warm-ups (10/12/07) create unit iv cover page title: political parties, nominations, & elections...
TRANSCRIPT
Warm-Ups (10/12/07)
• Create Unit IV Cover Page• Title: Political Parties, Nominations, &
Elections• Chapters: 5-7• Don’t forget Pictures• Goes on the RIGHT SIDE – after the Unit III
Review
5.1 – Parties & What They Do
• What is a Political Party?•A group of persons who seek to
control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office
•Major Parties: Republican & Democratic Parties
Parties & What They Do
• Political Party Functions• Nominating Candidates• Informing & Activating Supporters• “Bonding Agent”: Insurance on a good
performance of its candidates/officeholders
• Governing: Most officials are chosen for their party – allegiance to a political party is the basis for government action
• Acting as “Watchdog”
5.2 – The Two-Party System
• Why a Two-Party System?•Historical Basis (1st Political Parties:
Federalists v. Anti-Federalists)•The Force of Tradition: Americans
accept the idea of a two-party system simply b/c there has always been one
The Two-Party System
• The Electoral System• Promotes the existence of only two parties• Winner-take-all elections (Plurality: candidate with
the largest number of votes wins, not majority)• Bipartisan: 2 parties work together to find a
common ground
• The American Ideological Consensus• Pluralistic Society: one consisting of several
cultures and groups• Consensus: a general agreement among various
groups• Both major parties are very much alike – moderate or
“middle of the road”
The Two Party System
• Other Political Systems•Multiparty System: when several
major/minor parties compete for public offices•Don’t always produce a broader, more
diverse representation of the population
•One-Party System•“no party” system - dictatorship
5.3 – The Two-Party System in American History
• The Nation’s 1st Parties•Federalist v. Anti-Federalists: formed
from the debate over the ratification of the Constitution
•Anti-Federalists later become Jeffersonian Republicans, Democratic Republicans, and then the Democratic Party
Two-Party System in American History
• American Parties: Four Major Eras•The Era of the Democrats, 1800-1860
•How they came to power: Thomas Jefferson defeated the Federalists (never return)
•Who led the party: Thomas Jefferson•Why they lost power: Slavery – This
issue split the Democratic Party, allowing the Republicans to win
Two-Party System in American History
•The Era of the Republicans, 1860-1932•How they came to power: The Civil
War/Lincoln’s Election•Who led the party: Abraham Lincoln•Why they lost power: Former President
Teddy Roosevelt was denied the nomination of the Republican Party. He formed the “Bull Moose” Progressive Party. This divided the Republican Party, allowing the Democrats to win the election
Two-Party System in American History
• The Return of the Democrats, 1932-1968• How they came to power: The Great Depression• Who led the Party: Franklin D. Roosevelt• Why they lost power: Democratic Party was torn
apart by conflicts over the war in Vietnam, civil rights, and a variety of social welfare issues
• Era of Divided Government, 1968-Present• Republicans have won 6 of 9 Presidential
Elections• Democrats have controlled Congress over much
of the current period
5.4 – The Minor Parties
• Types of Third Parties• Ideological Parties: based on a particular
set of beliefs (Ex. Socialist Party)• Single-Issue Parties: concentrates on
only one public-policy matter (Ex. “Know-Nothing” Party – anti-immigration or Prohibition Party)
• Economic Protest Parties: rooted in periods of economic discontent (Ex. Populist Party – appealed to struggling farmers)
• Splinter Parties: those that have split away from one of the major parties (Ex. “Bull Moose” Progressive Party)
The Minor Parties
• Role of Third Parties•“Spoiler Role”: It can pull votes form
one of the major parties (allowing them not to win a majority)
•Draw attention to issues that major parties prefer to ignore
•Examples: Green Party, Constitution Party, & Reform Party
5.5 – Party Organization
• Future of Political Parties• Most people see Political Parties as “necessary
evils”• Why has there been a decline in political
parties?• Drop in number of voters who will identify
themselves as one party – Many people identify as an “Independent”
• Split-Ticket Voting: voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election
• Changes in technology allow the candidates to speak directly to the voters (Ex. YouTube)
• Growth of single-issue organizations