Name: _______________________ Date: _______________ Per.: ____ #: __

Political PartiesChapter 10, Section 1-3

I. Development of American Political Parties A political party is a group of citizens (voters) with similar views on public issues who work to put their

ideas into effective government action and who band together to elect a candidate. One job of political parties to nominate candidates. That is, to select them to represent their respective

political party. Parties choose a candidate who agree with their beliefs and try to persuade voters to support their

candidates running for office. Generally, parties are often labeled as “liberal” or “conservative”, depending on their views. Parties are placed on the political spectrum, referring to the range of differences in political views

between parties. Most people fall in the “moderate” range on the spectrum, slightly leaning towards one side or another.

Left Moderate Right

“Liberal” “Conservative”

II. Roots of the Two-Party System The United States has had its current two-party system since 1860. Despite President Washington’s warning, two rival political groups were formed shortly after he was

elected. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton were the leaders of these two groups.

Democratic Party Thomas Jefferson wanted less power for the national government and more power for the state

governments, which he felt were closer to the citizens. Those who agreed with Jefferson made up Democratic Republican Party which was later renamed to

the Democratic Party. Today, the Democrats are generally said to be more liberal

o Favor a larger role of government.

o Believe that the government should provide social programs.

o Are not opposed to taxing the people to raise money to fund these programs.

Republican Party Alexander Hamilton wanted a strong national government and a strong President. He felt that if the

government was too weak, individual rights were at risk. Hamilton’s group was called the Federalist Party which became the Whig party, and eventually evolved

into the modern day Republican Party Today, the Republican party is generally said to be more conservative

o Favor limiting the role of government.

o Believe in reducing federal government created social programs and allow the states and local governments to assess the needs of their people.

o Are opposed to raising taxes.

III. Third Parties

Although they sometimes challenge the two major parties, a third party has never won a Presidential election and has rarely won any other major elections.

Third Parties, however, can affect the outcome of elections; as well, they may influence government and social policy.

Types of Third Parties Some third parties arise to promote a social, economic or moral issue. Single-Issue parties tend to fade when the issue loses importance or a major party adopts that issue.

o i.e. The Prohibitionist Party pushed for laws against the sale of alcohol.

Ideological parties focus on changing society in major ways.o i.e. The Green Party opposes the power of corporations and favors decision-making at the

grassroots level. “Focuses on peace, democracy, human rights and freedoms, and a healthy environment.” http://www.gp.org/welcome.shtml

o i.e. The Libertarian Party would like to increase individual freedoms by cutting the size of the U.S. government. “Believes in the American heritage of liberty, enterprise, and personal responsibility.” http://www.lp.org/introduction/what-is-the-libertarian-party

Third Parties rarely win major elections because of the two-party tradition. While the names of Republican and Democratic candidates are automatically placed on the ballot, in most states Third-Party candidates must obtain a large number of signatures to get on the ballot. In Florida it is much easier – you only have to have a list of names of Electors that would be willing to represent you if you won.

V. Today’s Major Parties Competing political parties give voters a choice among candidates and ideas. To know where a party stands on the major issues, the voters can look at the party’s platform.

o A platform is a series of statements expressing the party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on issues.

o Each individual part of a platform is called a plank. The platform communicates to voters what the party plans to do if it wins.o Examples: Platform Issue = Healthcare, Plank = Agreeing/Disagreeing with a universal

healthcare

Influencing GovernmentGovernments can be influenced in many ways. Three major ways that governments are influenced are through Individuals, Interest Groups, and Media.

I. How do individuals influence or impact government?a. Contributing to or working on Campaignsb. Running for Electionsc. Voting in Electionsd. Petitions

Public Opinion includes the ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, government, and political issues.

