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Pursuit of Power

Pursuit of Power. Politics in America. Political Socialization. Process by which an individual acquires their values, opinions, and beliefs Informal learning through socializing agents are the most important and accidental Ideology-a persons values, opinions, and beliefs.

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Pursuit of Power

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  1. Pursuit of Power Politics in America

  2. Political Socialization • Process by which an individual acquires their values, opinions, and beliefs • Informal learning through socializing agents are the most important and accidental • Ideology-a persons values, opinions, and beliefs

  3. Political Socialization • Agents of Political Socialization • 1. Family • 2. Church • 3. Community • 4. Media • 5. Teachers • 6. Peer Group • 7. Other

  4. The Political Spectrum • Ideology- a body of ideas or views of the world that reflect the social needs, values, and ides of an individual or group • Liberal-look to the future for change • Conservative-feel that governments role in society should be to protect the moral codes of the past

  5. Political Spectrum

  6. IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM

  7. Liberal Viewpoints • Group Responsibility: The government has a responsibility to help those who are disadvantaged or down on their luck. The government should work to equalize opportunities for everyone and also provide support for those who are unable to support themselves. • Personal Freedom: The personal freedoms of people must be protected. When rules/laws/norms infringe upon freedoms, they must be changed.

  8. Liberal Viewpoints • Non-Traditional Values: Many traditional values represent old-fashioned ideas that are unfair to women and minorities. These traditional values tend to concentrate and consecrate power held by wealthy white men. • Activist government: The government has a responsibility to regulate business to protect workers, the environment, and the public from abuse.

  9. Liberal Viewpoints • Use of Property for Public Good: The government has the right to tell people how to use their personal property in order to maximize the public good.

  10. Conservative Viewpoints • Personal Responsibility: People have a responsibility to follow the rules/laws/norms set by society. Stern punishments should be given to those who break the rules/laws/norms. • Traditional Values: People should strive to live by the traditional moral codes that our grandparents followed. There are many dangerous moral trends in society today that we need to reverse. Religion should play a larger part of peoples lives and the government should reflect religious values.

  11. Conservative Viewpoints • Laisez Faire and Decentralized Government: The federal government should not regulate business practices, but instead should let free market forces keep order in the business world. The federal government should be as small as possible, and most power should be vested in the state and local government • Maximum Benefit: If every individual maximizes their own benefit, everyone will be better off

  12. Conservative Viewpoints • Property Rights: The government should pass and enforce laws that protect personal property.

  13. Political Parties • Political Parties have National, State, and Local organizations • The primary objective for the two major parties is to organize to win elections • Each party has core set of principles, look to appeal to a majority of voters without compromising those beliefs

  14. Political Parties • Two party system in America • Democratic Party • Republican Party

  15. Roles of Political Parties • Select Candidates • Raise Funds • Conduct Campaigns • Identify important issues • Educate the Public • Monitor the party in power

  16. Party Systems • One party systems-one party has control of the government and doesn’t allow other parties to join. • Allow elections but they are not competitive because only that parties candidates are on the ballot • Soviet Union and Cuba are examples of one party systems

  17. Party Systems • Two party systems-exist in only a handful of countries in the world. In U.S., other parties exist but are not believed to have any chance at winning elections. • United States and Great Britain are examples of two party systems.

  18. Party Systems • Multi-party systems-more common in the world today. • Legislative branch is most important. • Little or no separation exists between Legislative and Executive branches. • Multi-party systems use proportional representation (10% of vote=10% representation) • Encourages parties to form coalitions

  19. Third Parties • Also called minor parties • Can have major influence on elections • Votes taken away from one party may help the other win • Third parties often force important issues onto the national agenda

  20. Types of third parties • Economic protest parties • Party dominated by feelings of economic discontent • Splinter parties • Splints from one of the major party because of serious diagreement • Ideological parties • Party based on particular set of beliefs or ideology • Single-issue parties • Party focused on one issue

  21. Types of Third Parties

  22. Third Parties • The Reform Party and The Libertarian Party are the two major third parties in America.

  23. The Effect of Third Parties on Vote Distribution Acetate PP–6

  24. Minor parties play several important roles: • “Spoiler Role” • Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party. • Critic • Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore. • Innovator • Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.

  25. The Decentralized Nature of the Parties Both of the major parties are highly decentralized and fragmented. Why? • The party out of power lacks a strong leader. • The federal system distributes powers candidate. • The federal system distributes powerswidely, in turn causing the parties to be decentralized. • The nominating process pits party members against one another because only one person can chosen to be the party’s presidential

  26. A Theoretical Structure of the American Political Party Acetate PP–1

  27. State and Local Party Machinery • State and local party organization varies from State to State, but usually follow the general principles below.

  28. Party Components The Party Organization: Those who run and control the party machinery. The Party in the Electorate Those who always or almost always vote for party candidates. The Party in Government Those who hold office in the government. The Three Components of the Party

  29. The Three Components of Political Parties Acetate PP–2

  30. For voters : More people are unwilling to label themselves as “Democrats” or “Republicans” Split-ticket voting—voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election For candidates: Structural changes have increased conflict and disorganization within parties Changes in the technology of campaigning, especially the use of television and the Internet, have made candidates more independent of the party organization The growth of single-issue organizations provides candidates with another source of financial support The Future of Major Parties Weakened connections to political parties:

  31. Declining Partisan Loyalties Acetate PP–7

  32. Parties Aim Their Campaigns to the Middle Acetate PP–10

  33. Demographic Factors and Party Preferences Acetate PP–9

  34. The Political Process • Candidates may run for office by being nominated in one of the following methods • Caucus • Nominating Conventions • Petitions • Direct Primary

  35. The Political Process • National Nominating Conventions are used by both parties to select their Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates • State and Local parties choose the method of selecting all other candidates

  36. Campaign Contributions • The Federal Election Campaign Act sets limits on campaign funding for federal elections • The public can contribute to • Individual Candidates • Political Parties • Political Action Committees

  37. Political Action Committees • PAC’s are spin offs of Interest Groups and professional organizations whose goal is to influence elections • They have increased from about 600 in the mid ’70’s to 4,000 today. • They give money to their favorite candidates • It totals over 200 million dollars in an election cycle

  38. Political Action Committees • Allows groups access to important decision makers in our government • Most contributions go to incumbents rather than challengers • It does not favor one political party over another instead the party in power

  39. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

  40. Campaign Spending 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

  41. Private and Public Sources of Campaign Money Sources of Funding Nonparty groups such as PACs Small contributors Temporary fund-raising organizations Wealthy supporters Candidates Government subsidies 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

  42. Regulating Campaign Financing • Early campaign regulations were created in 1907, but feebly enforced. • The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971 was passed to replaced the former, ineffective legislation. • The FECA Amendments of 1974 were passed in response to the Watergate scandal. • Buckley v. Valeo invalidated some of the measures in the FECA Amendments of 1974. Most significantly, it also stipulated that several of the limits that the 1974 amendments placed on spending only apply to candidates who accept campaign money from the government, not those who raise money independently. • The FECA Amendments of 1976 were passed in response to Buckley v. Valeo. Chapter 7, Section 3

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