Next 3 Weeks of AP Govt.

1. Next 3 Weeks of AP Govt.

2. Political Parties Chapter 7

3. Political Parties What Parties do for Democracy pp.161-164 SECTION 1A

4. Functions of Parties 1. Organize the competition 1. Organize the competition 2. Unify the electorate 2. Unify the electorate 3. Organize the government 3. Organize the government 4. Translate voter preferences into policy 4. Translate voter preferences into policy 5. Provide loyal opposition (watchdog function) 5. Provide loyal opposition (watchdog function)

5. Organize the competition 1. Find a candidate 1. Find a candidate 2. Educate him/her and then present them to the public. 2. Educate him/her and then present them to the public. 3. “Sell” the candidate as the best person for the job. 3. “Sell” the candidate as the best person for the job. Ability to organize can be based in part on how states organize their ballots.

6. Organize the ballot 1. Party column ballot: All candidates are lined according to their party. (allows voter to easily see what party each person is in based on the column) 1. Party column ballot: All candidates are lined according to their party. (allows voter to easily see what party each person is in based on the column) 2. Office block ballot: Candidates are listed for the office they are running for. 2. Office block ballot: Candidates are listed for the office they are running for. 3. Non-Partisan elections: No party labels are used (Nebraska State Legislature) 3. Non-Partisan elections: No party labels are used (Nebraska State Legislature)

7. Organize the ballot Party column ballot: All candidates are lined according to their party. (allows voter to easily see what party each person is in based on the column) RepublicanDemocrat President Smith Carlson U.S. Senator Jones Anderson Congress Dist. # 2 Rogers Johnson Governor Thomas Manson Some states allow voters to flip one switch or punch one spot on the computer card to vote for all candidates from one party.

8. Organize the ballot Office Block ballot: Candidates are listed by the office they are running for. U.S. President O Smith (Republican) O Carlson (Democrat) O Jackson (Libertarian) O _______________ Brett Hanson To vote, Simply fill in the circle next to your choice

9. Organize the ballot Non-Partisan elections: No party labels are used (as used in Nebraska State Legislature) Legislative District 10 O Smith (Democrat) O Carlson (Republican) O Burkhead (Nebraska) O _____________

11. Unify the electorate • People come together to go up against the opposition party. • Reach out to people outside of their party to try to gain support. • Avoid worrying about controversial issues as coalition building must-haves.

12. Organize the government 1.Congress is organized based on party lines. The party with the most members will dominate the committees and chairman spots of the committees. * The Speaker of the House is picked by members of the Majority party in office.

13. Organize the government 2.Patronage jobs • a.Majority party in office selects people for govt. jobs. • b.Provides an incentive for people to be active in politics.

14. Translate voter preferences into policy 1. The party that wins an election must moderate what it does in order to win re-election. (current) 1. The party that wins an election must moderate what it does in order to win re-election. (current) 2. U.S. system is candidate centered, not party-centered. a. A person is elected on qualifications and appeal rather than party loyalty. b.   Party leaders are therefore not assured that they will pass their programs just because their party is in the majority.

15. Provide loyal opposition (watchdog function) 1.Accountability comes from the party out of power. 1.Accountability comes from the party out of power. 2.In times of international crisis, criticism tends to be muted such as after 9/11. 2.In times of international crisis, criticism tends to be muted such as after 9/11. • 3.“Honeymoon period” • a.Polite interval after an election when opposition does not criticize office holding party. • b.“Honeymoon is over” when opposition party holds those in power accountable.

16. Political Parties • IG seek to influence the government. • PP seek to control and direct the government. Differences between Interest groups (IG) and political parties • IG seek to influence the government; • PP seek to control and direct the government • IG usually want to implement a policy; • PP want to implement a wide variety of national policies. • IG usually want to implement a policy; • PP want to implement a wide variety of national policies. • IG and PP are the SAME in that they are both linkage institutions i.e. they link the people with the government

17. Political Parties IG seek to influence the government; Differences between Interest groups and political parties Political Parties seek to control and direct government

18. Political Parties Differences between Interest groups and political parties IG usually want to implement a policy; Political Parties want to implement a wide variety of national policies.

19. Political Parties Interest Groups and Political Parties are similar in that they are both linkage institutions i.e. they link the people with the government

20. Political Parties The Nomination of Candidates pp.164-166

21. The Nomination of Candidates • Caucus method • Party conventions • Direct primary • 1. Open primary • 2. Closed primary

22. The Nomination of Candidates A. Caucus method   a meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform. * * This was the common method at the onset of political parties in the early 1800’s.

23. The Nomination of Candidates B. Party Conventions Party members from towns and cities chose delegates to represent them at meetings designed to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office. * * This method was used during the 1830’s &1840’s

25. The Nomination of Candidates

30. The Nomination of Candidates C. Direct Primary In an effort to involve more voters and reduce the powers of the political bosses, many states adopted direct primaries. * This method allowed the people to vote/decide the party’s nominee for office.