II. How do Interest Groups influence or impact government? Interest Group – a group of people who share a point of view about an issue. They work towards

influencing public opinion by trying to persuade people – including public officials- toward their point of view. By their very nature, interest groups are biased – supporting a particular viewpoint.

a. Types of Interest Groupsi. Economic (ex. Chamber of Commerce, Labor Unions)

Try to influence government decisions on issues that affect their industries. Labor unions work for the economic interests of workers.

ii. Public (ex. Common Cause) Support the causes that affect the lives of Americans in general, rather than just the

special interest of their own members.iii. Other Interest Groups

People have also organized to promote an ethnic group, age group, gender, or special causes.

b. Influencing Governmenti. Election Activities

Political Action Committees (PACs) – are organizations set up by Interest Groups primarily to collect money to support favored candidates.

ii. Going to Court Influence public policy by bringing cases to court

iii. Lobbying Lawmakers Lobbyists – representatives of interest groups who contact lawmakers or other

government officials directly to influence their policymaking.c. Techniques of Propaganda (often found in print and electronic media)

propaganda – an attempt to promote a particular person or idea.

i. Endorsements – “I’m voting for Candidate A and so should you.”ii. Stacked Cards – “Candidate A has the best record on the environment”

iii. Name Calling – “Candidate A is a dangerous extremist”

iv. Glittering Generality – “Candidate A is the one who will bring us peace and prosperity”v. Transfer Symbols – “I pledge allegiance…..”

vi. Just Plain Folks – “My parents were ordinary, hardworking people….”vii. The Bandwagon – “Polls show our candidate is pulling ahead”

d. Regulations –i. Laws have limited the amount of money PACs may contribute to candidates

ii. Lobbyist must state who hired them, how much they are paid, and how they spend their money related to work.

iii. Federal and state laws require a waiting period before former government officials can become lobbyists. This prevents the former officials from having an unfair advantage of inside knowledge.

III. How does Media influence the government?a. Types

i. Print – newspapers, magazine, newsletter, and books

ii. Electronic Media – radio, television, and the Internet (social networking, Facebook, Twitter)b. Impact on the Government

i. Setting the Public Agenda Public Agenda – the ideas and issues that receive the most amount of time, money,

and effort.ii. Candidates and Elections – media is making it possible for some people to run who may have

never done so in an earlier time due to exposure. (Celebrities and sports figures)iii. Elected Officials – politicians rely on the exposure from the media. They can hold press

conferences, media events, interviews, or leak information to test public reaction to a proposal.

iv. Watchdog Role – journalists are eager to expose government corruption and waste.v. Media and National Security – there are tensions regarding American citizens’ right to know

and the need for the government to protect national security c. Protecting the Media

i. The first Amendment – “freedom of the press”ii. Prior Restraint – government censorship of material before it is published.

iii. It is not completely unlimited, no one can publish false information that will harm someone’s reputation. This is called libel.

IV. Political Biasa. The issue of bias – or prejudice – in the news is a topic for debate.b. Some interest groups report that the media are generally liberal; others say they are more often

conservative. The bias of the interest group helps determines how it sees the media.c. Fewer Americans rely on the three major networks and their local newspapers. Many receive their

news from a wide variety of sources, including cable television and the Internet.

V. Accurate Informationa. To know the most accurate information about a candidate, look at his/her voting history or views on

important issues.

“Living Room Candidate Activity”Political Communications and Media

The following are examples of propaganda techniques:• Card Stacking: The strategy of showing the product’s best features, telling half-truths, and omitting or lying

about its potential problems.• Testimonial (Endorsement): The use of well-known, respected people to endorse a product or service.• Glittering Generalities: The act of referring to words or ideas that evoke a positive emotional response

from an audience. Virtue words are often used.• Transfer (Symbols): The act of relating something or someone we like or respect with a product. Symbols

are constantly used in this form of propaganda.Common Symbols

The flag represents the nation.Uncle Sam represents a consensus of public opinion.A cross represents Christianity.The Star of David represents the Jewish faith.

• Plain Folks: The use of everyday people to sell a product or service. Speakers and ads appear to make the person to be “one of the people.”

