Abhi VarmaPeriod 5

Chapters 9 & 10 Study Guide

CHAPTER 9 – POLITICAL PARTIESEarly political parties in American history

Founder’s views?o Disliked parties; viewed them as factions to serve self-interests

What parties existed? What issues?o Federalists: manufacturing, strong central govt., wealthy elite rule (Hamilton)o Republicans: agriculture, strong state govt., common man rule (Jefferson)

Realignment – What is it? How many “realignment periods” have there been? Why did they happen?

Realignment: shift in voter alignment and/or values of political parties 5 realignments

o 1800 – Jeffersonian Republicans defeat Federalistso 1828 – Jacksonian Democrats come to powero 1860 – Whigs collapse, Lincoln electedo 1896 – Republicans defeat William Jennings Bryano 1932 – Democrats come to office under FDR

Straight-ticket vs. Split-ticket voting – Where in the U.S. does it happen? Split-ticket in south

National Party Committee – What do they do? Manages affairs between conventions

Congressional Campaign Committee – What do they do? Supports party’s congressional candidates

Plurality system (winner-take-all) vs. Two-Party SystemDifferent Opinions – Liberal (Democrat) vs. Conservative (Republican)Ideological parties

Principal issues more valuable than actual voteEconomic Protest parties

Protest economic issues (wages)One-issue parties

Address one concern, avoid other issues (GreenFactional partiesThird Parties and Smaller Parties

Challenges Recent Independent Presidential Candidates

Political Party MachinesLabor Union influence on political partiesWhich demographic groups support which political parties?

CHAPTER 10 – ELECTIONS“Motor Voter” Bill (1993)

Registration completed as bipartisan mainstainshoopPurpose of current voter registration procedures (ballot stuffing?)

Voting demographics – How do these factors affect voter participation Age – Gender – Ethnicity – Income – Political Party Identification

Voter registration & participation in Europe vs. USANominating Presidential Candidates

Direct primary elections (current) vs. Caucuses (semi-current) vs. Convention system (old)

Front-loading state primaries McGovern-Fraser Commission “Rank and File” voters

Campaign finance reform Accepting federal funding Soft money – not directly for candidate PACs and Super PACs 527 organization – influence in 2004 election – cannot explicitly endorse campaign Independent expenditure – expense to express political views Citizens United Supreme Court Case – as long as a group does not explicitly endorse a

candidate, they can receive also unlimited How do election campaigns help voters?Electoral College – “Winner Take All” – Battleground states (swing states)Reapportionment – Redistricting – GerrymanderingProspective voting & Retrospective voting vs. Clothespin voting

Abhi VarmaPeriod 5

Chapters 9 & 10 Study Guide

CHAPTER 9 – POLITICAL PARTIES

Early political parties in American history

o Founder’s views – factions to serve self-interests

Realignment – party views and/or voter alignment shifts

o Party dies or party views shift

o 5 realignments

Causes: economics; slavery

Straight-ticket – voting for candidates all in the same party

Split-ticket – voting for candidates in different parties

National Party Committee – organize national conventions; define rules by which

candidates for convention are chosen

Congressional Campaign Committee – support party leaders: reelect incumbent or

maintain same party rule

o Obtain $ from private sources

Plurality system (winner-take-all) – simple majority vote required

Two-party system – no incentive for third parties

o Europe has many parties

Economic protest parties – protest economic controls

o Greenback

o Populist

Political party machines – control votes with material incentives

o Increase voter turnout

Labor union influence on political parties

o Influential to Democrats (blue-collar workers)

CHAPTER 10 – ELECTIONS

“Motor Voter” Bill (1993) – increased voter turnout

Voter registration and turnout in USA

o Prevent voter fraud (increased at turn of century)

Direct primary elections – most

o Voting returned back to people party leaders lose power

Caucuses – less

Front-loading – states intentionally have primaries early

o Increase media attention

McGovern-Fraser Commission – plurality system to organize party base (everyone

included)

“Rank and file” voters – strength party leaders lose influence and power

Accepting federal funding – limit on expenditures

Soft money – for building campaign; grassroots (no limit)

Individual donation limit = $2,000

Citizens United – corporations and unions included in campaign finance

Battleground states (swing states) – receive more media attention

Reapportionment – Constitution requires every 10 years

Gerrymandering – candidates handpick voters

Prospective voting – voting for who would best do the job

Retrospective voting – voting based on past experience and track record

Clothespin vote – vote for lesser of two evils

Party identification incentive to vote

o Strength of organization

Jews would vote for Kerry

To gain nomination – extreme views

To gain vote (win) – moderate views

Ross Perot – most recent 3rd party candidate to be on all tickets

Most likely to vote – elderly; women; higher education; Republicans