Politics and YouPolitics and You

Positions, Platforms, Positions, Platforms, Ideologies, and PartiesIdeologies, and Parties

What Is a Party?What Is a Party?

• AA political partypolitical party is a group of persons is a group of persons who seek to control government by who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office.winning elections and holding office.

• The two The two major partiesmajor parties in American in American politics are the politics are the RepublicanRepublican and and DemocraticDemocratic parties.parties.

• Parties can be principle-oriented, issue-Parties can be principle-oriented, issue-oriented, or election-oriented. The oriented, or election-oriented. The American parties are American parties are election-orientedelection-oriented..

What Do Parties Do? What Do Parties Do? 1.1. Parties pick candidatesParties pick candidates

2.2. Parties run campaignsParties run campaigns

3.3. Parties give cues to votersParties give cues to voters

4.4. Parties articulate policiesParties articulate policies

5.5. Parties coordinate policymakingParties coordinate policymaking

Importance of Parties: Importance of Parties: Major mechanisms behind the development of broad policy and leadership Major mechanisms behind the development of broad policy and leadership

policies; medium for public optionspolicies; medium for public options Link between the governed and those who govern; will of people is made Link between the governed and those who govern; will of people is made

known to government and government held accountableknown to government and government held accountable Promote compromise, blunt conflict, help to unify rather than divide?Promote compromise, blunt conflict, help to unify rather than divide?

Factors that can influence party membership:Factors that can influence party membership:Party Membership PatternsParty Membership Patterns

Family Nearly 2/3rd of Americans follow

the party allegiance of their parents

Minorities more likely to vote Democrat

White males more likely to vote Republican

Major events Great Depression, Vietnam War 9/11, War in Iraq

Economic Status Generalizations risky Higher incomes more likely

Republicans Lower incomes tend to be

Democrats

Religion Majority of Protestants are

Republican Majority of Catholics, Jews

Democrat

Occupation Business community more likely

Republican Union members more likely

Democrat

Age Teenagers more likely to have liberal

views? Adults more likely conservative?

Political Party ContactsPolitical Party Contacts Major Political PartiesMajor Political Parties

Republican PartyRepublican Party www.rnc.orgwww.rnc.org General PlatformGeneral Platform: Lower taxes, socially conservative, : Lower taxes, socially conservative,

smaller government, moral issues, free market, smaller government, moral issues, free market, personal responsibilitypersonal responsibility

Government should play more of a role in Government should play more of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should not play as personal/social/moral issues and should not play as much of a role in economic issuesmuch of a role in economic issues

Democratic PartyDemocratic Party www.democrats.orgwww.democrats.org General PlatformGeneral Platform: Civil liberties, social freedoms, : Civil liberties, social freedoms,

equal rights, equal opportunity, fiscal responsibility, equal rights, equal opportunity, fiscal responsibility, larger government, safety-netlarger government, safety-net

Government should not play as much of a role in Government should not play as much of a role in personal/social/moral issues and should play more of personal/social/moral issues and should play more of a role in economic issuesa role in economic issues

Minor Parties in the United StatesMinor Parties in the United States

Significant Minor PartiesSignificant Minor Parties Libertarian PartyLibertarian Party

www.lp.orgwww.lp.org Stresses individual liberty; opposes Stresses individual liberty; opposes

taxes, foreign involvements, taxes, foreign involvements, government intrusion into private government intrusion into private liveslives

Reform PartyReform Party www.reformparty.orgwww.reformparty.org Advocates trade agreements to Advocates trade agreements to

protect American jobs, balanced protect American jobs, balanced budget, tax and electoral reforms, budget, tax and electoral reforms, term limitsterm limits

Constitution PartyConstitution Party www.constitutionparty.orgwww.constitutionparty.org Anti-tax party; strongly pro-life; pro-Anti-tax party; strongly pro-life; pro-

school prayer; opposes gun control, school prayer; opposes gun control, immigration, free trade, UN, gay immigration, free trade, UN, gay rightsrights

Communist Party USACommunist Party USA www.cpusa.orgwww.cpusa.org Promotes Communist ideology; seeks Promotes Communist ideology; seeks

complete restructuring of American complete restructuring of American political and economic institutionspolitical and economic institutions

Natural Law PartyNatural Law Party www.natural-law.orgwww.natural-law.org Natural law is supreme organizing Natural law is supreme organizing

priniciple; Preventions compared to priniciple; Preventions compared to reactions; lower taxes but keep reactions; lower taxes but keep services; “Bring the light of science services; “Bring the light of science into politics.”into politics.”

America First PartyAmerica First Party www.americafirstparty.orgwww.americafirstparty.org Splinter from Reform Party; Splinter from Reform Party;

promotes Christian beliefs, and promotes Christian beliefs, and originalist interpretation of the originalist interpretation of the Constitution; opposes Constitution; opposes immigration, free trade, UNimmigration, free trade, UN

Green Party of the United StatesGreen Party of the United States www.gp.orgwww.gp.org Committed to “environmentalism, Committed to “environmentalism,

nonviolence, social justice, and nonviolence, social justice, and grass-roots democracy.”grass-roots democracy.”

