Political Parties Interest Groups and Mass Media Unit

Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media Unit IIIA Political Parties

Political Party A group of political activists organized to secure and operate the government and determine public policy n A permanent organization based on broad objectives and issues in order to attract support, power, and voters n

The Functions of Political Parties n Recruitment – Discover political hopefuls to secure political offices n Elections – Organize voting drives, fundraisers, conventions n Positions – Establish political agendas to solidify base n Responsibility – Implement and secure support and influence through appointments of loyalists n Loyal Opposition – Force debate on issues against opposing party

Political Party Components n Party in the Electorate – Individual members of the party who identify with the party platform and/or vote based on party lines n Party in the Government – Elected and appointed officials identified with a political party n Party Organization – Party professionals responsible for recruitment (volunteers, candidates), organizing grassroots and conventions, and running campaigns and fundraisers

Party Platforms DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS Minimum wages; tax increases on upperclass Wages based on free market; no tax increases Support Roe v. Wade; pro-choice Overturn Roe v. Wade; pro-life Decrease defense spending; make military more efficient Defense and security a priority; increase defense spending Support equality and affirmative action programs Against racial quotas Favor gun control Favor gun rights Against the Patriot Act based on restrictions of civil liberties Favor security measures of the Patriot Act Preserve welfare programs; oppose privatization of social security Privatize social security; reduce government welfare programs Support environmental regulations Reduce government regulation of energybased industries Expand national health care coverage Health care controlled by industries

Party in the Government n Executive – Appoint political party officials to enforce laws based on party platforms – Coerce Congress to implement party platform agendas n Legislative – Establish congressional and committee leadership to implement party platform legislation – Develop coalitions to ensure party platforms and electoral victories n Unified Government – Political party controls executive and legislative branches – Passage of party platform legislation relatively easy n Divided Government – Opposing political party holds majority in House, Senate, White House or two of those – Prevents relative dominance of one party – Gridlock leads to compromise or delay in addressing national issues

Political Party Organization

National Party Organization n National Convention – Party delegates meet to choose presidential and vicepresidential candidates – Establish party platform n National Committee – Coordinate national party activities, such as convention – Control distribution of campaign funds n National Chairperson – Manage national election campaign n Congressional Campaign Committee – Committee in each congressional chamber to ensure election/re-election of party candidates

State Party Organization n n Similar structure of national party organization (chairperson, committee) Promote national and state party platforms Controls campaign funding and distribution Used to ensure unit rule – Awarding all of state’s electoral votes to candidate F Exceptions in Maine and Nebraska

Local Party Organization Political Machines and Grassroots n Political Machine – Party organization that recruits members through incentives F Money, jobs, patronage, support F Tammany Hall in New York City n Modern Local Party Organizations – More restrictions established through voter registration and end of patronage – Grassroots F From-the-ground-up building of political support F Local campaigning and fundraising

Party Systems n One-Party System – Little to no choice in party affiliations; leaders choose candidates – Typical of dictatorial governments n Two-Party System – – n Dominated by two major parties; minor parties have little effect Electoral College and single-member districts promote two-party system Plurality system/winner-take-all system American voters tend to choose between Democrat or Republican Multi-Party System – – Multiple major parties and influential minority parties Proportional representation promotes this system Securing majority power often difficult leading to coalitions among parties Tend to be unstable

Constitutionality of Political Parties n n n The U. S. Constitution does not include any reference to political parties Federalist #10 by James Madison warned of factions George Washington’s Farewell Address warned of partisan politics – Threatens national unity and popular government n Federalists and Anti-Federalists originated two-party system in U. S.

