White ethnic groups Catholics and Jews Blacks Poor people Southern whites

11. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 11 1960/1964 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS In the extremely close 1960 presidential election, Democrat John F. Kennedy narrowly defeated Republican Richard Nixon Kennedy was a popular president who created the Peace Corps and negotiated a treaty banning the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons. After his assassination, Vice President Lyndon Johnson assumed the presidency and was re-elected in 1964

12. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 12 1960/1964 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Johnson ushered in the Great Society by declaring war on poverty and beginning new federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, National Public Radio, National Public TV, and Head-Start. However, in foreign affairs (particularly his handling of the Vietnam War), Johnson is perceived as a failure.

13. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 13 1968/1972 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS In 1968, Republican Richard Nixon won the White House and Republicans gained seats in Congress Why? Democrats were blamed for Vietnam (it became known as Johnson�s War) and the social disorder of the turbulent 1960s (the 1968 Democratic national convention in Chicago was marred by violence and chaos) Voters sought stability with Republican party Richard Nixon was re-elected in 1972, but the Watergate scandal brought down Nixon, who resigned in 1973 to avoid certain impeachment

14. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 14 1980 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Ronald Reagan was elected president � defeated incumbent, one-term Democrat Jimmy Carter Ushered in conservatism Formed a coalition which included: Economic conservatives Social conservatives Religious fundamentalists Southern whites Internationalists and anti-communists The Democrats who switched to the Republican Party were called Reagan Democrats. This was when states in the South, including Texas, began turning Republican.

15. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 15 1992 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Bill Clinton helped the Democrats make a comeback Steered the party from the left toward the middle, making the party less liberal and more moderate Became the first Democratic president to win election to two terms since Franklin Roosevelt

16. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 16 1994 MID-TERM CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION Newt Gingrich helped the Republicans win control of the House of Representatives only two years after Clinton was elected president in 1992 by making a �Contract with America� First time in 40 years Republicans had controlled the House So a Democrat was in the White House, but the Republicans controlled the House � this paved the way for the later impeachment of Bill Clinton

17. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 17 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote, but Republican George W. Bush won the presidency in the Electoral College after the U.S. Supreme Court stopped a recount in Florida. It was weeks after the election before we learned who the president would be.

18. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 18 2002 MID-TERM ELECTION Usually in mid-term elections, the party of the President loses seats in Congress In the 2002 mid-term election, this did not happen. President Bush�s Republican Party gained seats and took back control of the U.S. Senate�this was the first election after 9/11 and it came at a time when President Bush�s approval rating was at its highest point. For the first time since Eisenhower, the Republicans had the presidency and control of both houses of Congress (they had it all!)

19. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 19 2002 MID-TERM ELECTION But, the Republicans in the Senate still had to cooperate with the Democrats to get something done because they did not win the 60 seats necessary to stop a filibuster (talking a bill to death) by the Democrats (the Republicans only had 51 seats)�it takes 3/5�s of the 100 senators (= 60) to stop a filibuster so you can vote on the bill.

20. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 20 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Republican President George W. Bush won re-election over Democrat John Kerry In the 2000 presidential election, everything came down to Florida In the 2004 presidential election, everything came down to Ohio Republicans also picked up additional seats in the House and the Senate so, overall, 2004 was a good year for Republicans.

21. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 21 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS In July 2006 the Democrats released a document entitled �A New Direction for America� which emphasized six themes: National security Jobs and wages Energy independence Affordable health care

22. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 22 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS Retirement security College access for all The Democrats called these six themes �Six for 06.�

23. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 23 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS For years, the foundation of the Republican Party was built upon 8 pillars of equal importance: Cutting taxes Reducing the size of government Reducing the budget and being fiscally responsible

24. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 24 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS Creating a strong national defense Opposing communism Emphasizing free enterprise Getting tough on crime Emphasizing social issues Over the last 20 years or so, the size and number of those 8 pillars have been reduced to just two tall pillars (with the other pillars being precariously shorter): Social conservatism Tax cutting

25. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 25 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS In 2006, there was increasing unease among more secular Republicans (sometimes called �country club Republicans� or just Episcopalians and Presbyterians for short)�many had become disenchanted with the Republican Party over their positions on stem-cell research, Terry Shiavo, and the increasing budget deficits. Many Republicans were also uneasy about the war in Iraq and the lack of real success in setting up a democracy there.

26. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 26 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS In the 2006 mid-term election, all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 1/3 of the 100 U.S. Senators were up for re-election. For the first time in 12 years, the Democrats took control of Congress�Nancy Pelosi, a liberal Democrat from San Francisco, became the first woman Speaker of the House. Republicans suffered defeats primarily due to the: Unpopularity of the War in Iraq Scandals involving high-ranking Republicans in Congress (is Congress for sale?): Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay�s indictment for money laundering and conspiracy and subsequent resignation as majority leader

27. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 27 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS Representative Randy �Duke� Cunningham�s (California) guilty plea for bribery and subsequent resignation from Congress. Representative Bob Ney�s resignation as chairman of the House Administration Committee (Bob Ney is called the �Mayor of Capitol Hill) due to his association with Lobbyist Jack Abramoff who recently plead guilty to a long list of federal violations.

28. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 28 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS Concern by the public about the rising deficit and Congress� wasteful spending on a wide assortment of �pork.� (The Republican Party has always been the party of small government�what happened?) Concern by the public about the rising cost of natural gas and gasoline. Concern by voters that Congress had stopped caring about their concerns and only cared about keeping special interest groups happy so they would keep the money flowing into their campaign coffers�the 109th Congress was nicknamed the �Do Nothing Congress.�

29. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 29 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS In the 2006 mid-term elections, the Democrats won control of Congress primarily because they won the votes of the following key groups: Catholics (10-point gain for Democrats) Latinos (14-point increase for Democrats since the last election�Democrats won 72% of the vote to 27% for Republicans) Women (Democrats won by 55% versus 43% for Republicans, their highest margin since 1988).

30. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 30 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS Self-identified moderates (Democrats won 62% versus 36% for Republicans) Self-identified independents (Democrats won 58% to 38% for Republicans) Democrats also had a big victory in judicial races in Dallas. Dallas, like Houston and like Texas as a whole, had voted primarily Republican ever since Ronald Reagan ushered in conservatism in 1980.

31. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 31 2006 MID-TERM ELECTIONS But, in November 2006, Republicans lost 42 judgeships and the county-judge post in Dallas. In Dallas 39% of voters favored Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell over Republican Rick Perry who received 35% of the vote. So, maybe the Democratic Party in Texas is not dead after all.

32. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 32 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION The 2008 presidential election will be the first race since 1952 with neither the incumbent president nor vice president running�it�s a wide-open race.

33. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 33 REPUBLICAN PRES. CANDIDATES 2008 U.S. Senator John McCain from Arizona Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney Former Arizona Governor Mike Huckabee Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter from California

34. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 34 REPUBLICAN PRES. CANDIDATES 2008 U.S. Representative Ron Paul from Lake Jackson, Texas Former U.S. Senator from Tennessee Fred Thompson Dropped out as of January 2008: U.S. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas and U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo from Colorado

35. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 35 DEMOCRATIC PRES. CANDIDATES 2008 U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton of New York U.S. Senator Barack Obama from Illinois Former U.S. Senator from South Carolina and 2004 VP John Edwards Former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel from Alaska U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich from Ohio

36. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 36 DEMOCRATIC PRES. CANDIDATES 2008 Dropped out as of January 2008: U.S. Senator Joe Biden from Delaware, U.S. Senator Chris Dodd from Connecticut, and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson

37. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 37 WHAT DO PARTIES DO? Parties organize to help candidates win office so party policies will be enacted Parties adopt platforms Parties recruit candidates Parties inform and educate the public Parties organize and direct campaigns Parties organize legislatures

38. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 38 WHAT DO PARTIES DO? Parties may hold elected officials responsible for supporting party principles To parties, winning office is more important than enactment of principles.

39. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 39 PARTIES HAVE GROWN WEAKER Parties used to be more important than now Powerful party machines in cities like New York, Chicago and Boston used to exercise great power Party leaders used to select candidates to run in elections at party caucuses controlled by party bigwigs

40. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 40 PARTIES HAVE GROWN WEAKER Before 1972, Democratic national bosses picked candidates that could win like Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John Kennedy. In 1972 the Democratic Party �democratized� the rules so that grass-roots activists had more say so � the result was unsuccessful candidates like George McGovern and Michael Dukakis.

41. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 41 PARTIES HAVE GROWN WEAKER Used to be that parties ran campaigns - organized volunteers to pound the pavement to get out the vote Now candidates decide themselves to run for office, recruit their own staff, raise their own financial support, and run their own campaigns.

42. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 42 PARTIES HAVE GROWN WEAKER Now candidates are elected by voters in primary elections rather than by party leaders in caucuses Parties used to hand out jobs in exchange for votes - now party patronage has been replaced by a civil-service system where job applicants take tests and the most qualified are hired

43. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 43 2 TYPES: PRIMARIES AND GENERAL ELECTION Candidates now announce their candidacies and win their party�s nomination in primary elections Primary Election: Democrats run against Democrats and Republicans run against Republicans---Texas will hold its 2008 primary elections on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. General Election: Winners of two primary elections face each other in general election (the Democrat with the most primary wins who is nominated at the Democratic National Convention runs against the Republican with the most primary wins who is nominated at the Republican National Convention)� all 50 states will hold their 2008 general elections on Tuesday, November 4, 2008�that�s when we�ll pick our next President.

44. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 44 2 TYPES: PRIMARIES AND GENERAL ELECTION 2006 Mid-Term General Election: Texans elected in the November 2006 mid-term general election a governor, lt. governor and the rest of the plural executive, all 150 Texas Representatives, half of the Texas Senators, numerous judges and local office holders (County Judge in Brazoria County, for example) Texans also elected at the federal level all 32 of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas (including Nick Lampson and Ron Paul). One of our two U.S. Senators from Texas: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

45. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 45 PRIMARY ELECTIONS Two types of primaries Closed Primary: Voters register as Republicans or Democrats and can only vote in that party�s primary election Open Primary: Voters can decide to vote in either party�s primary on election day Texas has an open primary

46. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 46 PRIMARY ELECTIONS In Texas we don�t register as Democrats or Republicans On primary election day, we decide if we want to vote in the Democratic primary OR the Republican primary When we vote, our voter registration card is stamped Democrat or Republican

47. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 47 PRIMARY ELECTIONS If no candidate in primary gets a majority (50% + 1 vote), then there is a runoff If you voted in the Republican primary, you can�t vote in the Democratic runoff Primary elections may involve raiding: Members of one party vote in the other party�s primary in order to defeat the attractive candidate of the opposition party

48. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 48 WHEN ELECTIONS HELD In Texas primaries are held the first Tuesday in March of even numbered years (the 2006 mid-term primary elections were held March 7, 2006 and the 2008 presidential primary elections will be held March 4, 2008). The general election is held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years (the 2006 mid-term general election was held on November 7, 2006�the presidential general election will be held on November 4, 2008). In primary elections, voters select the party nominee and in general elections voters select the office winner

49. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 49 WHEN ELECTIONS HELD The Texas Legislature considered a bill during its 2007 session that would have moved the 2008 primary election in Texas from the first Tuesday in March back to the first Tuesday in February � the bill did not pass so the 2008 primary election will be held on March 4, 2008 A number of other states did move up their primary elections.

50. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 50 WHEN ELECTIONS HELD Twenty-two states will hold their primary elections on February 5, 2008�by the time Texans vote on March 4, 2008, the Democratic and Republican nominees will probably have already been selected�but, one never knows�the 2008 presidential race within both parties has already had some surprises, so there is a possibility that Texas might wind up playing a role in the selection process after all.

51. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 51 INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES In order for independent candidates to have gotten on the ballot in Texas for the November 2006 election, they had to have gotten, within 60 days after the primary, 45,450 signatures on a petition of registered voters who did not vote in the primary election. Candidates usually try to get twice that number in case some of the signatures are later disqualified. Every state makes its own rules about campaigns and elections and what is necessary to get on the ballot�Texas is one of the more difficult states. In 2006 two people ran for governor of Texas as independents:

52. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 52 INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES Kinky Friedman Carol Keeton Strayhorn Both independents lost to incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry. No independent has won a Texas governor�s race since Sam Houston was elected in 1859.

53. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 53 STRUGGLE WITHIN PARTIES FOR POWER Within the Democratic and the Republican parties, there is an ongoing struggle for power. Republican Party: There is a battle between far-right (very conservative) Republicans and moderate Republicans and between social conservatives (Christian evangelicals) and economic conservatives (�country club� Republicans) over such issues as stem-cell research, global warming, immigration reform, and the budget.

54. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 54 STRUGGLE WITHIN PARTIES FOR POWER Democratic Party: There is a battle between far-left (very liberal) Democrats like the MoveOn.org group and Howard Dean and moderate Democrats like Hillary Clinton over such issues as the Iraq War and the nomination of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

55. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 55 STRUGGLE WITHIN PARTIES FOR POWER At a �Take Back America� Conference in Washington, D.C. in June 2006, there was a vivid display of the divisions in the Democratic Party over the Iraq War. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, supported the 2002 resolution authorizing the Iraq War�he renounced that vote. Hillary Clinton also supported the 2002 resolution, but has never renounced her vote�she was booed by the audience.

56. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 56 STRUGGLE WITHIN PARTIES FOR POWER U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (a Democratic from Connecticut) lost the Democratic primary in August 2006 to Ned Lamont primarily because he supported President Bush�s War in Iraq. He ran as an independent and won re-election to his Senate seat in the November 2006 general election, drawing considerable support from Republicans. Although Lieberman is counted as an independent, he usually votes with the Democrats�but, in the 2008 presidential election, Lieberman endorsed Republican John McCain.

57. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 57 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS The main function of the party is to hold the national party conventions every four years. The Republicans held their 2004 national convention in New York City the last week in August 2004 (first time Republicans had ever gone to New York)�2,509 delegates, and 2,344 alternates The Democrats held their 2004 national convention in Boston (Kennedy country) in July 2004�nearly 5,000 delegates and alternates

58. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 58 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS Security for both parties� 2004 national conventions was very expensive. Intelligence reports, based on electronic intercepts and live sources before the conventions, indicated that Al Qaeda was determined to strike in the U.S. and what better time and place than at one of the party conventions New York�s cost of security: >$75 million (out of a total convention cost of $166 million) Boston�s cost of security: >$50 million (out of a total convention cost of $95 million)

59. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 59 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS In 2008 the Republicans will hold their national convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. In 2008 the Democrats will hold their national convention in Denver.

60. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 60 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS What happens at the conventions? Now conventions are basically just televised pep rallies Nomination of candidate is just a formality because of preceding primary elections Parties adopt party rules The Democratic Party tends to change rules more often than the Republican Party does In the 1980�s the Democratic Party made a new rule providing for super-delegates (individuals not bound to one candidate through state�s primary election results)

61. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 61 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS The national conventions mark the beginning of the presidential election season At the national convention party officials and committees are named The only real suspense is when the presidential nominee announces his choice for the vice presidential running mate (in recent years has been announced ahead of the convention so no suspense) � in 2004 John Kerry announced his VP running mate, John Edwards, in early July, about three weeks before the Democratic National Convention and made history by announcing it first on the internet

62. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 62 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS The main excitement at the conventions is the balloon drop at the end of the convention � at the 2004 Democratic Convention 100,000 biodegradable balloons and 1,000 pounds of tissue paper confetti were released on the cheering crowd at a cost of $250,000. Celebrity spotting is a favorite pastime. At the 2004 Democratic convention�Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusak

63. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 63 NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS At the 2004 Republican convention�Ron Silver, Angie Harmon, Bo Derek Musicians at the conventions: At the 2004 Democratic convention�Carole King, the Black Eyed Peas, Patti LaBelle At the 2004 Republican convention�Michael W. Smith, operatic former New York City police officer Daniel Rodriguez, Brooks & Dunn, and Dana Glover

64. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 64 POLITICAL T-SHIRTS POPULAR AT CONVENTIONS KERRY T-SHIRTS: T-shirt that has a photo of Bush with horns on his head and a slogan �Stop Mad Cowboy Disease� T-shirt showing a dog lifting its leg over a shrub that says: �Dogs for Kerry: Bushes are Only Good For One Thing�

65. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 65 POLITICAL T-SHIRTS POPULAR AT CONVENTIONS BUSH T-SHIRTS: T-shirt showing a toilet that says: �John Kerry, John Edwards. Flush the Johns Nov. 2nd� T-shirt that has John Kerry�s name above a picture of flip-flops with a red line through it declaring �No Flip-Flops in the White House�

66. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 66 POPULAR POLITICAL BUTTON A best-selling button at the Democratic National Convention said :The New No C.A.R.B. Diet�No Cheney, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, Bush. Another button at the convention: �No One Died When Clinton Lied�

67. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 67 PARTY ORGANIZATION Parties are also organized at the state and county levels Most states have full-time staffs Help direct campaigns of important elections Parties organize the national Congress and most state legislatures � parties are very important at the national level in the U.S. Congress but less important at the state level in the Texas Legislature

68. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 68 IMPORTANCE OF PARTY IN U.S. CONGRESS The party with the most members in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate gets the most members on every committee (control) and gets to have its party head up each committee After the extremely close 2000 presidential election between Bush and Gore, there were 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans in the U.S. Senate, but because Republican Vice President Dick Chaney got to break the tie, the Republicans had control of the Senate

69. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 69 IMPORTANCE OF PARTY IN U.S. CONGRESS Shortly after the 2000 presidential election Republican Senator Jeffords from Vermont switched to an Independent, giving the Democrats control (50 Democrats, 49 Republicans, 1 Independent) Democrats returned to chairing every committee. In the 2002 mid-term elections, the Republicans took back control of the Senate In the 2004 elections Republicans gained additional seats in the House and Senate In the 2006 elections the Democrats took back control of the House and the Senate.

70. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 70 AMERICAN ELECTORATE EVENLY SPLIT A 2002 Gallup Poll showed how people identified themselves 34% said they were Republicans 32% said they were Democrats 34% said they were Independents

71. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 71 2004 PARTY PLATFORMS Abortion Democrats: Support woman�s right to choose [after the Democrat�s 2004 loss, some Democratic leaders are urging the party to soften their party�s image by urging a �big tent approach� that is more welcoming to those who oppose abortions] Republicans: Oppose abortion and support parental notification laws Gay Rights Democrats: Oppose efforts to amend constitution to ban same-sex marriage (but Kerry himself opposed gay marriage) Republicans: Support a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage

72. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 72 2004 PARTY PLATFORMS War in Iraq Democrats: Accuse the Bush administration of rushing to war in Iraq without winning international support and of exaggerating Saddam Hussein�s possession of weapons of mass destruction�would keep troops in Iraq Republicans: Support the war in Iraq and government anti-terrorist efforts�want to implement further biodefense tactics so that American will become less vulnerable to biological attacks and also want to strengthen national border control

73. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 73 2004 PARTY PLATFORMS TAXES Democrats: Would rescind Bush tax cuts for those earning more than $200,000 a year and support raising the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7 an hour Republicans: Want to make earlier tax cuts permanent and want to simplify the tax code �also want to extend tax-deductions to the insurance premiums associated with Health Savings Accounts.

74. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 74 2004 PARTY PLATFORMS Health Care: Democrats: Want to extend health-care coverage to many more children and low-income adults�want to help small businesses give health coverage to their workers by having the government pick up the cost of �catastrophic coverage��want to improve the new prescription-drug benefit for seniors by lowering drug costs�want to expand stem-cell research.

75. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 75 2004 PLATFORMS Republicans: Want to reduce the cost of health care by aiding small businesses in offering coverage to employees�want to provide access to coverage for the self-employed�want to reduce lawsuits through litigation reform�endorse limits on stem-cell research.

76. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 76 2004 PLATFORMS Gun Control: Democrats: Support extending the ban on 19 types of semiautomatic assault rifles that is set to expire in September and support closing the gun-show loophole that currently allows gun buyers to avoid background checks Republicans: Oppose federal licensing of gun owners and national gun registration�support laws protecting gunmakers from lawsuits.

77. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 77 2004 PLATFORM Environment: Democrats: Would strengthen the Clean Air Act and would reduce mercury, smog, and acid rain emissions (in the earlier 2000 platform, Democrats supported ratification of the Kyoto global warming treaty, but did not mention the controversial treaty in the 2004 platform) Republicans: Want to remove unnecessary barriers to domestic natural gas production and support drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge

78. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 78 CANDIDATES DO NOT ALWAYS SUPPORT PARTY PLATFORMS The party platforms adopted at the national conventions reflect the viewpoint of the delegates at the convention who are usually from the extreme ends of the party (very liberal Democrats and very conservative Republicans) The presidential nominees have their own views on many issues and do not always agree with the position of the party on particular issues.

79. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 79 REALIGNMENT Is a shift of voter groups from one party to the other Major party realignments occurred in presidential elections of: 1824 1860 1896 1932

80. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 80 DEALIGNMENT Is decline in voter support for either or both political parties Results in more and more voters are identifying themselves as �independents� Creates an opportunity for a third-party to develop

81. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 81 WHO SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY The Democratic party receives disproportionate support from: Catholics Jews Blacks (if a large number of the 1 million people [mostly Black] who evacuated from New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina do not return, the Republicans will likely get a stronger foothold in Louisiana) Less educated People with incomes under $30,000 a year

82. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 82 WHO SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Blue-collar and union workers Big city residents People who call themselves liberals Single women Hollywood Barbra Streisand (big campaign fundraiser for the Democratic Party and Bill Clinton) � late June 2004 starred with Neil Diamond in a $5 million fundraiser for Kerry in Hollywood Alex Baldwin (said he would leave America if Bush were to be elected in 2000) � Bush won and Baldwin�s still in the USA Warren Beatty (considered running for President himself)

83. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 83 WHO SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Couples from New England or the Pacific coast with the lowest fertility rates (Kerry carried 16 of these states) Musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Dave Matthews Band

84. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 84 WHO SUPPORTS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY The Republican Party receives disproportionate support from: Protestants Whites More educated People with incomes over $50,000 a year White-collar, nonunion workers

85. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 85 WHO SUPPORTS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY Suburban, small-town dwellers People who call themselves conservatives Men Security moms (typically white married women with children who are concerned about terrorism�s effects on their families) Couples from the Great Plains and Southwest with the highest fertility rates (Bush carried 25 of these states)

86. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 86 WHO SUPPORTS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY Bush got more of the women�s vote in 2004 than Republicans got in 92, 96, and 2000, but still less than the Democratic presidential nominees (Bush narrowed the �gender gap�)�in 2006 many of these women returned to the Democratic party. Musicians like Ricky Skaggs, Marty Raybon, Josh Turner, Johnny Ramone, Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, Michael W. Smith, Toby Keith

87. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 87 DEMOCRATS NEED WHITE MEN TO WIN IN 2008 The gender gap most often discussed is the one where more women vote for the Democrats than for the Republicans. The less-talked-about gender gap is the one where more white men vote for the Republicans than for the Democrats. In 2000 white men favored George Bush (the Republican) over Al Gore (the Democrat) by 27 percentage points.

88. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 88 DEMOCRATS NEED WHITE MEN TO WIN IN 2008 In 2004 white men favored George Bush (the Republican) over John Kerry (the Democrat) by 26 percentage points. This gender gap goes all the way back to 1980�from 1980 on, Democrats never won more than 38% of white men who voted. There�s even a book about the subject: �The Neglected Voter: White Men and the Democratic Dilemma.�

89. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 89 DEMOCRATS NEED WHITE MEN TO WIN IN 2008 So, if Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama want to win the presidency, they will need to win over more white men. If the Republican nominee wants to win, he will need to win over more women voters.

90. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 90 ARE REPUBLICANS BLOWING IT WITH HISPANICS? Polls in the last few months show Hispanics breaking for Democrats over Republicans by 51% to 21%. What gives? While Republican candidates debated the urgency of erecting a fence from California to Texas along the Mexican border, Democrats debated in Spanish for the first time on Univision (a Spanish cable channel).

91. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 91 ARE REPUBLICANS BLOWING IT WITH HISPANICS? Ironically, the first Hispanic to ever run for President, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (A Democrat with an Anglo father/Mexican mother) was not allowed to speak Spanish at the debate on Univision, a Spanish station�like all other candidates, he had to speak English and have an interpreter translate into Spanish.

92. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 92 ARE REPUBLICANS BLOWING IT WITH HISPANICS? A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal stated: �Tone matters in politics, and getting people to vote for you is easier when you�re not likening them to Islamic terrorists, or implying that Latino men are hard-wired for gang-banging. Unlike blacks, who have hewed to Democrats in large majorities for decades, Latinos are proven swing voters, and Republican energies would be better

93. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 93 ARE REPUBLICANS BLOWING IT WITH HISPANICS? employed trying to win them over instead of trying to capitalize on ethnic polarization to win GOP primaries.� A change in the Hispanic vote could shift several key swing states to the Democrats in 2008, including Florida, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.

94. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 94 RACE PLAYS ROLE AS OBAMA PURSUES HISPANICS Barack Obama, a black man pursuing the presidency in 2008, confronts a history of often uneasy and competitive relations between blacks and Hispanics, particularly as they have jockeyed for influence in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. In Chicago, Obama was successful in his race for the U.S. Senate in Illinois in rallying Hispanics to his side and bridging differences with black voters. He needs to repeat that success in his presidential campaign.

95. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 95 2008 NOT LOOKING TOO GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS George Will, a Pulitzer-Prize winning conservative columnist, wrote a January 13, 2008, article in which he said: �Today, all the usual indicators are dismal for Republicans . . . The adverse indicators include: �shifts in voters� identifications with the two parties (Democrats now 50 percent, Republicans 36 percent);

96. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 96 2008 NOT LOOKING TOO GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS �the tendency of independents (they favored Democratic candidates by 18 points in 2006); �the fact that Democrats held a majority of congressional seats in states with 303 electoral votes; �the Democrats� strength and the Republicans� relative weakness in fundraising; �the percentage of Americans who think the country is on the �wrong track�;

97. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 97 2008 NOT LOOKING TOO GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS �the Republicans� enthusiasm deficit relative to Democrats� embrace of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, one of whom will be nominated.�

98. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 98 AMERICAN POLITICS IS HARDENING Both parties have moved away from the middle and are less inclined to compromise with the other party. This is evidenced by the 2000 election which resulted in: A virtual tie between Bush and Gore A 50-50 U.S. Senate A very narrow Republican edge in the U.S. House of Representatives The 2004 and 2006 elections continued to show a very evenly divided America but with America leaning a little toward the Democrats in 2006.

99. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 99 THE RED-BLUE AMERICA Red America votes Republican Blue America votes Democratic The Reds are getting redder, and the Blues are getting bluer. There are a few purple states where virtually equal numbers of Reds and Blues live (evidenced by a statistical deadlock in 2000): Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin�these are the swing states where Kerry and Bush did most of their campaigning in 2004

100. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 100 THE RED-BLUE AMERICA Red (Republican) voters are: Older More likely to be married Less likely to join a union More likely to be regular churchgoers (mostly protestant churches) More likely to be �born-again� Christians

101. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 101 THE RED-BLUE AMERICA Blue (Democratic) voters are: More likely to be highly educated women More likely to be non-churchgoers More likely to belong to unions More likely to live in the New York area, New England, and California.

102. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 102 RED-BLUE AMERICA Increasingly, Congress has also become redder and bluer. Little room in the Republican Party any more for a liberal Republican. That�s why Republican Senator James Jeffords from Vermont switched from the Republican Party to being an Independent after the 2000 election. He said: �There�s very little room for moderate voices . . . They are being silenced by the extremes.� He tends to vote with the Democrats, but has not switched to being one.

103. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 103 RED-BLUE AMERICA Little room in the Democratic Party for a conservative Democrat. That�s why U.S. Senator Zell Miller from Georgia retired and wrote a book about his Democratic party. In his book he said this: �The biggest problem with the party leadership is that they know nothing about the modern South. They still see it as a land of magnolias and mint juleps, with the pointy-headed KKK lurking in the background, waiting to burn a cross or lynch blacks and Jews.�

104. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 104 RED-BLUE AMERICA Was a speaker at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York (but the Democrats got Ron Reagan, Jr. [son of former Republican President Ronald Reagan] to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Boston)

105. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 105 HUMORIST�S DEFINITION OF DEMS AND REPS Dave Berry is a humorist who for many years wrote a newspaper column and who has authored many best-selling books. He has his own definition of Democrats and Republicans. He describes Republicans (residents of red states) as �ignorant racist fascist knuckle-dragging Nascar-obsessed cousin-marrying road-kill-eating tobacco-juice-dribbling gun-fondling religious fanatic rednecks.�

106. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 106 HUMORIST�S DEFINITION OF DEMS AND REPS Dave Berry describes Democrats (residents of blue states) as �godless unpatriotic pierced-nose Volvo-driving France-loving leftwing communist latte-sucking tofu-chomping holistic-wacko neurotic vegan weenie perverts.�

107. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 107 EFFECT OF EDUCATION ON PARTY CHOICE A survey in the December 18, 2003, issue of USA Today showed a political divide between college-educated men and women. The more education men receive, the more likely it is that they will vote Republican. The more education women receive, the more likely it is that they will vote Democratic.

108. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 108 RECRUITMENT BY PARTIES Both parties are actively recruiting the Hispanic vote In 2004 they even went after the votes of the 1 million Americans living in Mexico (nephew George P. Bush campaigned in Mexico for Uncle George W. Bush and John Kerry�s sister campaigned for Brother John in Mexico) When LULAC held its annual convention in Little Rock, Arkansas, in July 2005, both the Democrats and Republicans sent big-wig�s�the Democrats sent former President Bill Clinton and the Republicans sent three of President Bush�s Hispanic cabinet members.

109. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 109 RECRUITMENT BY PARTIES The main shift in social group support has occurred among southern whites who used to be Democrats but who are increasingly identifying with the Republican party

110. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 110 THIRD PARTIES America is dominated by two parties But, at various times throughout our history, we have seen third parties come and go: Ideological parties: Promote an ideology Protest parties: Major issues not addressed by main parties Single-issue parties: Formed around a particular cause

111. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 111 THIRD PARTIES Splinter parties: Develop out of dissatisfaction with major party Why third-parties are short-lived: Main parties co-opt their ideas and pull their supporters into their parties Support is often regional rather than national They can�t overcome perception that a vote for them is a wasted vote

112. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 112 THIRD PARTIES Difficult to win because of single-member districts and winner-take-all system Public funding - sometimes don�t get federal money until after general election when they can prove they got 5% of the vote Less media coverage than main parties Difficulty of getting on the ballot in all 50 states

113. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 113 LIBERTARIAN PARTY Founded in 1971 to oppose what their members view as growing government intrusion in the economy and the personal lives of citizens. Over 500 Libertarians have held public office across the U.S. Only 2% of Americans refer to themselves as libertarians, but some 15% of voters hold broadly libertarian views and can be a swing factor.

114. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 114 LIBERTARIAN PARTY U. S. Representative Ron Paul, a Republican, is running for President in 2008 as a Republican�in his heart of hearts, however, he is a libertarian who is often at odds with his fellow Republicans�in 1984 Ron Paul ran for President as the nominee of the Libertarian Party.

115. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 115 LIBERTARIAN PARTY Ron Paul�s position on the issues in the 2008 presidential election reflects a libertarian philosophy of a minimalist role for government. Ron Paul says: �I want to be president mainly for what I don�t want to do: I don�t want to run your life, I don�t want to run the economy and I don�t want to police the world.�

116. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 116 LIBERTARIAN PARTY Though Paul�s message focuses chiefly on liberty and the constitution, he is a pro-gun, anti-war abortion opponent who�d abolish the income tax, dismantle the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education, quit the United Nations, end the war on drugs, militarize the border and return to the gold standard.

117. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 117 LIBERTARIAN PARTY Ron Paul was one of the few Republicans to vote against the resolution supporting President Bush�s decision to send troops to Iraq. Others who share Ron Paul�s libertarian philosophy and want government out of their bedroom and wallet are Thomas Friedman, Drew Carey, John Stossel and Clint Eastwood.

118. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 118 LIBERTARIAN PARTY For more than 10 years the Libertarian Party of Texas has earned an automatic place on the ballot in Texas by having one of its candidates for statewide office get at least 5% of the vote. In the 2002 mid-term election, no Libertarian candidate got the 5% minimum vote.

119. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 119 LIBERTARIAN PARTY Therefore, in the 2004 election, the Libertarian Party of Texas had to mount a petition drive to get on the ballot (was successful in getting on the ballot) The 2004 presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party was Michael Badnarik, a computer programmer from Austin, Texas.

120. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 120 GREEN PARTY The national Green Party was created in 1996. The Texas Green Party was created in 1999. In the 2000 election, Ralph Nader was the Green Party�s presidential nominee. Nader was on the ballot in 43 states where he received 2.7% of the national vote. The Green Party�s platform pushed for: Clean air

121. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 121 GREEN PARTY Universal health care A living wage Safe and sustainable energy An end to big-money domination of the political process The Green Party like the Libertarian Party did not get enough votes in the 2002 election to earn an automatic spot on the 2004 ballot in Texas and did not later get sufficient signatures on a petition to get on the ballot in Texas.

122. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 122 GREEN PARTY In 2000 Nader took voters away from Democratic Party nominee Al Gore and helped Bush win (particularly true in Florida and New Hampshire)�the Democrats called Ralph Nader a �spoiler�--that�s why Republicans in 2004 helped Nader get on ballots across the U.S.�they hoped that Nader on the ballot would pull votes away from Democrat John Kerry In 2004 the Green Party declined to endorse Nader.

123. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 123 REFORM PARTY Organized in 1992 by Ross Perot Ross Perot created a �United We Stand� campaign In a three-way campaign between Bush, Clinton, and Perot in 1992, Perot got 19% of the popular vote, but no electoral votes (my husband voted for Perot).

124. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 124 REFORM PARTY Perot ran again in 1996, but this time he got only 9% of the vote and no electoral votes. Support came mainly from independents and moderates In the 2000 presidential election, the Reform Party disintegrated into two rival factions: those loyal to Ross Perot and Jesse Ventura and those loyal to the party�s nominee, Pat Buchanan

125. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 125 REFORM PARTY Pat Buchanan, the Reform Party�s 2000 presidential nominee, got less than 1% of the overall vote. The only public official elected from the Reform Party has been Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota, who stepped down from office in January 2003, bought a Hummer and briefly hosted his own talk show on MSNBC. The Reform Party endorsed Nader in 2004 and had ballot status in seven states (not Texas)

126. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 126 RALPH NADER 2004 In some states Nader ran as the Reform Party�s nominee. In other states Nader got on the ballot as an independent. Nader did get on the ballot in Florida (Democrats fought long and hard against it). Nader did not get on the ballot in Texas, Michigan, and Oregon.

127. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 127 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER According to Bill Coulter, an editorial writer for the Houston Chronicle, here is a quick guide to the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are for the little people in this country. Republicans are for the big and powerful.

128. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 128 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats care about such matters as the well-being of the nation�s children and about old people who need prescription drugs. Republicans think only of themselves. They don�t give a darn about old folks or children.

129. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 129 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats embrace big government in order to help people. They like government and departments with the exceptions of the CIA, FBI, and the Pentagon, which they loathe. Republicans distrust all government even when receiving corporate welfare, with the exceptions of the Pentagon, CIA and FBI, which they love.

130. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 130 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Republicans think government is too large, too intrusive and too costly. They wouldn�t lose any sleep if the departments of Education and Energy got shrunk. Democrats point out that they, too, pay taxes and are happy to do so in order to fund all the programs that help little people.

131. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 131 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Re tax cuts: If the Treasury is to be robbed for tax cuts, as President Bush proposed, the cuts should be given to the little people, even if those little people haven�t paid all that much in income taxes. The �wealthy� people such as Bush�s Oil Patch buddies should not get any of the cuts and certainly not the most. It doesn�t matter that they pay most of the income taxes.

132. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 132 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats believe in socialism, even if they don�t realize they do. They believe government exists to plan the economy and redistribute income, as in �from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.� Republicans hate socialism with a passion. They believe capitalism and free enterprise are key to individual freedom and liberty�and the only way to prosperity.

133. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 133 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats believe more rules and regulations are necessary to police private enterprise. How many Enrons can the nation tolerate? Republicans want the government to leave people alone so they can create new innovations, businesses and jobs.

134. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 134 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats favor abortions and oppose capital punishment. Republicans oppose abortions and favor capital punishment.

135. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 135 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats want marijuana legalized and tobacco banned. Republicans oppose legalizing marijuana and believe in the right of individuals to smoke, even if they must be restricted to designated places.

136. Chapter 2 (revised 1/08) 136 HOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DIFFER Democrats oppose the private ownership of guns. Republicans say they have a right to own guns under the 2nd amendment. Many are member of the National Rifle Association, an organization Democrats detest.