AmericanPolitical PartiesAmericanPolitical Parties

Written by Greg ClevengerWritten by Greg Clevenger

© 2008 © 2008 TTeacher’s Bruncheacher’s Brunch

Parties DefinedParties Defined

• Political Party: A group of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control governments and thereby influence government policies

3 Political Arenas3 Political Arenas

• A label or party identification by which voters can identify with

• an organization that recruits and campaigns for the candidate

• set of leaders who try to organize and control the legislative and executive branches of government

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

• Groups sharing common concerns

• Rare in the ancient world

• Attempt to influence policy

Policy: The direction in which the government takes on specific issues such as health care, abortion, or taxes

Roman Political PartiesRoman Political Parties

• First ancient example

• Patricians for nobility

• Plebeians for wealthy merchants and middle class

Political Party HistoryPolitical Party History

• Developed in England in the 1600’s

• Tories were very loyal to the king

• Whigs preferred more power to the people

American Revolution American Revolution

• Tories supported the king against American interests

• Whigs were more understanding and sympathetic to American views on independence

Political Parties in AmericaPolitical Parties in America

• Constitution Written in 1787

• American political parties are born

– Federalists support the ratification of the Constitution and the federal system it creates

– Anti-Federalists push for its rejection and to keep the confederation currently in operation

George Washington on Political PartiesGeorge Washington on Political Parties• “They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial

and extraordinary force; to put in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community.”

Federalist No 10Federalist No 10

• Written By James Madison who was “Father of the Constitution”

• “ By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the

community” James MadisonJames Madison

Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

• Delegate from New York

• Close friend of George Washington

• Adhered to some Roman and Tory beliefs

Hamilton PlanHamilton Plan

• Elect the first president for life

• Elect a lifetime senate patterned after Rome

HamiltonHamilton

Federalist BeliefsFederalist Beliefs

• Favored the Constitutional Convention

• Favored a strong central government

• Favored a high protective tariff

• Base of support in New Englandand by merchants

• Believed in a broad interpretation of the constitution which allowed it to take on national problems

Federalist Beliefs ContinuedFederalist Beliefs Continued

• Favored high voting qualifications

• Favored the National Bank of the United States as they believed it was “necessary and proper” use of the national governments power.

The OppositionThe Opposition• Led by James Madison and

Thomas Jefferson• Called “Republicans” by

Jefferson hoping to suggest that his opponents were secret monarchists

• Believed the constitution was so vague the federal government, if controlled by the federalists, would have too much because of the liberal use of the “necessary and proper” clause

Continued OppositionContinued Opposition

• Not at the Constitutional Convention

• U.S. minister to France

• Returned home and opposed Hamilton

• George Mason and James Madison

George MasonGeorge Mason

JeffersoniansJeffersonians• Jeffersonians

– Supported strict interpretation of the constitution

– Wanted America to be an agricultural nation

– Favored a weak central government

– Favored a low protective tariff

• Democrat-Republican Views– Favored low voting qualifications (like

not needing to own land or have so much money)

– Favored an alliance with France

– Opposed the Bank of the United States

Washington’s Cabinet Washington’s Cabinet

• Hamilton is Secretary of Treasury• Jefferson is Secretary of State

• Washington reluctantly stays fora second term because he does not believe the country can survivethe infighting between Hamiltonand Jefferson

George Washington, a FederalistGeorge Washington, a Federalist

Revolution of 1800Revolution of 1800

• Jefferson won the Presidency in 1800 and 1804. His predecessors, Washington and Adams, were both Federalists in political philosophy. The United States was moving towards an Anti-Federalist spirit by 1800 as Anti-Federalists would win the Presidency from 1800-1820.

• Dies in a duel with Aaron Burr

• Final words: “This place called America is not for me.” Aaron Burr

Democrat-Republican Victories

Jefferson: 1800 & 1804

Madison: 1808 & 1812

Monroe: 1816 &1820

Quincy Adams: 1824

TimelineTimeline

Anti-Federalists

↓ Republicans

↓ Democratic/Republicans

↓ Democrats

Democrats & DonkeysDemocrats & Donkeys

• Andrew Jackson was called a “Jackass” by opponents

• Jackson used the symbol to represent toughness and stubbornness

• Donkey used in a political cartoon on Jackson in 1837

Jacksonian DemocracyJacksonian Democracy

• Champion of the common man

• Involve more people in government

• Democracy takes on a new look

Andrew Jackson

Jackson’s Democratic PartyJackson’s Democratic Party

• Distinctive feature of political participation becoming widespread and party machinery immerged and set the foundations of modern political parties.

• Democrats were built now from the bottom up and caucuses were becoming abandoned for National conventions began to be used instead

•

WhigsWhigs

• Believed Jackson was behaving like

a Monarch

• Adopted name from the anti-

monarch party in Great Britain

William Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry Harrison

Republican HistoryRepublican History

• Born in 1850’s

• Ripon, Wisconsin and Jackson, Michigan both contend to be birthplace

• The Anti-Slavery Party

• Lincoln is first Republican President

Elephant SymbolElephant Symbol

• Used in political cartoon in 1874

• Illustrated by Thomas Nast, famous American cartoonist who created “Uncle Sam”

• Nast showed an elephant being chased by a donkey as it related to political issues.

• The elephant has been associated with the

Republican Party since Grant’s Presidency.

Two-Party SystemTwo-Party System

• Every President has come from one of the two major parties

• No 3rd party has won

• Republicans have slight victory edge

Liberal vs. ConservativeLiberal vs. Conservative

• Dates back to 1789 to France

• Those on the left side of room opposed government in power

• Those on the right side of room supported government in power

Liberal vs. ConservativeLiberal vs. Conservative

• Conservative/Republican

– support laissez-faire economics

– support lower taxation

– support more state control

• Liberal/Democrats

– support higher taxation

– support more central control

– less laissez-faire economics

Party IdeologyParty Ideology

• Changes as the people change

• Have switched their basic beliefs over time

• Will do what's necessary to get votes

DemocratsDemocrats

• Supported by minorities

• Younger people

• Blue collar workers

• Poorer people

FDRFDR

Democrats ContinuedDemocrats Continued

• Less educated than Republicans

• Low voter turnout

• Urban dwellers

JFKJFK

RepublicansRepublicans

• Republicans– Supported by

business– Older people– Professional white

collar workers– Highly educated– Suburban dwellers– Rich farmers– High voter turnout

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln

Presidential ElectionsPresidential Elections

• Usually very close in percentages

• Republicans turn out to vote

• Democrats less likely to vote

• Unions are helping change that

Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan

ProgressivesProgressives

• Progressives/mugwumps are reformers who opposed the heavy emphasis on patronage, disliked the party machinery, and wanted parties to take unpopular decisions on issues.

• Favored primary elections to replace nominating conventions, nonpartisan elections, strict voter registration requirements, civil service reform to eliminate patronage, and used the mass media to accomplish these goals.

• The effects of their movement limited the power of the party

IndependentsIndependents

• 33% of Americans

• Do not align themselves with a party

• Have never won the Presidency

Why 3rd Parties LoseWhy 3rd Parties Lose

• Popular ideas are copied by the big two

• Are not automatically on the ballot like major parties

• Third-party votes are considered a “wasted vote”

• Single-Member Districts

• Difficulty raising $$$

3rd Party History3rd Party History

• Appear on election ballots with “Big Two”

• Must get a certain percentage of signatures to appear on ballot

Know-Nothing PartyKnow-Nothing Party

• Founded in 1850’s

• Discriminated against Catholics and foreigners

• When questioned they responded, “I know nothing”

Prohibition PartyProhibition Party

• Often on the ballot

• Believe in banning all alcohol

• Often called the Women’s Christian Temperance Union

American Communist PartyAmerican Communist Party

• Appears on some state ballots

• Headquarters in New York City

• Americans can vote Communist!

Election of 1948Election of 1948

• Strom Thurmond runs as a Dixiecrat

• Wins numerous southern states

• Solid south favored states’ rights

• Truman wins election

Strom ThurmondStrom Thurmond

Other 3rd Party CandidatesOther 3rd Party Candidates

• 1948 Strom Thurmond Dixiecrats

• 1968 George Wallace States’ Rights

• 1980 John Anderson Independent

• 1992 Ross Perot Reform Party

• 2000 Ralph Nader Green Party

George WallaceGeorge Wallace

Ralph NaderRalph Nader

• Consumer advocate running for President

• Wrote Unsafe at Any Speed

• Challenges corporate America and Big Government

• Wants citizens to have an alternative

Gore’s ResponseGore’s Response

• 2000 Election

• Split Florida vote

• “Ralph Nader cost me the Presidency.”

Al GoreAl Gore

Nader in 2008Nader in 2008

• Announce candidacy again

• Not expected to play a serious role

• Oldest “major” candidate in U.S. history

Ralph NaderRalph Nader

Nominating ConventionsNominating Conventions

• Held every four years

• Adopt a party platform

• Select a President and Vice President candidate

• First held in Jackson’s days

Conventions

• Many parties hold them• Showcase party luminaries and future stars

PrimariesPrimaries

• Primaries

– Smaller elections in states

– Started during the Progressive Era

– Championed by President Theodore Roosevelt

– Gets more people involved

• Primaries Today

– More popular than ever

– Very expensive

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

“If I could not go to Heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.”

~Thomas Jefferson