Political Parties
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Political Parties Chapter 4 Learning Objectives 4.1 Describe the structure of political parties in Texas, distinguishing between the temporary party structure and the permanent party structure. 4.2 Compare and contrast the different political ideologies Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All 2 rights reserved.found in the Lone Star State. 4.3 Trace the history of political parties in Texas. 4.4 Identify electoral trends in Texas, including the roles of dealigned voters, minor parties, and independent candidates. Party Structure § Political party § Two-party system- An organization influenced by political ideology whose primary interest is to gain control of government by winning elections § Interest groups tend to focus on influencing governmental policies § Democrat and Republican § 3 Party Structure § Political party § Third party candidates have little chance § State election laws make the process of getting on the ballot complex for third parties. Have to get 1% of vote of the past governor election (49,000) § Third-party candidates have little chance of winning an election by defeating the two major-party nominees 4 Party Structure § Political party § In addition to making it harder for third party candidtates, there is a requirement that the winner of the general election held in November of even-numbered years to be the candidate who receives the largest number of votes (plurality) 5 Party Structure § Political party § Hierarchy- Business with a chain of command that makes each level directly accountable to the level above it § Political parties organized as a stratarchy- power is diffused among and within levels of party organization § State and local party organizations are free to decide their positions on party and policy issues § Encouraged to support national party policies 6 Party Structure § Temporary Party Organization § Overall § Primaries and conventions § Function briefly to nominate candidates, pass resolutions, adopt a party platform and select delegates to party conventions at higher levels 7 Party Structure § Temporary Party Organization § Precinct Conventions § Occur every even-numbered year on first Tuesday in March (1-2 hours) § Held immediately after polls close on primary election day/first step in process § Any citizen who voted in primary can attend § Usually sparsely attended 8 Party Structure § Temporary Party Organization § Precinct Conventions (cont) § Elect delegates to county or district convention § Adopt resolutions to be sent to county or district convention § The party's nominees for the general election are selected(earlier that day voters in the party primary selected through their voting) 9 Party Structure § Temporary Party Organization § County and District Conventions § Occur third Saturday after primary elections (1 day; Saturday) § Elect delegates to state conventions § Adopt resolutions to be sent to sent convention § Main business is to elect delegates for the state convention § Some counties (Harris) have more than one state senator and so they call it a district 10 convention Party Structure § Temporary Party Organization § State Conventions § Held in June of even-numbered years (2-3 days) § Certify party members nominated in primaries § Draft and adopt party platform § Select party’s state executive committee (perm) § Elect delegates to national presidential nominating convention § Elect slate of potential presidential electors to 11 cast state’s electoral votes (38) Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § Select State Chair and Vice Chair § One man and one woman. Elected by delegates to state convention (temporary party organization) 12 Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § State chair works with state executive committee to recruit candidates for statewide and district offices, plans statewide strategies and raise funds for the party at the state level § The state executive committee of each party must canvass (count) statewide primary returns and certify the 13 nomination of party candidates Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § Chair to have fund raising and administrative skills (Steve Munisteri ( R) and Gilberto Hinojasa (D § State Executive Committee § One man, one woman from each of the state's 31 senatorial districts Elected by delegates to state convention 14 Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § County Chair (Harris) § Elected by voters countywide in primary election § May be elected by write-in vote § County Executive Committee § County chair and precinct chairs 15 Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § Precinct Chair (2 years) § Responsible for the interests and activities of a political party in a voting district; voter registration, distributing campaign literature, operating phone banks, and getting out the vote on Election Day § Elected by voters in the precinct in primary election § May be elected by write-in vote 16 Party Structure § Permanent Party Organization § Precinct chair (cont) § Serves on the county executive committee. § Many of the positions go unfilled in more populous counties; Democrats and Republicans each filled chairs in only slightly more than half of the 1000 precincts in Harris County 17 Texas Political Party Organization Critical Thinking Question: In what ways does the structure of political parties in Texas encourage participation in partisan politics? In what ways does it discourage participation? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All 18 rights reserved. Party Structure § Selection of National Convention Delegates § Presidential preference primary- A primary in which the voters indicate their preference for a person seeking nomination as the party's presidential candidate(Rep/Dem) § Caucus- A meeting at which members of a political party assemble to select delegates and make other policy recommendations at the precinct, county, or state senatorial 19 district and state level (Iowa)(Rep/Dem) Party Structure § Selection of National Convention Delegates § Democratic selection § “Texas Two Step”-presidential preference primary and presidential candidates are awarded delegates to local and state conventions in proportion to the number of their supporters in attendance (precinct meetings at 7 pm)(Caucus togher)Superdelegate- An unpledged party official or elected official who serves as a delegate to a party's national convention 20 Party Structure § Selection of National Convention Delegates § Republican selection § Presidential preference primary- A primary in which the voters indicate their preferences for a person seeking nomination as the party's presidential candidate (similar to general election) § Receive national delegates in proportion to the votes § Used to be winner take all (plurality) and in some21 other states still the case Party Structure § Selection of National Convention Delegates § Learning check: Difference between permanent and temporary party organizations § Permanent Recruit candidates, devise strategies, raise funds, distribute candidate literature and information, (register voters and turn out and turn out voters on Election Day; precinct chairman). § Temporary-primaries and conventions in which members select candidates for public office 22 Texas state senator Wendy Davis, shakes hands with Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, after participating in the Rio Grande Valley Gubernatorial Debate in Edinburg, Texas on September 19, 2014. This was the first of two scheduled debates between the two candidates. On November 4, 2014, Critical Thinking Question: Abbott won the election. How might a candidate debate persuade voters? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All 23 rights reserved. Political Ideology § Conservatism § Prefer social/economic systems that have minimal intervention by government. Too much regulation or unnecessary regulation can hamper business expansion/jobs § Equitable distribution of wealth is achieved through the free market system and not punishing productivity (take from Peter to pay Paul) 24 Political Ideology § Conservatism § Believe in government assistance to people who are disabled, dependent children, and the elderly but not to individuals who are able to be employed § Fiscal and social conservatives- Fiscal more concerned with business expansion; social more concerned with abortion, traditional views of marriage25 Political Ideology § Conservatism § Neoconservatism- A political ideology that reflects fiscal conservatism but accepts a limited governmental role in solving social problems § Tea Party-scope of government have grown out of control. 3400 local groups § Very influential in directing policy at the national level 26 § Mixed success with elections Cornyn/Cruz Political Ideology § Liberalism § Favor government regulation of economy § Government obligated to aid unemployed, alleviate poverty (conservatives believe poverty best relieved by jobs), guarantee equal rights (conservatives ;equality of opportunity instead of equality of outcomes) 27 § Political Ideology § Liberalism § Protects individual freedoms and rights: abortion but not with school choice and choice in different health plans § Neoliberal – A political ideology that advocates less movement regulation of business but supports more governmental involvement in social matters ( Democrat Texans more aligned with this than LearningDemocrats Check of other states) 28 Political Ideology § Both Texas liberals and conservatives are often ideologically inconsistent § Some Democrats who are pro life and some Republicans are pro choice § Democrats-oppose to 10 commandments posted