Socialist Labor PartySocialist Labor Party www.slp.orgwww.slp.org Marxist party; seeks “a classless Marxist party; seeks “a classless

society based on collectivist society based on collectivist ownership of industries and social ownership of industries and social services.”services.”

Socialist Party USASocialist Party USA www.sp-usa.orgwww.sp-usa.org Staunchly anti-Communist; Staunchly anti-Communist;

advocates democratic socialism; advocates democratic socialism; seeks “a non-racist, classless, seeks “a non-racist, classless, feminist, socialist society.”feminist, socialist society.”

Why Minor Parties Are Why Minor Parties Are ImportantImportant

Minor parties play several important Minor parties play several important roles:roles:

““Spoiler Role”Spoiler Role” Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of

the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.candidate is from a splinter party.

CriticCritic Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands

on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.parties would prefer to ignore.

InnovatorInnovator Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and

propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.the two major parties.

Political IdeologyPolitical Ideology

System of beliefs in which one or more System of beliefs in which one or more general organizing principles connect general organizing principles connect your views on a wide range of your views on a wide range of particular issuesparticular issues

Political ideologies have two Political ideologies have two dimensions:dimensions: GoalsGoals: How society should work (or be : How society should work (or be

arranged). arranged). MethodsMethods: The most appropriate ways to : The most appropriate ways to

achieve the ideal arrangement.achieve the ideal arrangement.

Psychological FactorsPsychological Factors

Party Party IdentificationIdentification

The loyalty of people to The loyalty of people to a particular political a particular political party is the single most party is the single most significant and lasting significant and lasting predictor of how a predictor of how a person will vote.person will vote.

Candidates and Candidates and IssuesIssues

Candidates and issues are two Candidates and issues are two short-term factors that can short-term factors that can influence even the most loyal influence even the most loyal Democrat or Republican. Democrat or Republican. People may vote out of their People may vote out of their chosen party if they dislike a chosen party if they dislike a candidate or the party’s stand candidate or the party’s stand on a particular issue.on a particular issue.

Voters’ perceptions of their party, the candidates, and the issues

significantly affects their voting.

Sociological FactorsSociological Factors

Income and Occupation

Education

Gender and Age

Religious and

Ethnic Background

Geography

Family and Other

Groups

Voter preferences can’t be predicted by just one sociological factor. Voter opinion is a combination of all of these factors

and more.

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Rational Choice TheoryRational Choice Theory Popular theory in political science Popular theory in political science

explaining actions of voters and politiciansexplaining actions of voters and politicians It assumes that individuals act in their own It assumes that individuals act in their own

best interest, carefully weighing the costs best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternativesand benefits of possible alternatives

Agree?Agree? Opposing thought- Opposing thought- What’s A Matter With What’s A Matter With

Kansas?Kansas? By Thomas Frank By Thomas Frank Vote for issues that actually hurt own’s interest Vote for issues that actually hurt own’s interest

because of other issues that are moral/values because of other issues that are moral/values basedbased

Typology- Beyond Red Typology- Beyond Red and Blueand Blue

Enterpriser- Individuals responsible for own well-Enterpriser- Individuals responsible for own well-beingbeing

Social Conservatives- Moral, religious basedSocial Conservatives- Moral, religious based Pro Government- Religious, populist economicsPro Government- Religious, populist economics Upbeats- Favorable views on governmentUpbeats- Favorable views on government Disaffecteds- cynical, unsatisfied; oppose Disaffecteds- cynical, unsatisfied; oppose

immigration, immigration, environmental policiesimmigration, immigration, environmental policies Conservative Democrats- Oppose gay marriage, Conservative Democrats- Oppose gay marriage,

morality, oppose war, want social “safety net”morality, oppose war, want social “safety net” Disadvantaged Democrats- Anti-business, help societyDisadvantaged Democrats- Anti-business, help society Liberals-Liberals- Bystanders- choose not to participate or pay attentionBystanders- choose not to participate or pay attention

The Political SpectrumThe Political SpectrumPeople who have similar opinions on political issues are generally grouped according to whether they are “left,”

“right,” or “center” on the political spectrum.

Liberalism and Liberalism and ConservatismConservatism

LiberalismLiberalism Political current Political current

embracing embracing ideologies that ideologies that promote changepromote change

Promote social and Promote social and economic economic equality/equityequality/equity

Individuals should Individuals should have freedom of have freedom of choicechoice

ConservatismConservatism Political philosophy Political philosophy

embracing embracing ideologies that ideologies that oppose changeoppose change

Reject the Reject the proposition “Change proposition “Change is good in itself”is good in itself”

Set of traditional Set of traditional values that the values that the government should government should protectprotect

Politics and You?Politics and You?

Do people vote and/or make Do people vote and/or make decisions:decisions: Based on Party affiliation?Based on Party affiliation? Based on individual issues?Based on individual issues? Based on political ideology?Based on political ideology? Combination of the three?Combination of the three?

What about you?What about you?

Political Participation Political Participation and Awareness in and Awareness in

AmericaAmerica