• Bandwagon: Bandwagon attempts to persuade the target audience to take a course of action "everyone else is taking." "Join the crowd." This technique reinforces people's natural desire to be on the winning side.

• Name-calling: The use of names that evoke fear or hatred in the viewer. The name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol.

1. http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1952 (Ike for President; Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) - 1952)A. Name two “transfer symbols” that are found in this advertisement.

B. What types of propaganda techniques are being used? The Bandwagon Just Plain Folks Symbols Glittering Generality Name-Calling Stacked Cards Endorsements/Testimony

C. Is there evidence of bias exhibited by this advertisement? If yes, please describe.

2. http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1964 (Peace little Girl “Daisy”; Lyndon B. Johnson (D) - 1964)A. Name two “transfer symbols” that are found in this advertisement.

B. What types of propaganda techniques are being used? The Bandwagon Just Plain Folks Symbols Glittering Generality Name-Calling Stacked Cards Endorsements/Testimony

C. Is there evidence of bias exhibited by this advertisement? If yes, please describe.

3. http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1984 (Prouder, Stronger, Better; Ronald Regan (R) - 1984)A. Name two “transfer symbols” that are found in this advertisement.

B. What types of propaganda techniques are being used? The Bandwagon Just Plain Folks Symbols Glittering Generality Name-Calling Stacked Cards Endorsements/Testimony

C. Is there evidence of bias exhibited by this advertisement? If yes, please describe.

Voting and Elections

Qualifying to Voteo Voting is a major responsibility. o Those who choose not to participate:

Fail to carry out a civic responsibility Hand over their share of political power to voters whose views they may oppose.

o During our nation’s early years, most voters were white, adult property owning males.o However, property ownership is no longer a consideration and the U.S. Constitution states that no

state may deny the right to vote because of race, color, gender (15th Amendment) To be eligible you must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of the state you vote in for a

specified period of time, and a citizen of the United States. (26th Amendment) People who have been convicted of serious crimes are the most common exception to the

general rules and many times lose their right to vote

Voter Registrationo You must register to vote before you can take part in an election in most states.

Exception –North Dakotao Registration applications may vary from State to Stateo In order to register in the state of Florida you must:

Be a citizen of the United States Be a legal resident of both the State of Florida and of the county in which you seek to be

registered. Be 18 years old (you may pre-register if you are 17) Be mentally capable of making decisions. Not have been convicted of a felony (and not had your civil rights restored) Register at least 29 days before the election takes place.

o The application process involves filling out forms that ask for the following information: Name Address Age Party reference – this is not a lifetime commitment

o Once registered, you are assigned to an election district that is usually set up according to your home address. (precinct)

o On Election Day, election officials will use a list of voters registered in the district to verify that people who vote are eligible to prevent people voting more than once.

Steps in Voting1. On Election Day, voters go to the polling place in their precinct2. A polling place - the location where voting is carried out.3. A precinct is a voting district

Usually set up in town halls, libraries, community centers and other public buildings.4. When you arrive you will go through a series of checks to confirm your identity, and confirm you

are registered to vote.5. Next you will receive a ballot, or list of candidates on which you cast your vote.6. You will then go to the voting booth to cast your ballot by using a variety of voting methods

All types of voting methods allow voters to cast a secret ballot You can vote by absentee ballot if you cannot get to the polls on Election Day. Requests for

these ballots must be made sometime before Election Day. For all elections in which there is a state or federal office race, early voting is required. Early

voting usually starts 10 days before the election and ends on the 3rd day before an election. The Supervisor of Election determines the early voting hours.

It is always important to read the ballot carefully. In the 2000 Presidential Election, many voters in Palm Beach county, Florida were

confused with the “butterfly ballot”, a paper ballot in which opposing candidates were listed across from each other instead of vertically. The 2000 election also proved that some voting machines are more reliable than others.

Straight ticket, which means voting for all candidates in one political party. Split ticket, which means you choose some candidates from one party and some from another

7. After the polls are closed, election workers send the ballots and the results – called returns – to the election board.