31. The Nomination of Candidates Open vs. Closed Direct Primary • An open primary allows any voter from any party to take part in a primary election. • A closed primary allows only registered voters to take part in the parties primary election.

32. Political Parties Be sure to read tonight: pp.166-169

33. End of day 1 lecture

34. Political Parties The Nomination of Candidates pp.166-169

35. Party systems A. The U.S. 2-party system is one of only a handful of countries like that. A. The U.S. 2-party system is one of only a handful of countries like that. B. Other countries have a multi-party system B. Other countries have a multi-party system C. U.S. uses the “winner-take-all” system 1. It is based on single-member districts with only1 winner. 2. It discourages third parties who don’t receive anything for coming in a “close 3rd place”

36. Party systems D. Proportional system cultivates a weak government; 1. coalition governments develop 2. representation based on proportion of the vote Example: Green Party 35% Blue Party 20% Pink Party 15% Orange Party 12% Red Party 10% Purple Party 8% * * If 100 seats are up for election, placement goes as indicated above. ( i.e. 35 seats to Green party, 12 seats to orange…)

37. American parties are centrist in nature A. Americans are labeled as “ideologically homogeneous” 1. Views of extremists are suppressed by majority 2. both parties believe in liberty, equality, fairness 3. neither argues the Constitution should be discarded. 4. both parties accept the election process by conceding defeat to the winners. 5. hard for a third party to gain traction in this system A. Americans are labeled as “ideologically homogeneous” 1. Views of extremists are suppressed by majority 2. both parties believe in liberty, equality, fairness 3. neither argues the Constitution should be discarded. 4. both parties accept the election process by conceding defeat to the winners. 5. hard for a third party to gain traction in this system B. Candidates tend to be centrist to appeal to most number of voters and alienate the least number of voters.

38. Role of Minor Parties A. Sometimes referred to as “3rd Parties” A. Sometimes referred to as “3rd Parties” B. Why do third parties begin? 1. some voters feel left out by main 2 parties 2. unhappy with the status quo (current way of things) 3. Have strong ideological beliefs and feel that major parties are ignoring an important issue. B. Why do third parties begin? 1. some voters feel left out by main 2 parties 2. unhappy with the status quo (current way of things) 3. Have strong ideological beliefs and feel that major parties are ignoring an important issue. C. Source of good ideas   1. Anti-slavery and Civil Rights movements C. Source of good ideas   1. Anti-slavery and Civil Rights movements D. Vote-spoilers or split the vote 1. Example of Ross Perot in 1992

39. Vote Spoiling: 1992 Election Bill Clinton (D) George Bush (R) Ross Perot (I) 43% of Popular Vote 38% of Popular Vote 19% of Popular Vote ** Because of Perot’s generally conservative ideology, people who had voted Republican in 1988 had another voting option (other than to vote Democrat) ** Because of Perot’s generally conservative ideology, people who had voted Republican in 1988 had another voting option (other than to vote Democrat) * * This split of votes among “would-be Republican” voters opened up a Democratic victory. (even though the Democratic candidate received less than half of the U.S. popular vote

40. Role of Minor Parties E. Types of 3rd or minor parties 1. Ideological A. Communist, Prohibition, Socialist, Green, Libertarian parties have tended to be around a long time due to their lasting beliefs and subsequent following by citizens. 2. Economic protest A. typical during bad economic times; B. disappear when economic conditions improve.

41. Role of Minor Parties 3. Splinter: most dangerous to a major party A. Breaks off from major party B. Rainbow Coalition in 1988 (democrat split) C. Reform Party of 1992 (republican split) 4. Personality-based A. TR and Bull Moose Party B. Ross Perot- Reform Party C. Ralph Nader & Green Party

42. Examples of Minor Parties Theodore Roosevelt Bull Moose Party 1912 Theodore Roosevelt Bull Moose Party 1912 George Wallace American Independent Party 1968 George Wallace American Independent Party 1968 Ross Perot Reform Party 1992 Ross Perot Reform Party 1992 Ralph Nader Green Party 2004

43. Political Parties History of Political Parties pp.169-172

44. Political Parties History of Political Parties pp.169-172

45. Political Parties “Beware the baneful effects of the spirit of Party” - George Washington’s farewell address “If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all” - Thomas Jefferson

46. Political Parties In order to get things done in the young country, different factions of people had to agree to work together. (form coalitions) Those who opposed how the government was running often had to join together to form a strong voice of opposition (opposition party)

47. Political Parties Three distinct periods: • Federalists & Democratic-Republicans (1797-1829) • Democrats & Whigs (1829-1861) • Republicans and Democrats (1861-1932) Since the Great Depression, the U.S. has seen shifts in how people have “aligned” themselves within the Republican and Democrat parties.

48. Federalists • Represented manufacturing and trade. • John Adams & Alexander Hamilton • Hoped national govt. would aid the growth of industry. • Govt. support for road and canal construction.

49. Alexander Hamilton: Our nation’s first secretary of the Treasury.

50. Alexander Hamilton: