Political Parties

In today’s society …

• A political party is a group of citizens who agree on major issues facing the nation. These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views.

• In his farewell address, George Washington shared his feelings on political parties

He defined parties as…

“Combinations and associations… with the real [goal] to direct,

control [or] counteract… the regular… action of the… authorities.”

Groups

controlling or interfering withof

government business.

…the alternate triumphs of different parties…

make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted

and incongruous projects of faction, rather than

the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels

and modified by mutual interests.

governmentreflect the hostilecontradictory two-party system

organization whereSteady and good

back and forth victories

are discussed by all partiesthrough polite debate

[Parties] are likely, in the course of time and things,

to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious,

and unprincipled men will be enabled to

subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves

the reins of government...take over

powerful toolswhich sneaky, power-hungry politicians

take away the voice of the people

over time

The alternate domination of one faction over another,

sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension,

which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the

most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism

The back and forth party

is hostile because when one party gains power it wants revenge on the other party

times and places caused

extremesthe opposite of

democratic.

Basically, you guys… I’m not a big fan

of political parties.

Political Parties Emerge

Republicans Against Federalists

The Election of 1796

Democratic-Republican Federalist

• Thomas Jefferson was attacked and accused of being too

pro-French and

• an atheist.

• John Adams was assaulted as

• an elitist,

• pro-monarchy, and personally

• cantankerous.

But it gets worse…

• James Callender, a journalist friend of Jefferson’s, told the country that Adams was an angry liar, that he was "repulsive” and a "gross hypocrite" who behaved neither like a man nor like a woman,

• but instead possessed a "hideous hermaphroditical character".

There was also a nasty rumor that Adams had sent his vice-president to Europe to bring back four mistresses, two for each of them.

And worse still…

(worser?)

• the president of Yale warned that if Jefferson came to power, “we may see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution.”

• A Connecticut newspaper warned that his election would mean "murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will openly be taught and practiced"

In the election of 1828

• In the 1828 election, Andrew Jackson's supporters distributed handbills portraying John Quincy Adams as driving away a "crippled old soldier" who asked for charity, with a horsewhip, no less.

•Adams's supporters put out handbills decrying Jackson's reputation as a military hero by painting the general's execution of six deserting soldiers as a bloodthirsty act.

• Jackson's supporters replied with handbills suggesting that Jackson had not executed the soldiers but "swallowed them whole, coffins and all, without the slightest attempt at mastication!!!!!! [chewing]"

In 1835

• In 1835, Davy Crockett, described Martin Van Buren's face as "a good deal shrivelled," compared Van Buren to "dung" and described his personality as "secret, sly, selfish, cold, calculating."

• Then he got nasty. Van Buren, he wrote, was "a dandy. When he enters the Senate chamber in the morning, he struts and swaggers like a crow in the gutter.”

• “He is laced up in corsets, such as women in a town wear, and, if possible, tighter than the best of them."

I told you so

6 Party Systems in US1796-1824

1828-1856

1860-1892

1896-1928

1932-1964

1968-present

Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Democratic- Republicans

Jacksonian Democrats v Whigs

Republican dominance -- fought slavery and put the Union back together

2nd Republican dominance w/ Big Business and the middle class

Dem dominance w/ FDR Coalition (urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, poor, Southerners, Blacks, farmers)

Era of divided government

ERA of Divided GOVT

• Split-ticket voting

• Prez one party (typically Rep) and Congress of another (typically Dem)

• Party dealignment = more independents

3734 32

Membership435 Reps.

Party Divisions193 Democrats242 Republicans  

Membership100 Senators

Party Divisions53 Democrats47 Republicans

Who’s Who in Party Politics?

A B C

D E F

John Boehner (R-OH)

Speaker of the House

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) House Minority Leader

Speaker of the House until 2010, when Republican gained control!

Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocratic Party Chairman

Reince PriebusRepublican Party Chairman

Harry ReidSenate Majority Leader (D-NV)

Mitch McConnell (R-KY)Senate Minority Leader

President Barack Obama(D)

The Functions of the Party

• To NOMINATE- winning your party’s “nomination” gets you on the ballot. (most federal and state elections).

Let’s see!https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/dnc08splashnd

http://www.gop.com/store/Detail.aspx?id=4

PUBLIC OPINION SHOWS THAT MORE AND MORE

AMERICANS ARE GETTING FED UP

78% of Americans Think the Economy Is in Bad Shape;

74% Say It's Not Getting Better

“At last night’s State of the Union address, President Bush proved again why his domestic and foreign policy agenda is right for America. The President outlined his proposals to grow the economy and create jobs; and defend peace and security at home and abroad.”

Let’s see how they “mobilize”

• Grassroots- starting on the local level and having your voice heard, then moving to the state and finally the national seen

• Mass mobilization- getting as many people as you can to write, protest, give money, take action, etc..

What are the differences in ideology?

Key Issue Liberal L Conservative C

Cut taxes

More social welfare

Tough on crime

Death penalty

Gun control

Abortion Rights

Defence spending

Gay rights

Small government

Prayer in public schools

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Support

Georgia passed a law in 1943 requiring that new party and independent candidates submit a petition signed by 5% of the number of registered voters in order to get on the ballot for any office. The result has been that since 1943, there has not been one third party candidate on the Georgia ballot for U.S. House of Reps.

"It takes five times as many more petitionsignatures forour party tobe on the ballot than a major name candidate,"

Comparisons With Other Nations

• In Europe, a multi-party system is used that gives equal opportunity for all parties to be elected into power.

• However, in the United States, our two-party system often discourages other groups from voicing their opinions on a national level.– It is very difficult for a third party candidate to be a viable

contender in elections. – Many voters have lost a sense of commitment to party

identification.

Advantages to a 2-Party System

• Provides opportunity for those with strong political preference to participate in parties so they don’t create factions.

• Membership to a political party does not require as much of a commitment as those of small parties in Europe; no dues must be paid, meetings are not mandatory, and official membership is not required.

Ideological Third Parties

• An ideology is a body of ideas put forth by a person or group.

• Third parties are often formed to support a specific issue. These rise and fall over time.

• Ideological parties want to change society in major ways.

Third Parties• Many people aren’t satisfied with the 2 main

parties - they feel that Democrats and Republicans don’t truly represent their views and interests.

• Issue oriented; Doctrinal; Leader Driven (Perot’s Reform party, TR’s Bull Moose)

• Third parties often help decide who wins the presidential election (1992 and 2000).

• Their most important role is to influence policy on one or more issues

• Hurt by single-member, winner take all districts and electoral college winner-take-all system

SomeThird Party Movements

• Republicans - emerged in 1854 as the first third party that has gained major party status

• Bull Moose - started by Theodore Roosevelt while he campaigned for president in 1912, this divided many Republicans and enabled Woodrow Wilson to win

Cult of Personality• Some third parties form from the

efforts of famous people.• If they cannot gain support from

one of the major parties, they form their own.

• H. Ross Perot’s Reform Party was a force in the 1992 and 1996 elections..

• These parties usually fade after their candidate is defeated.

More Third Party Movements

• Greens - against corporate donations to parties and have been credited for Gore’s loss/Bush’s win in 2000

» Ralph Nader

• Libertarians - believe that all people have an inalienable set of rights that cannot be annulled, given up or taken away in the interests of a larger group.

Minor Parties• Tertium Quids (1801-1808) • Antimasonic Party (1827-35) • Workingmen's Parties (1828-1832) • Equal Rights or "Loco-Foco" Party

(1836-1837) • Liberty Party (1839-1847) • National Reform Party (1844-1891) • Antirenter Party (1845-1847) • Nativism (1845-1850)

• Free Soil Party (1848-1849) • American Party (1850-1860) • Free Democratic Party (1849-1854) • Republican Party (1854 on)

• National Labor Reform Party (1871-1872)

• Equal Rights Party (1872) • Liberal Republicans (1870-1872)

• Prohibitionist Party (1872-1920) • Social Democratic or Workingmen's

Party (1874-1876) • National, Independent, or

"Greenback" Party (1875-1878) • Workingmen's Party (1876-1878) • Socialistic Labor Party (1878-1888) • Liberal Party (1878-1880) • …and many more