Party Development 1789 -1796 n Washington’s Administration – Thomas Jefferson vs. Alexander Hamilton – Hamilton’s national policies Bank of the U. S. F Debt plan F – Jefferson’s egalitarian vision F States’ rights

Realignment Election of 1800

First Party System (1796 -1824) n n Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans Revolution of 1800 – Jefferson (D-R) defeats Adams (F) – D-R control Congress – Peaceful transition of power n War of 1812 – D-R and War Hawks against Britain – Federalists support Britain, against war – Leads to collapse of Federalists n Era of Good Feelings (1816 -1824) – Virtual one-party system as D-R dominate White House and Congress n Election of 1824 – Factions develop among D-R leading to Corrupt Bargain as John Quincy Adams secures victory over Jackson in House

Realignment Election of 1828

Second Party System (1828 -1854) n n n Democrats vs. National Republicans/Whigs Andrew Jackson and the Common Man National Conventions replace Caucuses – Anti-Masonic Party introduces national convention in 1831 n Whigs – Henry Clay and the American System n Democrats – States’ rights and Manifest Destiny – Solid South n Slavery – Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) weakens Whigs and leads to founding of Republican Party

Realignment Election of 1860

Third Party System (1860 -1896) n Democrats vs. Republicans – Government dominated by Republican Party n Election of 1860, Civil War, Reconstruction – Lincoln’s election led to Civil War – Democrats lost power with secession of South – Radical Republicans enforced party platforms F n Freedmen, Scalawags, Carpetbaggers Democrats – Bourbon Democrats - pro-business, laissez-faire – Redeemers - Southern Democrats return to power at end of Reconstruction n Republicans – Mugwumps, Stalwarts, Half-Breeds - civil service reform n Political Machines and Political Bosses – Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed n Populists and Panic of 1893 – Reforms, bimetallism (gold and silver) n Election of 1896 – William Jennings Bryan (D) vs. William Mc. Kinley (R)

Realignment Election of 1896

Fourth Party System (1896 -1932) n n Republicans vs. Democrats Republicans – Party of business and prosperity n Democrats – Embraced progressive reforms and more government intervention – Solid South n n Progressive Era Republican Domination of 1920 s – Limited government and pro-business policies – Crash of 1929 launched Great Depression n Election of 1932 – Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) vs. Herbert Hoover (R) – New Deal Coalition F Urban leaders, blacks, Solid South, unions, intellectuals, Catholics, Jews

Realignment Election of 1932

Fifth Party System (1932 -Present) n n Democrats vs. Republicans Democrats – Have been dominant in most years – Expansion of federal government F FDR’s New Deal and Johnson’s Great Society – Dominant in Northeast and Pacific n Republicans – Pro-business, assume states’ rights – Solid South becomes Bible Belt and conservative stronghold – Dominant in Great Plains and Rocky Mountains n Current Trends – Beginning in 1980 s, Fifth Party System may be leading to dealignment – More independents than party identification F More split-ticket voting, less straight-ticket voting

Republican Party n GOP - Grand Old Party – Possible origin in New York Times headlines n Elephant – Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly in 1874 – Signified Republican vote in response to possible third term for President Grant (R)

Democratic Party n n Probably in reference to Andrew Jackson’s opponents calling him a jackass Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly in 1870

Minor/Third Parties n Ideological – Based on social, economic, or political beliefs – Socialist Party, Libertarian Party n Splinter – Split from major national party – Bull Moose Party, States’ Rights Party n Single-Issue – Based on a individual policy matter – Free Soil Party, Know-Nothing Party n Protest – Formed on basis of poor conditions – Populist Party

Impact of Minor/Third Parties n Reasons Minor Parties Do Not Succeed – Based on single-issue thus attract very few supporters – Major national parties may assimilate them into broader coalition – Die out when issue is either solved, loses support, and/or leaders pass on – More success in state and local governments n Influences of Minor Parties – Anti-Masonic Party introduced national conventions – Republican Party began as minor party and became major national party – Populist Party fueled Progressive Era reforms – States’ Rights Party and American Independence Party showcased racial attitudes of Solid South

Current Minor Party National Officeholders n Senator Joe Lieberman (I) of Connecticut (1989 -Present) n Senator Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont (2007 -Present)

Current National Political Parties n n n Democratic (1828*) Republican (1854) Prohibition (1869) Socialist Labor (1876) Socialist Workers (1938) World Socialist (1916) Communist (1919) American Nazi (1959) American (1969) American Populist (2009) Christian Liberty (1996) n n n n n Constitution (1992) Green Party (2001) Labor Party (1996) Libertarian (1971) Progressive Labor (1961) Raza Unida (1970) Reform Party (1995) United States Marijuana Party (2002) Several others