Political Political PartiesPartiesPartying since 1787

*TAKE SMART NOTES:LISTEN – to what is saidLOOK – at what is writtenTHINK – about what is importantWRITE – what helps you remember

Why Party?Why Party?

Who are the parties?Who are the parties?Sifting through platforms & agendasSifting through platforms & agendas

The Role of Political PartiesThe Role of Political Parties Choosing candidates: Choosing candidates:

– Originally parties Originally parties nominated their candidates nominated their candidates to run in an election. to run in an election. Today, the public can Today, the public can choose candidates in choose candidates in primary elections.primary elections.

Running campaigns: Running campaigns: – Parties organize political Parties organize political

campaigns and try to campaigns and try to convince voters to elect convince voters to elect their candidate.their candidate.

Providing a political identity: Providing a political identity: – Each party has an image. This offers the Each party has an image. This offers the

public a familiar ideology or platform with public a familiar ideology or platform with which they can choose to identify themselves which they can choose to identify themselves and identify politicians.and identify politicians.

Endorsing specific policies: Endorsing specific policies: – Politicians of a party often support each other, because Politicians of a party often support each other, because

typically they agree on a general party platform.typically they agree on a general party platform. Coordinate policymaking: Coordinate policymaking:

– Through party identification, politicians in different Through party identification, politicians in different branches of government are able to work together or branches of government are able to work together or support each other.support each other.

Political Party ActivityPolitical Party Activity

What are some important issues?What are some important issues?

On a scrap of paper list 5 that are On a scrap of paper list 5 that are most important to you (1 being most most important to you (1 being most important)important)

Political Political PartiesPartiesPartying since 1787

*TAKE SMART NOTES:LISTEN – to what is saidLOOK – at what is writtenTHINK – about what is importantWRITE – what helps you remember

Explain some Explain some advantages of advantages of participating in a participating in a political party. political party. Also explain some Also explain some disadvantages.disadvantages.

Having just experienced Having just experienced participating in a political participating in a political party:party:

How they work…How they work…

The Party in the ElectorateThe Party in the Electorate Many Many voters cast voters cast their their

ballotsballots on the basis of on the basis of partyparty identification. identification.

Party identification is Party identification is decliningdeclining. As of 2000, . As of 2000, the plurality of voters the plurality of voters considered themselves considered themselves Independent rather than Independent rather than Democrat or Republican.Democrat or Republican.

Ticket splittingTicket splitting, or , or voting voting for members of different for members of different parties parties for different for different offices in an election, is offices in an election, is also also on the riseon the rise. .

The Party Organizations: From The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washingtonthe Grass Roots to Washington

Unlike the more formal Unlike the more formal parties of other parties of other countries, American countries, American political parties are fairly political parties are fairly decentralizeddecentralized, with city, , with city, state, and national state, and national administrative bodies.administrative bodies.

Until 1930’s local parties Until 1930’s local parties had tremendous power.had tremendous power.– party machinesparty machines

patronage systempatronage system

Holding elections is one important task Holding elections is one important task performed by the states.performed by the states.

Closed Primary: Only Closed Primary: Only people who have already people who have already registered with the party registered with the party are allowed to vote in the are allowed to vote in the primary.primary.

Open Primary: Voters Open Primary: Voters can choose on Election can choose on Election Day which party’s Day which party’s primary they would like primary they would like to participate in.to participate in.

Blanket Primary: Blanket Primary: Candidates from both Candidates from both parties are listed on the parties are listed on the primary ballot, so voters primary ballot, so voters can choose different can choose different parties’ candidates for parties’ candidates for different offices.different offices.

State parties are becoming more formally State parties are becoming more formally organized, but most presidential organized, but most presidential campaigning is still conducted through the campaigning is still conducted through the candidate’s personal campaign candidate’s personal campaign organization.organization.

The national party organization, or The national party organization, or national committee: national committee:

-writes the official party platform -writes the official party platform

-holds the national convention-holds the national convention

-maintains the party organization -maintains the party organization

during nonelection yearsduring nonelection years

Third Parties: Their Impact on Third Parties: Their Impact on American PoliticsAmerican Politics

Third parties Third parties occasionally arise to occasionally arise to challenge the two major challenge the two major parties, but they rarely parties, but they rarely gain enough support to gain enough support to put a candidate in office.put a candidate in office.

Some parties form Some parties form around a specific causearound a specific cause

Some are splinter Some are splinter partiesparties

Some form around a Some form around a specific individualspecific individual

Though they rarely win, third party candidates Though they rarely win, third party candidates do force particular issues onto the political do force particular issues onto the political agenda, allow Americans to express their agenda, allow Americans to express their discontent with the two major parties and effect discontent with the two major parties and effect the final outcome of elections (spoiler effect).the final outcome of elections (spoiler effect).

Criticisms of the two-party systemCriticisms of the two-party system– There is little choice for voters because the two There is little choice for voters because the two

parties keep to the middle of the road.parties keep to the middle of the road.– There is less opportunity for political change.There is less opportunity for political change.– It is so decentralized that it fails to translate It is so decentralized that it fails to translate

campaign promises into policy because politicians campaign promises into policy because politicians do not have to vote with the party line.do not have to vote with the party line.

The responsible party model is proposed by The responsible party model is proposed by critics of the two-party system as how parties critics of the two-party system as how parties should work.should work.– Party presents programs to governParty presents programs to govern– Party’s candidates should be committed to Party’s candidates should be committed to

programsprograms– Majority implements programs, minority says what Majority implements programs, minority says what

they would dothey would do– Majority party accepts responsibility for perfomanceMajority party accepts responsibility for perfomance

Political ErasPolitical Eras

Who are the parties?Who are the parties? What were the What were the

significant events or significant events or issues that happened issues that happened involving the parties?involving the parties?

Explain your cartoon.Explain your cartoon.

Political ErasPolitical Eras

1796-1824

1828-1856

1860-19001860-1900

1860-19001860-1900

1900 - 1900 - 19291929

1900 - 1900 - 19291929

1932-19641932-1964

1932 - 1932 - 19641964

1968 - 20041968 - 2004

1968 - 20041968 - 2004