Groups that seek to control government throughwinning elections and holding public office

Group of people who seek to control government through winning elections and holding public office

Made up of people committed to a common set of beliefs, ideals, policies or programs

Democrats and Republicans: Parties that are election oriented rather than issue oriented

Republicans and DemocratsDominant parties in the U.S.

The “Big Tent” Concept: Because all voters are theoretically

represented by only two parties each party needs a “Big Tent” to accommodate all members beliefs

Nominating: Name candidates to run for elective offices Provide money to candidates running for office. Help

raise money

Bonding: Gives the seal of approval to candidates

Informing: Mobilize citizens to vote and participate in elections

▪ Create a PLATFORM that explains stance on issues

▪ Provide Cues to Voters on who or what to vote for

Governing: Bear the responsibility of operating government once in power

Watchdog: Providing organized opposition to the incumbents (party in power)

Partisanship: support your party. Bash the other party

The oldest political party in the U.S. Symbol is the donkeyConsidered the more liberal partyBelieves in stronger federal government

Believes in more individual control over personal behavior

Tends to focus spending on social programs

Discourages big businessPro-UnionAppeals to people in cities, labor, minority groups

Symbol is the elephantConsidered the more conservative party

Believes in stronger state government

Tends to focus on cutting taxesFavors big business and ownersBelieves in personal responsibility and individualism

Tends to to well in Midwest, South, rural, and suburban areas

History - started out that way - factions

Tradition - there has always been one since after George WashingtonFederalists (Madison and Hamilton) vs Anti-Federalists (Jefferson et al)Federalists wanted strong central government

Anti-Federalists did not trust a strong central governmenthttp://

nak247.glogster.com/federalist-vs-anti-federalist/

Two parties start to look alikeSimilar feelings about broad issues of the day

Keeps either party from getting too radicalMust moderate, compromise, strive to get votes

Republicans were once the liberal party1860s – Abraham Lincoln - Republican (Abolitionist) party

Democrats were the conservatives until 1920s - 30s

1800-1860 – Era of Democratic DominationFarmers, debtors, pioneers help Dems stay in office1860-1932 – Era of Republicans

Northern & Western Farmers, Businessmen, abolitionists and African Americans help Republicans stay in office

Southern states solidly DemocratThe Democratic Revolution: 1932-1969

FDR builds new coalition of DemocratsBased on south, small farmers, labor

unions,minorities, big cities politics – i.e. those most hurt by the Depression

NEW DEAL: Major shift in how we see the role of govt.

•President is the visible leader of his party•Party out of power does not have as visible a leader to turn to.

•Parties are decentralized. • Run by local organizations• Each has a National Committee to try to organize / coordinate party functions• National Chairperson runs the national committee• Congressional Campaign Committees try to increase number of party’s reps in Congress•Third parties rarely have $ to organize this well. Thus, they do not last long.

Those that do not represent the Republican or Democratic parties, but still have a major impact on elections. Can take votes away from the major parties. (Spoiler Role)

May force the candidates of the two major parties to address new issues.

▪ When issues raised by third parties become popular, the other two parties tend to adopt them into their own platforms

Candidates run campaigns to try to get elected to office. Presidential campaigns start about a year before the election▪ Primary campaigns – like a playoff system to weed out candidates▪ Intra-party elections (Democrats can only vote for Democrats etc)▪ Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally go first▪ Different states hold primaries on different days▪ Candidates do a HUGE amount of traveling and speaking during campaigns

Supported by political parties Propaganda often a part of campaigns Winner of most primaries gets the Nomination at a National Convention

•Many parties can have candidates•Percent of vote for party gives that party a percent of representatives

•Get 15% of vote, Get 15% of seats in ParliamentAdvantages Broader representation

More responsive to the will of the people

Disadvantages No party with majority support

Instability Formation of coalitions (temporary alliances)

Party A got 15% of the vote so gets 15% of the seatsParty B got 25% of the vote so gets 25% of the seatsParty C got 45% of the vote so gets 45% of the seatsParty D got 12% of the vote so gets 12% of the seatsParty D got 3% of the vote so gets 3% of the seats

• Just Plain Folks – A candidate tries to convince voters that he or she is a regular person - “just like you”

• Mud-slinging –Meant to make a candidate’s opponent sound dangerous or bad

http://electionkatz.wikispaces.com/Propaganda

• Testimonial - A well-known or famous person supports a candidate

• Symbols (Transfer) – A candidate’s name or picture is linked with something we like and admire

Glittering Generalities – Words that sound

good, but don’t really mean much

• Bandwagon – Telling voters that they should support a candidate because “everyone else is doing it”

15th Amendment – removed racial barriers to voting – though southern states found other ways to curtail voting by African-Americans

19th Amendment – Women’s suffrage

26th Amendment – Voting age 18

Requirements to Vote Be an American citizen At least 18 years old Be a legal resident of the state in which you are voting

Can you be barred from voting?▪ Yes: Those with dishonorable discharges, in mental institutions, convicts etc can be banned

•After Primaries, each party holds a convention to nominate candidate for President

•Conventions used to have MUCH more significance•Were once the place where candidates were selected regardless of what happened in primaries•Where party platform is unveiled

Presidential Elections Tuesday after the first Monday in November

Electoral System Candidates elected by “electors”

▪ 1 elector for each representative and senator

People vote (the “Popular Vote) to tell electors who to vote for

All or Nothing System.▪ You win a state by one popular vote, you get ALL of the electoral votes

▪ Need 270 electoral votes to win presidency

Who Won?

Sure – but our third parties rarely get any votes

Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004

Any political Any political partyparty

organized in atorganized in atleast a few least a few states,states,

other than the other than the twotwo

current leadingcurrent leadingpartiesparties

Jesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota, 1999-2003

No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency

Only eight third party candidates have won any electoral votes

Only five, including Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of the popular vote

Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties

Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

Example: Prohibition Party in 1892Also, Right to Life, Free Soil

parties

Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892

Rooted in periods of economic discontent.Sectional (ie Populist, Greenback parties)

Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party split from Republicans in 1912 – formed around strong personality

Though very rare, a third party may replace one of the major parties 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party

Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858

“The electoral progress of third parties is in

direct proportion to the failure of the two

major parties to incorporate new ideas.”

Ralph Nader and the Green Party in 2000

Ralph Nader Math Problem2004 Presidential Election

Third Parties have influence Major parties often take on the ideas of third parties

In 1992, both the Republican and Democratic Parties took on Perot’s reform government ideas about reducing the deficit

Make major parties answer questions

George Bush (Republican), Ross Perot (Reform), & Bill Clinton

(Democrat) during 1992 Presidential debate

William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for

President, 1896

Once the major Once the major parties parties incorporate their incorporate their ideas, third ideas, third parties burn outparties burn out

Populist Party Populist Party platform was platform was assimilated into assimilated into the Democratic the Democratic Party in 1896Party in 1896

Does what you have read make it difficult for 3rd parties to be successful?

If so, how?

On your own piece of paper, answer the following questions:

Does our system favor a 2-party system? Why or why not?

Is the process 3rd party candidates have to go through fair? Is it effective?

Is it possible for a 3rd party candidate’s campaign to be successful?