| GOVERNMENT - Political Parties |
| WHAT IS A POLITICAL PARTY? A. Governmental party -- the office holders and candidates B. Organizational party -- workers and activities C. Party-in-the-electorate -- those who vote for the party or consider themselves to be allied or associated with it. OUR SYSTEM HAS TWO MAJOR PARTIES - DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN There are several reasons why third parties find it difficult to attain political office. I THE EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN PARTY DEMOCRACY A. History of the two party system 1. Jefferson v. Hamilton in the Washington Administration 2. Anti-Federalist v. Federalist Groups as parties evolve B. Early Parties Fade 1. Era of Good Feelings 2. Nomination processes and the electoral college increase participation on National Level 3. Andrew Jackson and the Jacksonian era 4. Whig Party decended from the Federalists - influence of Henry Clay (Speaker of House 5. Competition of Whigs and Democrats 6. Issue of slavery plagued the Whigs/replaced by Republicans C. Democrats and Republicans: The Golden Age 1. Presidential Elections from 1860 until the present time 2. Republican Dominance during Reconstruction 3. 1876 - 1896 -- closely competitive system 4. 1896 - 1929 -- Republican dominance 5. 1930's and 1940's -- Democratic dominance 6. 1950's and 1960's -- mixed and competetive 7. 1970's to the present -- neither party dominates D. The Modern Era Versus the golden Age 1. Influence of machines, bosses and patronage. 2. Political Party Services in exchange for votes E. Party Endurance? 1. The Government now does many of the things the party used to do. 2. Party power had decreased through a. direct primary b. civil service laws c. Issue-oriented politics d. Influence of Media especially TV e. The rise of political consultants -- spin doctors etc. F. Change within the parties may enable them to endure II THE ROLES OF THE AMERICAN PARTIES A. Mobilizing Support and Gathering Power B. A Force for Stability C. Unity, Linkage, Accountability D. The Electioneering Function E. Party as a Voting and Issue Cue F. Policy Formulation and Promotion III ONE-PARTYISM AND THIRD-PARTYISM A. Minor Parties: Third Partyism - Not a threat to the two major parties 1. 2000 - Ralph Nader and the Green Party 2. 1996 and 1992: Ross Perot's Reform Party 3. 1968 --George Wallace and the American Independent Party 4. 1924: Robert LaFollette's Progressive Party 5. 1912: Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party 6. 1856: Millard Fillmore's American Party B. Causes of the Third Party 1. sectionalism -- Dixiecrats in 1948 2. economic protest -- Populists in 1892 3. specific issues -- Green Party and the environment 4. ideology -- Socialists, Communists, Libertarians 5. charismatic personalities -- George Wallace's American Independent Party 6. failures of the major parties -- Ross Perot arose out of the major parties' failures C. Third Parties Tend to Remain Minor Because ... 1. Institutional Reasons a. "single-member plurality" b. state practice of automatically allowing the two major parties a place on the ballot c. state and national legislatures organized on basis of two party system d. campaign funding goes mostly to two major parties e. media ignores minor parties since they are thought of as "non-winners" 2. Other Reasons a. dualist theory states that there is a binary nature to American Politics b. we have non-ideological, centrist politics 3. Third Parties play a role in politics since they popularize new ideas, serve as vehicles of popular discontent, induce change in the major parties, help to realign the major parties and allow expression of discontent and opposition. D. The Basic structure of American Political Parties 1. National Committees (DNC); (RNC) 2. Leadership -- Party chairpersons and their selections 3. National Conventions -- Every four years, put together by the National Committee 4. States and Localities -- structurally based and state and local levels 5. Informal Groups -- Parties are supplemented by other groups, PAC's etc. E. The Party in Government 1. Congressional Party 2. Presidential Party 3. Parties and the Judiciary 4. Parties and State Government F. The Modern Transformation of Party Organization 1. Republican Strengths a. party staff b. voter contact c. polling d. media advertising e. campaign staff training and research 2. Democratic Party Gains a. The Party-In-The-Electiorate b. Party Identification c. Declining Loyalty . group affiliation . geographic region . gender . race and ethnicity . age . religion . marital status . ideology www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/psusp.html#party www.democrats.org/index.html www.rnc.org TEST - ??? |
 |
 |
| SOME GOOD WEB SITES |
 |
 |