ap government political parties chapter 7. what is a political party? a group of political activists...
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AP GOVERNMENT
POLITICAL PARTIESChapter 7
What is a political party?
•A group of political activists who organize to win elections, operate government, and determine public policy.
How do PPs differ from Interest Groups?
•IGs do not want to operate government
•IGs sharpen issues (make distinctions) and PPs try to manipulate issues in order to get support
How do PPs differ from factions?•Factions come before the
PP•Factions are not always
permanent•Factions are smaller•Factions are out to obtain
certain benefits for themselves
What do political parties do?1. Organize the competition
• Recruit and Nominate candidates
• Register voters• Train candidates • Aid candidates ($)• Organize volunteers
2. Unify the Electorate• Moderate Conflict by
bringing together different viewpoints under one party
Extreme Liberal Extreme Conservative
3. Help Organize Government
• Not as cohesive or “vital” in the US as in Europe
• Committees dictate the issues Congress addresses and committee membership is determined by pp and seniority
4. Enact policies and implement campaign promises (effectively changing government with legislation)
• No guarantee that candidates will follow party platform
• Soft Money usually means candidates follow party platform
5. Provide opposition to the party that controls the White House or Congress
• Honeymoon period everyone gets along
• The “out” party provides the public with alternatives to the “in” parties policies
The Three Faces of a Party
1. Party-in-the-Electorate•Those who identify
themselves with the party
2. Party Organization•Formal structure and
leadership•National Convention
•Every 4 years•To nominate a candidate•Party platform (written & ratified)
•National Committee -direct party activities for the next four years
•National Chairperson -spokesperson for the party AND Manage national election
•State Central Committee – runs the party within the state•Made up of representatives
•Unit Rule – all of a state’s electoral votes are cast for the candidate with the most votes
3. Party-in-Government•Elected or appointed
officials from the party
•Ticket splitting – voting for candidates from two or more parties•Prefer divided gov’t•Other issues
How do parties nominate a candidate?
• Caucus-closed meeting to pick candidate
• Party convention-candidates chosen by party members
• Direct primary-elections to determine candidates (mostly used today!)
Different types of Primaries:•Open Primaries-any voter
can participate in elections (no matter the party affiliation)•Crossover voting
•Closed Primaries-only voters registered as that party can vote
Party System
• Know the following terms:•Two-party system•Multiparty system•Presidential system•Parliamentary system•Coalition gov’t•Proportional representation•Winner-take-all system
Minor Parties
• Third parties• Grouped by ideology • Examples: Anti-Mason, Bull
Moose Party, American Independent Party, Reform Party, Green Party
History of Political Parties in the US
• Founding fathers did not support parties
• Not mentioned in Constitution• Federalists v. Democratic-
Republicans• Realigning Elections-turning
points in history that align voters and political agendas
• 1824, 1860, 1896, 1932
1824 Jackson and the Democrats• Four Democrat-Republican
candidates• Andrew Jackson won the popular
vote but did not get the majority in the electoral college
• John Q Adams and the “corrupt bargain” with Henry Clay
• 1828 Rematch-Jackson won (Democrat v. National Republican)
• Two-party system established
1860 Civil War and the Republicans• Crisis of slavery lead to a new
party-the second Republican party (“Grand Old Party” or GOP)
• Abraham Lincoln won• 1860, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, 88, 96,
1900, 04, 08 –all Republican victories
• 1884 &1892 –Cleveland’s (D)• The Democrats survived b/c of
strong base of white males in the south
1896 Repubican Party in Transition• Party does not lose power but
realigns due to the industrial revolution
• Hard times for farmers and miners•United with workers in the East
and Midwest to combat foreign investments in US
The Progressive Era in the Republican Party• 1900-1920• Progressive wing of Republican
Party• Focused on corrupt political parties• Direct primary elections• 17th Amendment (1913) Senators
elected by popular vote• Remained dominate party until the
1930s
1932 FDR and the New Deal
• difficulty
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