2. Political Parties.
―A political party is a group of
people with broad common
interests who organize to win
elections, control government,
thus influence government
policies.‖
3. Political Parties
1. Parties can be principle-oriented,
issue-oriented, or election-oriented.
2. The two major American political
parties are election-oriented.
4. Political Parties in the US
Getting Elected?
Spatial Model of Elections
1. All political issues can be represented on a
single dimension, left-to-right scale. All voters,
parties, and politicians can be placed on that
scale.
2. People on the far right are the most
conservative.
3. People on the far left are the most liberal.
4. People in the middle are moderate.
5. People vote for the candidate closest to them on
the scale.
5.
6. The Spatial Model leads produces the Median Voter
Hypothesis
The best possible position for a politician who cares only
about winning is in the center.
3. Political Parties in the US
Extremely
Liberal
Extremely
Conservative
0 10050
Median Voter
Candidate A Candidate B
7. Why do we have a two-party system?
3. Political Parties in the US
Extremely
Liberal
Extremely
Conservative
0 10050 BushKerryNader
Third parties rarely / never win
8. 3. Political Parties in the US
Extremely
Liberal
Extremely
Conservative
0 10050 YOUObama McCain
9.
10.
11.
12. What Do Political Parties Do?
1. Recruit the BEST candidates to run for
office.
2. Inform and educate the voters
concerning important issues.
3. DEFINE the issues to the voters.
4. Influence government action and
policies.
5. Win government office so its party can
govern.
13. What do parties
do…Continued.
Act as a Watchdog—Parties that are
out of power keep a close eye on the
actions of the party in power for a
blunder or bad behavior to use
against them in the next election.
14.
15. One Party Systems
1. The single
political party IS the
government.
2. A S.P.S. is always
a dictatorship.
3. Why?
1. Examples:
Iraq under the Baath
Party.
Iran - Theocracy
China today.
North Korea today.
Vietnam today.
ANY/ALL command
economy!
16. One-Party Systems
Chapter 5, Section 2
Types of One-Party
Systems
Example:
Mexico .
Modified One-Party
Systems where one
party regularly wins
most elections
One Party
Systems where
only one party is
allowed.
Example:
Dictatorships such as
China.
17. Two Party System – U.S.
Republicans
1. Hamiltonians.
2. Adam Smith –
Economist.
3. Reps. Started out
as the Federalist
Party – 1789.
Hamilton v. Jefferson
Democrats
1.Jeffersonians.
2. John Maynard
Keynes – Economists.
3. Started as the Anti –
Federalists and then
became the Democratic
– Republicans. 1789.
19. Why Only Two Political
Parties In U.S?
1. Winner take all.
2. NO representation by coming in
second!
3. Voters ―Don’t want to throw their vote
away.‖
20.
21. Multi Party Systems.
1. Most democracies have a multi party
system.
2. Many different IDEOLOGIES
represented in government.
3. A COALITION government must be
formed after the election.
22. Multiparty Systems
Chapter 5, Section 2
Advantages:
1. Provides
broader
representation of
the people.
2. More
responsive to the
will of the people.
3. Give voters
more choices at
the polls.
Disadvantages:
1. Cause parties
to form coalitions,
which can
dissolve easily.
2. Failure of
coalitions can
cause instability
in government.
23. Death of Federalist Party.
1. War of 1812.
2. New England states tried to negotiate
a separate peace treaty with England.
3. Rest of country saw this as treason.
4. End of Federalists.
24. ―Era of Good Feelings‖
1816-1824.
1. With only one political party,
Democratic-Republicans, There was
very little public political fighting.
2. Politically, things seemed O.K.
25. Democratic – Republican Spilt
- 1828
Democrats
1. Andrew Jackson – Leader
of the Democrats.
2. ―Born in a log cabin.‖
3. ―Robbed‖ of the 1824
election by the ―Corrupt
Bargain.‖
Whigs
1. Accused Jackson of being
a ―Big Wig.‖
2. This was an insult.
3. The ―Big Whig‖ accusers
become known as the Whig
Party.
4. Most Ex Federalists joined
Whig Party.
26. Second Party
System
1828-1856
Democrats
• Led by Andrew Jackson.
