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Unit 2 Political Behavior: Government by the People

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Unit 2 Political Behavior: Government by the People Unit 2 Political Behavior: Government by the People Chapter 5 Political Parties Page 116 The main purpose of the major political parties is to control government by winning election to public office. Political Party – a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. Major Parties – Democrat and Republican parties. What do political parties do? 1. Nominate candidates 2. Inform and activate supporters 3. Acts as a bonding agent 4. Governing 5. Acts as watchdog Nominating Candidates The biggest duty of a political party is to nominate, or name, candidates for public office. The parties help select candidates then present them to the public for election. Informing and Activating Supporters A party tries to shape positions that it takes in order to attract as many voters as possible while offending the fewest voters as possible. Parties use pamphlets, signs, buttons, stickers, media like the Internet and television, speeches, rallies, conventions and other means. The Bonding Agent Function In the business world, a bond is an agreement which works to protect a person or a company against loss caused by a third party. A political party acts as a bonding agent to ensure the good performance of its candidates and officeholders. Governing The government of the US works along party lines. Public officeholders are chosen on the basis of party, and the pretty much do what their party wants while in office. Partisanship-the strong support of a party and its policy stands. Acting as Watchdog Parties act as watchdogs when it comes to overseeing the conduct of the public’s business. The party out of power tends to really watch the party in power like a hawk. Party in power – the party that controls the executive branch of the government People run all the time on a third party ticket or as independents. For example, Earl dodge ran as the presidential candidate for the Prohibition Party in 1084, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. Minor Party – a political party without wide voter support. Two-Party System – Two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, dominate American politics. Why does the United States have a two-party system? 1. The Historical Basis 2. The Force of Tradition 3. The Electoral System 4. The American Ideological Consensus The Historical Basis The Framers of the Constitution were opposed to a political party system. However, when the fight to get the Constitution ratified occurred, two sides formed over the issue: the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. This formed the first two American parties: the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Anti- Federalists led by Thomas Jefferson. The country started with a two-party system. The Force of Tradition Most Americans accept the two-party system because that’s the way it has always been. Tradition runs deeply in human culture. Most Americans resist supporting a minor, independent, or third party because they see that support as a waste of their vote. The Electoral System 270 votes needed to win… The Electoral System The system itself tends to support the existence of two major parties. Single-Member Districts – only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot. They are winner-take-all elections. Plurality – the largest number of votes cast. Single-Member Districts work toward Note that a single-member district can be won promoting the two- with a plurality…not a majority of the vote. party system. The Electoral System Another reason why the two-party system is so firmly entrenched is the two parties write the rulebook about they system. Bipartisan – the two major parties find common ground and work together. Republicans and Democrats act in a bipartisan way in writing election law. The American Ideological Consensus Normally, American people share many of the same ideals, basic principles, and patterns of belief. Pluralistic Society – a society consisting of several distinct cultures and groups. The United States is a pluralistic society. Despite all the differences, there normally is consensus – a general agreement among various groups. The United States. This consensus is a major reason why the two-party system has longevity in the US. Multiparty Systems There are those that would like to see the United States adopt a multiparty system like European and other world democracies have. Multiparty – a system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win public offices. Coalition – a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government. Multiparty systems can be instability in government if there is not a clear winning party. Hence, there is a need for coalitions. One-Party System Dictatorships allow only one political party. With this in mind, a one-party system is in reality a no-party system. Why do individuals identify with a political party? • Family • Major events like the Great Depression. • Economic status • Level of education • Place of residence History of the Two-Party System The beginnings of the US two-party system goes back to the organizations formed to ratify or oppose the Constitution. The first two parties were the Federalists—led by Alexander Hamilton. These were “the rich and the well-born” who supported the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists were led by Thomas Jefferson and were sympathetic to the “common man.” What are the four major eras of American Parties? 1. The Era of the Democrats, 1800- 1860. 2. The Era of the Republicans, 1860- 1932 3. The Return of the Democrats, 1932- 1968 4. A Mixed Era, 1968 to Present The election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 marks the beginning of the Era of the Democrats, 1800-1860. The party at first was known as the Democratic-Republicans, and they were often unopposed in national elections. Three changes by the Jackson In the mid-1820s, the party split Administration: into factions – conflicting groups. • Voting rights for all white males • A huge increase in the number of elected offices in America • The spread of the spoils system The only competition the Democratic party had was the Whig Party led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. They did manage to get two presidents elected who were war heroes: William Henry Harrison in 1840 and Zachary Taylor in 1848. The Republican Party was born from Whigs and anti- In the 1850s, the growing outcry against slavery Democrats. The slavery split both major parties. The Republicans won their second Whigs fell apart and the Democrats split election in 1860, becoming into two camps: North and South. the only party to go from minor party to major party. The Era of the Republicans, 1860- 1932 The Civil War was the beginning of the Era of the Republicans. The really key election was in 1896 when William McKinley beat William Jennings Bryan was able to William Jennings Bryan. The stop the sectionalism that was Republicans drew a huge response plaguing the country. Sectionalism- from the electorate-the people a devotion to the interests of a eligible to vote. particular region. The Return of the Democrats, 1932- 1968 The Great Depression, which began in 1929, ushered in the Return of the Democrats. The only two elections Franklin Roosevelt was elected in 1932, the Republicans won 1936, 1940, and 1944. World War II and were both taken by the Great Depression combined made World War II war hero Roosevelt feel the need to run for Dwight David Eisenhower reelection. in 1952 and 1956. The Start of a New Era, 1968 - ??? In 1968, Richard Nixon won the election for the Republicans. Nixon routed Senator McGovern in 1972, but his presidency fell apart with the Watergate Scandal. • Gerald Ford R • Jimmy Carter D • Ronald Reagan R • George Bush R • Bill Clinton D • George Bush R • Barack Obama D Minor Parties in the United States Libertarian, Reform, Socialist, Prohibition, Natural Law, Communist, American Independent, Green, Constitution. What are the four types of Minor • Single-Issue Parties-focus on parties in the US? only one public-policy matter. • Economic Protest Parties-these • Ideological Parties-based on a parties appear in periods of particular set of beliefs. economic discontent What are the four types of Minor parties in the US? • Splinter Parties-parties that have split away from one of the major parties. Why are minor parties important? • Affects change-the Anti-Masons were the first party to use a national convention to nominate a candidate. • Impacts election outcomes (spoiler role)-turn to page 135 in the book • Helps draw attention to issues Party Organization Most people think the Democrats and Republicans are highly organized parties. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Neither party has an effective organization linking the national level to the state, county, or precinct levels. Usually, the most organized and united party is the one with a president seated in the White House. The President is automatically the party leader. The other party has no one with the same level of power as the president. What is the root reason why political parties are not centralized? Federalism is the chief reason. There are over 500,000 elective offices in the U.S., and these offices are widely spread through the national, state, and Because the government system is highly local levels. fragmented, so too are the major parties that serve the government system. Give another reason why parties are fragmented. The Role of the Nominating Process In fighting for their Party’s nomination, candidates and their supporters attack one another viciously, often making the process highly divisive. Normally, Republicans battle Republicans and Democrats battle Democrats during the nomination process.
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