Political Parties

1. Political Parties AP Government

2. What is a Political Party? • An organization that seeks to influence public policy by putting its members into positions of governmental authority • Allows parties to pursue their common interests by exercising power through the political process in their positions of authority

3. Who’s In Charge? • Majority Party – political party in control of the government at any given time. • Can be DIVIDED GOV’T with different parties in control of House, Senate and Presidency • Opposition Party – political party not in control of government, serves as a watchdog to the majority party

4. Whose idea was it? • Political Parties are Extra-Constitutional (can’t find them in the Constitution) • Federalist 10 warned that parties (factions) could be dangerous if there were not systems in place to check their power

5. Electoral Functions of Parties • Pull together like minded groups of voters • Simplifies the choices for voters • Recruit and train political leaders • Provide information • Encourage participation

6. Government Functions of Parties • Set agenda and make policy preferences • Make the government responsible to the people • Link people to government

7. Party Systems • One party - authoritarian governments or when one party consistently wins • Multi party - several parties in power • Two party - two dominant parties; others may exist but rarely get elected to high profile seats (U.S. has strongest one)

8. Minor Parties (aka 3rd Parties) Usually are formed to: • Promote certain causes/ideology/issues • Splinter an existing party • Support popular individuals with presidential aspirations

9. The System v. Minor Parties • Proportional representation • A voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by a particular political party • Single-Member, Plurality aka Winner-take-all system • An electoral system in which the party receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election

10. Minor Parties in a Two Party System • Serve as a threat to the electoral vote b/c it increases potential of election being decided by Congress • Difficult to get on the ballot-states set requirements • petitions with voter signatures • PLUS a share of the votes in last election most common requirements • Federal Funding if they secure 5% of the vote-must follow guidelines • Rarely win – instead they bring new voters and issues

11. Types of Minor Parties • Ideological parties • comprehensive, radical views; most enduring minor parties • Socialist, Communist, Libertarian • Single-Issue parties • address one concern, avoid others • Free Soil, Know-Nothing, Prohibition • Economic Protest parties • Tend to be regional, protest economic conditions • Greenback, Populist • Factional parties • split from a major party • Bull Moose, American Independents

12. National Committee Leadership one committeeman and one committeewoman from each state and territory Meets every four years choose presidential candidate writes the platform designates the national committee sets place and times of conventions sets the number of delegates that can attend convention National Convention Held in presidential election year Nominate Pres & VP ticket Adopt platform Major Goals: serve as a link to people choose policymakers run campaigns cue voters tell policy coordinate policymaking Party Structure in the U.S.

13. National Responsibility manage party between nominating conventions raise money direct mail campaigns recruit candidates State Responsibility hold caucuses select convention delegates maintain party promote image support campaigns Shared Responsibilites

15. Political Parties in Congress • Majority Party selects party leaders and make committee appointments • Majority Party organizes and operates Congress • Web of deputy and assistant whips • Majority party generally holds more power • Party discipline • Hurt by individualistic nature of U.S. politics • But party voting has increased since the 1970s

16. Party Realignment • A shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections • Critical Election • An election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues • Secular Realignment • The gradual rearrangement of party coalitions, based more on demographic shifts than on shocks to the political system

17. Political Parties in State Gov’t • The major national parties are the dominant political forces in all 50 states. • Third parties have emerged but all have faded. • Parties and Governors • Governors usually have more influence on party organizations and legislators • More patronage positions assigned by governor than president • Line-item veto • Parties and State Legislators • Nearly split evenly between the two parties • Parties have greater legislative influence at the state level than at the national level. • Party leaders have more authority and power. • State legislators depend on state and local parties for election assistance more than members of Congress.

18. Party Identification • A citizen’s personal affinity for a political party • Usually expressed by his or her tendency to vote for the candidates of that party • Sources • Parents • Marriage and other aspects of adult life can change one’s party loyalty • Charismatic political personalities, cataclysmic events, and maybe intense social issues • Social class remains a powerful indicator of likely partisan choice.