• Used party organization
to mobilize voters.
• Used new convention
system to select party
nominee.
Whigs
• Built a coalition of
Northern Industrialists
and rich Southerners.
• Led by Daniel Webster
and Henry Clay at
times.
27. Slavery and Political Parties.
1. By the 1850’s the anti slavery factions, Whigs and
Republicans, joined together and became just the
Republican Party.
2. Anti slavery.
3. Pro national bank.
4. Pro internal improvements.
5. Pro free land in the west.
6. Pro protective tariffs.
28. Democrats.
1. Pro slavery.
2. Anti national bank.
3. Anti free land.
4. Anti internal improvements.
5. Anti tariffs.
29. Civil War Results.
1. Republican Party in control of country for years, till
end of 1920’s. Hamiltonians in control.
2. Democratic Party hangs on by the skin of its teeth.
3. Senate system helps Democratic Party regroup and
build its power over time. The Grey Beard System!
30. Great Depression and the
Rise of the Democratic Party.
1. 1920’s is height of Republican power.
2. Hamiltonians in control. ―Trickle down theory.‖
3. Calvin Coolidge: ―The business of America is
business.
4. Great Depression(1929) sweeps Republicans out of
office. F.D.R. elected President-1932.
31. ―The New Deal.‖
This was the start of government
programs to manage the economy and
create social programs.
Keynesian Economics.
Fiscal policy to speed up or slow down
the economy.
32. Democratic Era.
1932-1980.
1. Democratic era ends after the 1970’s.
2. Stagflation.
3. High oil prices.
4. Iranian hostage crisis.
5. Uninspiring Jimmy Carter president.
33. Republican Revolution.
1980-2004.
1. Hamiltonians back in control.
2. Arthur Laffer ― Curve.‖
3. ―Supply-Side Economics.‖
4. Another version of ―Trickle Down Economics?‖
5. ―Reaganomics.‖
6. Bill Clinton President between 1992-2000.
39. Resurgence of Democrats.
2006.
1. Democrats retook control of both
Houses of Congress in 2006.
2. Iraq and its many issues have
been a drag on the Republican
Party.
40. 2008.
Democrats regain control of the
Presidency, retain control of the
Senate, and retain control of the
House.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
41. Who Controls What?
Chapter 5, Section 3
1968–1976
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Democrats
1976–1980
Democrats hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Democrats
1980–1992
Republicans hold the presidency
Senate controlled by Republicans 1980-1986,
controlled by Democrats from 1986 to 1994
1992 – 2000
Democrats hold the presidency
Congress controlled by
Republicans, 1994-2006.
2000
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Republicans
2006
Democrats retake both houses of Congress.
2008
Democrats retake presidency, retain
Both Houses of Congress.
2010
Republicans retake the House
42. Who Controls What
Continued.
1. 2010. Republicans retake the House. Democrats
keep the Senate.
2. 2012. No change.
3. 2014 No change.
4. 2016 ????????????
53. Third Parties
1. A third party is ANY party that’s NOT
Democratic OR Republican.
2. There are many different third parties.
3. A third party candidate has never won
the presidency. They have been elected
Governor. Jessie Ventura anyone?
54. Minor Parties in the United
States
Chapter 5, Section 4
Splinter Party
Example: ―Bull
Moose‖ Progressive
Party
Economic Protest
Parties
Example: The
Greenback Party
Ideological
Parties
Example:
Libertarian
Party
Types of Minor
Parties
Single-issue
Parties
Example: Free
Soil Party
55. Impact of Third Parties.
1. If a third party has a popular issue, it will be
absorbed by a major party. Social Security?
2. A third party can throw an election one way or
another.
3. 1992. Reform Party candidate Ross Perot helped Bill
Clinton to defeat George Bush Sr. Clinton received less
than 50% of popular vote.
4. 2000. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader helped
George W. Bush defeat Al Gore. Bush LOST the
popular vote to Gore.
56. Obstacles to Third Parties.
1. Dems and Reps automatically on all states
ballots.
2. Third parties must get petitions signed in all
states to get on ballot.
3. Winner take-all-system. NO representation for
second place.
4. Why vote for a loser?
57.