8. The board then sends the returns to the state canvassing authority who then certifies the election of the winner.

9. Major elections may have the news media and party workers try to predict the winners as soon as possible.

Exit polls – a sample of voters who are asked how they voted upon leaving selected polling places.

Why your Vote Matterso The best way to prepare to vote is to stay informed about candidates and public issues.o All people who are eligible to vote are called the electorate

2000 Presidential election was decided by 537 votes in the state of Florida Bush/Gore Election 2000 – George W. Bush won the 2000 election with 271

electoral votes. The State of Florida was instrumental due to the recount process in which Bush was awarded the 25 electoral votes.

o Despite the fact that voting gives Americans a chance to participate in their government, not everyone votes.Reasons as to why someone would not vote:

Do not meet state requirements Not registered after changing residences Do not like any of the candidates Lack of interest or “apathy”

Important reasons to exercise your vote.

A chance to choose your leaders An opportunity to voice your opinions or past performances of public officials Express your opinion on public issues

Types of Elections General Elections

o Elections are a two-part process1. Primary Election – help narrow the field of candidates. This is also known as a Direct Primary

when the voters declare their party preference and nominate candidates to represent their party in a general election.

a. Open Primary – an election in which voters need not declare their party preferenceb. Closed Primary – only declared members of a party are allowed to vote for that party’s

nominees2. General Election – voters choose their leaders for various offices such as President, Congress

members, and State and Local positions. Always takes place the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. All seats in the US House of Representatives and about 1/3 of the Senate are at stake in general

elections every even –numbered year. Presidential elections occur every four years and even numbered years. The ballot also includes candidates for governor, state legislature, county government, and local

offices. In all races except the Presidential race, the candidate who wins the majority is elected into the

office.ie: During the 2010 election for Florida Governor: Rick Scott won 49% of the popular vote or 2,589,915 vs. 2,522,857 votes.

The loser does have the right to demand a recount of the votes. In the case of a national election, a dispute may be referred to Congress. If it is a Presidential Election and there is not a majority of electoral votes for 1 candidate, the

House of Representatives elects the President. Election of 1800 – Neither Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican) or

Aaron Burr (Democratic Republican) had a majority of Electoral votes. Since there was no clear winner, it went to the House of Representatives for a vote. After more than 30 votes by the House of Representatives, Jefferson was declared President.

Election of 1824 - Andrew Jackson v. John Quincy Adams –Due to others involved in the election there was not a clear majority of the Electoral College. Jackson defeated Adams in both the popular and electoral votes, but the House voted to name Adams president. Jackson’s side declared it a “corrupt bargain” because they felt that Henry Clay and Adams had made a secret deal to allow Adams to win if Clay received a job in the administration.

Elections on Issues Voters may decide on Issues – amendments and/or new laws - as well as candidates.

The initiative is a way citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments. Citizens can gather signatures of qualified voters on a petition. If enough people sign the petition, the proposed law, or proposition, is put

on the ballot at the next general election. Florida’s State Constitution authorizes citizens to propose State

Constitutional Amendments by petition. In order to place the amendment on the ballot, citizens must collect the signatures of registered voters equal to 8 percent of the total votes cast statewide in the last Presidential Election. (Article XI, Florida Constitution)

The referendum_is a way for citizens to approve or reject a state or local law.More than half of the states have the right to petition to have a law referred or sent back to the voters for their approval at the next general election.

The State of Florida CAN NOT propose state laws or bring acts by the legislature to referendum (People’s veto) by petition. (Article XI, Florida Constitution)

Special ElectionsRun Off elections may be held when none of the candidates win the majority of the vote in a general election.Recall elections are when citizens can vote to remove a public official from office.

Starts with a petition Can happen because voters do not like the official’s views or has been charged with wrongdoing.

The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election resulted in voters replacing incumbent Governor Gray Davis with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Presidential ElectionThere are three major steps that lead up to a Presidential Election – The nomination, the campaign, and the vote.

