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Explore the history and development of political parties in the United States, from George Washington's opposition to their formation to the emergence of the two-party system. Understand their influence on elections and government control.
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Political Parties • In 2008, Americans chose Democrat Barack Obama to be their 44th president • Little more than half a century after the enactment of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Obama became America’s first non-white president • Americans also elected an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress in 2008 • Obama’s first term in 2 minutes
Political Parties Following the 2010 elections, the Republican Party reclaimed some of the power it had lost in the 2008 elections. A new Republican majority took control of the House of Representatives, led by Representative John Boehner.
Political Parties • Political parties and elections are all about who controls the government • They are also a means by which those in government try to influence important groups in society • This became evident in the 2009 debate over health care • Democratic party leaders in the House of Representatives and in the Senate worked to build support among their members for a bill • This obviously was not an easy task • In the House, 84% of Dems supported the bill • In the Senate, all 60 Dems supported the bill – the exact number needed for the bill to pass • The role of political parties was also evident by the unanimous opposition of the Republican party to the health bill • Most Republicans preferred policy approaches that would require less government regulation of the market and less public spending • Only 1 Republican in the House voted for the bill
Parties and Elections • Political parties – organizations seeking to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices • Parties play a central role in American elections • Recruit candidates to run • Mobilize supporters and voters • Promote the party’s causes and issues
A Brief History… • Between 1900 and 1952, Republicans failed to maintain a role in most southern states; Democrats were similarly unsuccessful in many areas of New England • Two major parties have had enough of an organized presence to oppose each other – this makes the American party system one of the oldest political institutions in the history of democracy
Political Party Systems • 3 Political Party Systems in the World 1.) One Party System: Political party and the government are the SAME • Only 1 party, so no competing ideas • Party membership based on lineage, wealth, military power, religious power • Example: China (Communist Party)
Political Party Systems 2.) Multi-Party System: Three or more parties compete for control of the government • Common in Europe, Israel, Japan • Advantage: provides voters with many different choices and ideas • Disadvantage: difficult for one party to get majority of votes, which leads to a Coalition: EXAMPLE – Italy (50 different govts. since WWII) Daisy Alliance Sunflower Alliance Italian Communist 500,000 votes 450,000 votes 200,000 votes Coalition
Political Party Systems 3. Two-Party System: Two parties compete with each other to run the government. • Party system of U.S.: Democrats and Republicans • Advantages: Continuity • Disadvantages: Minority parties (third parties) receive little attention – focus is on two main parties
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • George Washington against political parties • “parties serve their own interests” • “parties not beneficial to American people” • Parties formed after his exit: 1. Democratic-Republicans 2. Federalists
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • Democratic-Republicans • Supported states rights • Supported economy based on agriculture • Power in hands of all people • Led by Thomas Jefferson
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • Federalists • Supported strong national govt. • Supported economy based on industry • Power in hands of wealthy and educated • Led by Alexander Hamilton
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • Federalists Breakup • Federalists gradually disappear – no political momentum • John Adams only party member to be elected President • Supporters formed new party: Whig Party (1834-1856)
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • Mid 1820’s: Democratic-Republicans breaking up • Democratic Party formed to continue representing small farmers and working people
U.S. Political Parties:Beginnings • 1850’s: Democratic Party and Whig Party split over slavery • Pro-slavery voters form Democratic Party • Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats formed Republican Party
U.S Political Parties: Beginnings • Republican Party • 1860: Abe Lincoln becomes 1st Republican President • Emerges as stronger of 2 parties after Civil War • 1865-1931:Only 2 Democratic Presidents elected • Grover Cleveland • Woodrow Wilson
Political Parties Have Changed • It used to be that political parties had near monopoly control over the electoral process • In recent decades, however, they have lost their monopoly to candidates who decide not to work within the party, to political action committees (PACs) that generate millions of dollars for candidates, and to direct appeals through the media • A private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Parties Recruit Candidates • Recruiting candidates is the most important, but least noticed party activity • Each election year, candidates must be found for thousands of state and local offices as well as congressional seats • What qualities would an ideal candidate have? • In order to run for a House seat, it takes several hundred thousand dollars, for a Senate seat, several million dollars • Candidate recruitment has become difficult in an era in which incumbents (candidates running for positions that they already hold) are so hard to beat, campaigns are getting dirtier, and when the press attacks their personal lives • Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer
Parties Organize Nominations • Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution • Does not specify too much about elections – Congress has some power to make changes • President must be at least 35 years old, a natural born citizen, and a resident of the US for 14 years • A Senator must be at 30, a US citizen for at least 9 years, and a resident of the state he or she represents • A member of the House must be at least 25, a US citizen for 7 years, and a resident of the state they represent • Nomination: The process by which parties select their candidates for election to public office • Nomination is the parties' most serious and difficult issues
Getting Out the Vote • Election period beings right after the nominations – this has been a time of glory for political parties • Getting Out the Vote • Get supporters registered (year round) • Each party has databases on voters – GOP “Voter Vault”; Democrats “Demzilla”/ “VoteBuilder” • Webased systems for collecting and sharing voter info • Democrats were much more succesful in recent elections • Operate phone banks, put up yard signs, distribute bumper stickers • Offer rides to polling stations • Parties subsidize the costs of informing and mobilizing voters
Facilitating Voter Choice • Americans vote on many more officials than most citizens of other countries do • Judges, the state controller, the state attorney general • This requires Americans to be informed about more candidates • Parties make obtaining this information easier
