Time Line of Two-Party System Major Parties

Time Line of Two-Party System * Major Parties Minor Parties

Two Parties as Moderates *

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Understanding the Median Voter Hypothesis * Bush Wins! Toss-Up! Kennedy 0 Liberal 10 Gore 35 40 Bush 50 Median Voter Midpoint Between Candidates New Midpoint Between Candidates 60 100 Conservative

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SPLIT TICKET VOTING *

The Caucus-Convention System * The Direct Primary System Rank and file voters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Candidates A: 10% B: 40% C: 50%

Trend from Caucuses to Primaries Return

The Use of Binding Primaries *

Soft Money Collected by Election Cycle *

Ideological Polarization in Congress *

Changes in Media News Sources *

Media Liberal Bias? *

Rise of the “Game” Schema * NY Times, 1960 -1992

Declining Coverage of Candidates * NY Times, 1960 -1992

Declining Coverage of Candidates * TV News Stories, 1960 -1992

Negative Press Coverage * NY Times, 1948 -1993

Thomas Jefferson--Father of American Political Parties • “If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all. ” Return

The Land of Oz • Populists opposed monied interests in the East, who they felt unfairly controlled the people. . . • The Populists thought that these monied interests were of the worst sort. . . • If they could, the Populists might have even dropped a house on those folks from the East. . .

The Land of Oz • Populists were especially strong in the North and the South— where all good folks live • Populists opposed the “gold standard”—they saw it putting the country on a road fraught with disaster

The Land of Oz • The Populists thought that the person in charge ought to be able to help out. . . President Grover Cleveland

The Land of Oz • If not the leader, then someone else had to be the roaring voice of the people. . . William Jennings Bryan

The Land of Oz (oz. ? ) • How can we finally escape this land of Oz (or oz. )? Return SILVER Slippers!!! (in the book)

SMPD vs. PR In SMPD system: Electoral Returns in every district: Party A: 40%+Party B: 40%+Party C: 20%+- Division of Seats in the Legislature: Party A: about 50% Party B: about 50% Party C: 0% Return In PR system: Division of Seats in the Legislature: Party A: about 40% Party B: about 40% Party C: about 20% • Party C could be a member of a coalition government

“Hard Money” vs. “Soft Money” • Hard money: Limited amounts of money, donated directly to candidates. • Soft money: Unlimited amounts of money, donated to political parties. Return