58. Minor Parties: Third-
Partyism
Minor parties are not a threat to the two major
parties.
Only eight third parties have won any electoral
votes in a presidential contest.
The third parties that have had some success are:
1996 and 1992: Ross Perot’s Reform Party
1968: George Wallace’s American Independent Party
1924: Robert LaFollette’s Progressive Party
1912: Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party
1856: Millard Fillmore's American Party
61. Are generally in
favor of the
Government
playing a larger
role to make social
change AND
manage the
economy.
Tend to favor a
more limited
Government that
does not intervene
as much into
people’s lives or
business.
62. Balanced Budget
Raise taxes on the
wealthy with some
budget cuts.
Continue/increase
tax cuts for the
wealthy. Increase
Federal spending
while creating larger
Federal deficits.
This behavior
created the rise of
the conservative
Republican Tea
Party.
63. Characteristics of Each Party
Generally reps
poor, working class,
and minorities..
Dems less
organized and have
lower voter turn out.
Reps the wealthy,
middle class, and
corp.
Reps have a much
higher voter turn
out.
64. Wealth Distribution
Likes to decrease the
gap between the rich
and the poor with the
use of taxation, gov’t
programs, especially
public education.
Lower taxes on
working/middle class.
Believes in ―Trickle
Down‖ theory or
―Supply-Side‖
economics.
Lower taxes on
wealthy and
corporations.
66. Union Labor
Are in favor of
unions and
collective
bargaining.
Like to side towards
individual efforts and
competition in the
workplace. Anti-Union.
Sought to keep unions
out of newly formed
Transportation
Security Admin.
67. Social Programs
With increase tax
revenues, Democrats
like to fund social
programs as a safety
net for disadvantaged
people.
Affordable Health Care
Act is good
example.(Obama Care)
Less tax money often
leads to decreased
funding for social
programs.
Many Republicans
argue that people’s
hard work should be
kept for themselves
instead of being used
to benefit other people.
68. National Defense.
Generally would
support less
spending on
defense in favor of
social programs.
―Guns vs. Butter.‖
They are in favor of
bigger defense
budgets and less
social programs.
EXCEPT for the Tea
Party who wants to
cut ALL federal
spending.
69. Affirmative Action
Tend to be more in
favor of affirmative
action as they
argue that it leads
to more equality.
Are against
affirmative action,
but they say there
should be more
restrictions on it to
ensure that the law
does not totally
overpower natural
competition.
71. Gun Control
Democrats:
Favor gun control to help control crime.
Republicans:
Opposes any gun control laws as it’s unconstitutional
and takes away individual freedom.
72. Flag Burning
Democrat:
Flag burning is political
symbolic speech and is
protected by the First
Amendment.
Republican:
Protect the flag from
burning by a
constitutional
amendment.
73. Prayer in School
Democrats:
Violation of the separation between
church and state. No prayer in schools.
Republicans:
It is a religious right and our Christian
heritage. There needs to be prayer in
school.
74. Gay Rights
Democrats:
Favor: Gays rights and same sex
marriage are their civil rights. O.K. for
Gays in Military.
Republicans:
Oppose: Marriage is a sacred trust
between a man and woman. No Gays in
Military.
75. Death Penalty
Democrats:
Oppose: It is not a deterrent and
innocent people are in jeopardy.
Republicans:
Favor: The death penalty is
necessary and effective to deter
crime.
76. Healthcare
Democrats:
Government should require universal
access to healthcare. Too many
American with no health insurance.
Dems pushed through Obamacare.
Republicans:
Private insurers are preferable to
government controlled system. Against
Obamacare.
77. Social Security and Medi –
Care.
Democrats: Maintain status
quo.
Republicans: Privatize both
Social Security and MediCare.
78. Minimum Wage
Democrats:
Favor Increasing the minimum
wage to help workers.
Republicans:
Oppose raising the minimum wage
because it hurts businesses.
Would like to lower it OR get rid of
it completely.
79. Education
Democrats: In favor of spending
more on public education.
Republicans: Less spending on
current public education. Favor
vouchers and charter schools.
80. Immigration
Democrats: Favors amnesty for illegal aliens and more
legal protection for undocumented workers.
Republicans: Tougher immigration laws and no
amnesty.