Parties in Congress • Power in Congress is organized along party lines • Majority party – the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate • Minority Party – the party that holds the minority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate • The majority party has the leadership roles • Both chambers organize their functions through committees • All committees are divided by party
President and Party • Presidents benefit from strong parties when their party controls both chambers of Congress • If Congress is controlled by the opposition party, then we often see gridlock and delay rather than cooperation
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules • Primary elections – elections used to select each party’s candidates for the general election • The US is one of the only countries in the world to use primary elections
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules • Closed primary – a primary election in which only registered members of political parties may vote • Open primary – a primary election in which registered voters decide on the day of the primary in which party’s primary they will participate • California has a semi-closed primary that allows voters to register or change party preference on election day
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules • The primary is followed by the general election • The winner of the general election is elected to office for a specified term • In some states, if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the primary, a runoff election is held before the general election • A runoff election is held between the two candidates who received the largest number of votes
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules • Twenty-four states also provide for referendum voting • The referendum process is the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection • In recent years, voters in several states have voted to limit tax rates, spending proposals, and limit social services • The referendum is an institution of direct democracy • It allows voters to vote directly without intervention from government officials • A state’s court system, however, can overturn the result if its found to violate state constitution
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules • 18 states also have legal provisions for recall elections • The recall allows voters to remove public officials from office by popular vote • Federal officials are not subject to recall • A recall effort begins with a petition campaign • This happened in California in 2003 and Governor Gray Davis was removed by office
The Electoral College Still Organizes Presidential Elections • Early in American history, it was assumed that average Americans were not qualified (i.e. smart enough) to vote for president • This is why we have the electoral college, the presidential electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice president • Each state is entitled to a number of electoral votes equal to the number of the state’s senators and representatives combined for a total of 538 electoral votes • Electors are pledged to particular presidential and vice presidential candidates, though unpledged electors are possible • All electors pledged to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes in a state become electors for that state • Although no elector is required by federal law to honor a pledge, there have only been very few occasions when an elector voted contrary to a pledge
The Electoral College • The candidate that receives an absolute majority of electoral votes (currently 270) for the offices of President or Vice President is elected to that office. • The Twelfth Amendment provides for what happens if the Electoral College fails to elect a President or Vice President • If no candidate receives a majority for President, then the House of Representatives will select the President, with each state delegation (instead of each Representative) having only one vote • If no candidate receives a majority for Vice President, then the Senate will select the Vice President, with each Senator having one vote
The Electoral College Still Organizes Presidential Elections • In all but three elections since 1824, the electoral vote has simply ratified the nationwide popular vote • 1876 - Hayes • 1888 - Harrison • 2000 – Al Gore received 540,000 more popular votes nationwide than his opponent, George W. Bush but narrowly lost the electoral college by a mere four electoral votes
Party Systems • Electoral Realignment: A shift in which a new party emerges and takes the place of the formerly dominant party
What Are Political Parties? • Political Parties: Organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices
Party Systems • The First Party System: Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans • Federalists: stronger Federal government, assumption of Revolutionary War debt, protective tariffs, commercial ties with Britain • Jeffersonians: free trade, agriculture, relations with France
Party Systems • The Second Party System: Democrats and Whigs • Intense competition for votes led politicians to increase suffrage • Parties divided more by personalities and petty politics than by significant ideologies • Eventually the Whigs were replaced by a coalition of free labor, free soil, and free land supporters
Party Systems • The Civil War and Postwar System: Republicans and Democrats • Republicans: higher tariffs to protect industry, no slavery in new territories, westward expansion • Democrats: lower tariffs to promote agriculture, smaller, local government, pro-slavery
Party Systems • The System of 1896: Republicans and Democrats • America became far more urban and industrialized at the end of the 19th century • The Populists and then the Democrats appealed to workers’ and farmers’ interests
Party Systems • The New Deal Party System • Franklin Delano Roosevelt elected in 1932 • Expanded reach of government • Began regulating the workplace • Created a social safety net • Created a broad coalition of voters that sustained it until the late 1960s The case of Henry Wallace (Roosevelt’s VP ) & Democratic Party
Party Systems • The Contemporary American Party System • Southern conservatives move to Republican Party • Ideological divide increases in elected officials • Americans have a difficult time finding common ground
How Do Voters Decide? • Party Loyalty
How Do Voters Decide? • Issues and Policy Preferences • Candidates take strong stands on issues to differentiate themselves from other members of their party or past leaders • Difficult to vote based on issues when candidates only address “safe” topics or seem to differ little on important issues
How Do Voters Decide? • Candidate Characteristics • Religion • Race and ethnicity • Gender • Social background • Perceived personality traits
Voting • Suffrage (franchise): The right to vote • Current levels of voter participation are very low • Low historically • Low compared to other countries • Most demographic groups are low compared to affluent, educated whites
Roadblocks to Participation • Registration • Citizens must register to vote in advance (in all but 8 states) • Elections are held on work days • Many different elections held at different times • Weakness of the party system
Homework: Tuesday • In your text: Read pp. 210-220. In your notebook, answer: • Do you think the current two-party system is good or bad for American democracy- why/why not? • Of the four factors influencing voters’ decisions which to you think is most important and why? • Do you think voter turnout is a major issue for the democratic process-? Explain.