19. Geographic Region South still has Democratic Party affinity at local election level. Gender Gender gap Race and Ethnicity African Americans, Hispanics and other minority groups are predominantly Democratic Age Very young and very old more Democratic Social and Economic Factors Republicans have higher SES (occupation, income, and education) supporters. Religion Protestants favor Republicans; Catholics and Jews are predominantly Democratic. Marital Status Married people lean more towards Republicans. Ideology Few surprises Group Affiliations

20. Changing Power of Political Parties • Use of Primary Elections • Rise of PACs • Rise of the media makes role of party less important • Split ticket voting - causes divided government • Lack of structure, efficiency, priorities, strategies and responsibility

21. Interest Groups AP Government

22. What is an Interest Group? An association of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what the government does

23. What do Interest Groups need? • Social capital • The large number of relationships that individuals enjoy that facilitate the resolution of community problems through collective action • Civic virtue • The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good

24. Interest Groups in America • America is considered pluralistic • many different groups seeking to secure its members interests • Work outside of the political system, (separate and independent from the actual government structure) • Serve as policy specialists not generalists

25. CHARACTERISTICS of Interest Groups • Forms and features of the group • Geographic distribution, cohesion, intensity, prestige • Membership • Direct payment of dues, no personal criteria • Organization • Access to funds and officials • Board of Directors • Appointment by members, speak for group, legally responsible for group • Staff Members • Lobbying, Fundraising, Research, Member Recruitment

26. Interest Groups in Politics • The closer the ties to political issues, personalities and organizations, the more effective the group • Contributions of Interest Groups • provide link to gov't • provide info • encourage participation • stabilize other groups

27. Goal: Influence Politics • Assist in election campaigns • Influence judicial appointments • Form PACs • File amicus curiae briefs and lawsuits • Grassroots work (advertise opinion, letter writing, social protests) • A form of pressure-group activity that attempts to involve individuals who contact their representatives directly in an effort to influence policy • Persuading ordinary voters to act as the group’s advocates

28. Goal: Form Political Action Committees (PACs) • Organizations, formally independent of candidates themselves • channel money from interest groups to political candidates sympathetic to their groups' policy preferences • Electioneering experts who aid candidates financially with member support • Blossomed as a result of FECA of 1974 • Buckley v. Valeo created the “PAC man” • Most money goes to incumbents

29. Goal: Lobbying • An attempt to influence the shape of legislation coming out of Congress and other rule making bodies • The activities of a group or organization that seeks to influence legislation and persuade political leaders to support the group’s position

30. Goal: Lobbying • Employs more than 80,000 in Washington DC alone • Named from days when Congress didn't live in Washington and stayed in boarding homes or hotels where lobbies were only place to catch and attempt to sway to your side • 23 ways for lobbyists and organizations to lobby on the state and national level • Most often they: testify at legislative hearings, contact government officials directly, help draft legislation

32. Lobbying Congress • Members of Congress are targets of lobbyists • Many lobbyists are former members • Lobbyists work closely with those members who share their interests • The effectiveness of a lobbyist depends on their reputation for fair play and accurate information

34. Reform Attempts • Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, 1946 • Lobbying Disclosure Act, 1995 • Employs a strict definition of lobbyist • Requires lobbyists to: • Register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate • Report their clients and issues and the agency or house they lobbied • Estimate the amount they are paid by each client • Makes it easier for watchdog groups to track the lobbying activity

35. Lobbying the Executive Branch • Has expanded As the scope of federal government has expanded • Many potential access points • Lobbyists seek influence at policy formation and implementation stages. • An especially strong link exists between interest groups and regulatory agencies • Groups often monitor the implementation of the laws or policies they advocated.

36. Lobbying the Judicial Branch • Can take two forms: • Direct sponsorship • Filing amicus curiae briefs • Brief that informs the court of the group’s policy preferences, generally in guise of legal arguments • Interest groups also attempt to influence who is nominated and placed on the bench.

37. Economic establish standards, better working conditions Determined by the way people earn a living Business & professional, labor, agricultural NAM (National Association of Manufacturers) American Bankers Association AFL-CIO General Motors AMA (American Medical Association) ABA (American Bar Association) National Grange NEA (National Education Association) Types of Interest Groups

38. Social Action Membership is determined by birth Gender, Race, Ethnicity NOW National Organization of Women NAACP National Association for Advancement of Colored Persons National Council of Senior Citizens Types of Interest Groups

39. Religious support or oppose laws morally U.S. Catholic Conference 700 Club Christian Coalition Ideological Have a specific political agenda Have become the center of PAC activities Heritage Foundation Brookings Institute People for the American Way Types of Interest Groups

40. Single Issue Focus on one policy area MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) NRA (National Rifle Association) Public Interest Environment, Voter Registration, Consumer Protection, Historic preservation League of Women Voters Sierra Club Common Cause Types of Interest Groups

42. Problems with Interest Groups • Overrepresentation of views of privileged class

43. Utilization of free-rider concept of representation • Benefits go to all in an industry, not just group members • Benefits that go to members only (better health care, etc.) • Reliability of funding sources and sponsorship • Could be double influence (corporations, foundations, etc.)

44. Business Role in Interest Groups • Most large corporations • Have their own governmental affairs department • Employ D.C.-based lobbyists to keep them apprised of legislation • Have given substantial soft money in the past • Still use PACS & 527s which means they still contribute a great deal of money