Nomination –the process in which political parties select and offer candidates for public office. Presidential hopefuls start campaigning_ a year or more before the election. Now, so much campaigning goes on during the primary elections that the nomination has

already wrapped up and the conventions are now used to “kick off” the campaign and rally parties.

Campaign – the process in which candidates are competing for public office using media, debates, and speeches.

Usually are in full swing by September – after the National Conventions. Candidates travel to different states giving speeches, appearing on TV, and holding news

conferences in order to share their platform. They also meet with state and local political leaders or face their opponents in televised

debates.

The Vote and Electoral College – this process uses the “winner-take-all” system and is how a Presidential candidate is elected for office.

Presidents are not chosen by direct popular vote but by the Electoral College Before the general election in every state, a slate, or list of electors is pledged to each

candidate. Every state has one elector per U.S. Senators and Representatives in that state PLUS Washington, D.C. has three electoral votes (23rd Amendment) The state of Florida currently has 29 electoral votes. (2012) Through a winner-take-all system, the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually

receives all of the state’s electoral votes. There are 48 states that have the winner-takes-all rule for the electoral college Nebraska and Maine do not follow this rule – there could be a split of electoral votes through

the State’s system for proportional allocation of the votes. Electors meet in December to cast the state’s electoral votes for the President and Vice

President. The votes are then sent to Congress, who counts them. The candidate who receives the majority (270 or more) of the 538 votes – wins the election The Electoral College was a compromise measure and is as old as the Constitution Some Founders wanted the American people to have direct control or a direct popular election Others believed that the government must be able to function without giving in to popular whims

or giving Congress the responsibility to name the President. Their compromise was to have the legislatures in each state choose a slate of Presidential

Electors, today voters in each state directly choose the Electors. Four Elections where the popular vote did not agree with the Electoral Vote

Adams/Jackson Election 1824

Hayes/Tilden Election 1876 – Tilden won the popular vote. Twenty Electoral Votes were in dispute and not counted (Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina). After a long political and legal battle, Rutherford B. Hayes was awarded those 20 Electoral Votes and named President.Harrison/Cleveland Election 1888 – Grover Cleveland won the popular vote by a narrow margin, however Benjamin Harrison swept most of the North and Midwest as well as gaining “swing states” of New York and Indiana to achieve the majority of the electoral vote.Bush/Gore Election 2000 – Gore had more than 500,000 votes over Bush, but Bush had 271 to Gore’s 267 votes in the Electoral College with Florida (that he won by 537 votes.)

Election Day Election Day: Why November?

o Will there be an election this year? (2013) NO If so, When? ________?o Elections are always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in Novembero Since 1792, the U.S. Congress permitted states to conduct their presidential elections anytime within a

34 day period before the first Wednesday in December The first Wednesday in December was the day scheduled for electorates to meet in their

respective stateso Faster communication between states created a need for a uniform nation-wide election day

The first Tuesday in November was selected o November was seen as the best time to conduct elections because it was after harvest, but before the

winter storms began Types of Elections

o The general election is the election held every four years where the president of the United States and other main offices are elected simultaneously

o The mid-term elections are held every four years and occur two years after the general elections, i.e; at the midpoint of the President’s term

o Elections are held at three levels; 1. Federal, 2. State and 3. Local Local Elections & Offices

o The Sheriff manages corrections, law enforcement and court services o The Superintendent of Schools is the chief administrator of schools in their countyo The Property Appraiser is responsible for evaluating property value for tax purposeso The Supervisor of Elections oversees voter registration and electionso The City Commission along with the Mayor, make up the governing body of a city

The current Mayor of Tallahassee is John Marks State Elections

o The Executive consists of the office of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Chief Financial Officer

o The offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected on the same ticketo In Florida, the election for these positions will not be until 2014o The Legislative Branch is made of the House of Representatives and the Senateo Florida House and Senate Members serve four year terms o Elections for these positions are staggered so that new Legislative members are elected every two yearso Supreme Court Justices are part of the judicial branch and are appointed by the Governor of the State

Justices Serve six year terms and must be re-elected at the end of their term based on a yes/no vote by citizens of the state

o The State Attorney is also part of theJudicial branch The State Attorney serves four year terms and there is no limit to how many terms he can serve

Federal Elections o Congressional Elections occur every two years for members of the House; once during general elections,

and again during mid-termo U.S. Senators are given six year terms and there is no limit on the number of terms a member of the

U.S. Congress can serve

Platform (Overall Party Concerns)

Democratic Platform Republican Platform

Plank 1(Specific Issue)

United States Economy

Wants the federal government to place regulations on businesses to influence economic growth

Wants to use tax relief to grow the economy and create jobs

Plank 2(Specific Issue)

Education

Wants to raise standards in K-12 Schools and increase financial aid for secondary education

Wants to increase access to charter schools, and promote accountability for students and parents

Plank 3(Specific Issue)

Health CareMandated healthcare for all citizens

Says mandated healthcare in unconstitutional. Supports Medicare

Plank 4(Specific Issue)

Energy

Supports industry of creating green energy

Wants America to resume off-shore drilling to boost economy and lower energy costs

United States Electoral Representation

Directions: This is an Electoral College activity that simulates a mock Presidential Election. The activity requires two participants, one die, an Electoral College map of the U.S., and one tally sheet per game. Once the activity begins, be sure to keep accurate records. These records will be used at the end of the activity to determine the winner.

How to Play:

1. The object of the activity is to capture as many electoral votes as possible, thus winning a Presidential Election. In order to win the election, a player must capture at least 270 Electoral College votes. (which is required to win in an actual Presidential Election)

2. Write both participants’ names on the two spaces provided on the tally sheet.

3. Roll the die to see who goes first. The highest number will win that roll.

4. The winner of the first roll selects a state from the Electoral College map in which he or she wishes to campaign. Record the name of this state on the tally sheet.

5. Once a state has been selected, both players take turns rolling the die. The numbers that are rolled should be recorded on the tally sheet. These numbers represent the popular vote.

6. The person who rolls the higher number wins all of the Electoral College votes from that state. These votes should then be recorded on the tally sheet by the name of that state. (see map)

7. Now, the winning player should use the assigned color to color in that state on the map.

8. The winner of the previous state then selects the next state in which he or she wishes to campaign. Steps 4 through 7 are repeated until all the 50 states’ and Washington DC’s Electoral College votes have been decided.

9. In the event of a tie during the die roll, each player will re-roll until the tie is broken. The student that wins the re-roll(s) captures all of the electoral votes from that state.

10.Once all 538 of the Electoral College votes from all 50 states and Washington, DC have been decided, add up the columns on the tally sheet. These totals should then be recorded on the tally sheet.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE ACTIVITY

11.The person or team with at least 270 Electoral College votes wins the Presidential Election.

Name: _____________ Name: _____________State Electoral

VotesNumber Rolled

Electoral Votes

Number Rolled

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24

25.

26.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE ACTIVITY

Name: _____________ Name: _____________

State Electoral Votes

Number Rolled

Electoral Votes

Number Rolled

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

TOTAL

ELECTORAL COLLEGE ACTIVITY

Directions: Using the tally sheet from the Electoral College Activity, answer the following questions in the spaces provided. Use the back of the sheet if necessary.

1. What were the first five states selected at the start of the activity?

2. Why were these states selected first?

3. How might the number of electoral votes that each state has impact a real Presidential campaign?

4. Was the popular vote (die total) as close as the Electoral College vote?

5. Was the winner of the popular vote also the winner of the Electoral College vote?

6. Did the electoral vote accurately reflect the popular vote?

7. What would be the lowest number of states that a cadidate would need to win in order to become President?

8. Does the Electoral College process represent the phrase “We the people…”? Explain your answer.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE ACTIVITY