Ross Perot's independent candidacy in 1992 - one-fifth of votes / efforts to create a third party unlikely to succeed.
A. Party politics in United States is two-party politics / Democrats and Republicans.
B. Domination more complete than any other parties in any other democratic government
C. Two-party system taken for granted.
II. Political parties viewed with suspicion - parties essential.
A. Main participation in government through voting
1. POLITICAL PARTY - organization that sponsors candidates for public office under organization's name.
2. Candidate / organization acknowledge same label / label conveys significant meaning throughout electorate.
3. Interest groups - distinct from parties / interest groups may support candidates / never sponsor them as their avowed representatives.
B. Parties perform functions for political system.
1. NOMINATE candidates for election to public office,
2. STRUCTURE voting choice in elections / reduce number of candidates on the ballot.
3. PROPOSE alternative government programs / help voters choose policies / personalities.
4. COORDINATE actions of government officials / help bridge separation of powers.
III. Political parties - long / complex history.
A. Parties not mentioned in Constitution / did not exist before Washington’s second term of office.
1. Groups thought of as factions.
2. Colonial times - factions considered inevitable / dangerous.
B. FIRST PARTY SYSTEM - Federalists, led by Hamilton, against Democratic Republicans, led by Jefferson.
1. Early Political parties - did not use all of the functions associated with parties.
2. Nomination of candidates- emerged as party function in election of 1800.
3. 1820 Federalists ceased to exist - by 1824 Democratic Republicans had split into factions seeking office within the party.
C. SECOND PARTY SYSTEM - involved Democratic Party / Whig party.
1. Democratic Party - originated in 1828 / southerners / westerners Andrew Jackson.
2. Election of 1828 - first mass election our history (than a million voters.)
3. National conventions - for selection of candidates / party platforms came into use by the Early 1830s.
4 Whigs - formed in 1834 / opposed Jackson (governed like a king)
D. PRESENT PARTY SYSTEM / Democrat / Republican parties / developed in 1850s.
1. Whigs split over slavery / sectionalism / failed to offer a candidate in the presidential election of 1856.
2. Republican party - formed in 1854 opposed to slavery.
E. CRITICAL ELECTIONS - sharp change in existing patterns / voter groupings lasting ELECTORAL
REALIGNMENT - marked present party system.
1. Election of 1860 / Republican Party was dominant in North, / Democrats in South; and parties alternated control of Congress through 1894.
2. Election of 1896 - Republicans allied with industrial interests in populous East / Midwest - became majority party in national politics.
3. Election of 1932 - Democrats, led by Franklin Delano Roosevelt / forged a new national majority of urban workers / middle-class liberals - European immigrants, / southerners.
IV. Why a two-party system?
A. Many minor parties in American history.
1. MINOR PARTIES / formed by factions that split from one of the major parties.
2. FARMER-LABOR - parties represent working class / does not get its share of society's wealth.
3. IDEOLOGICAL PROTEST - attack established system.
4. SINGLE-ISSUE - parties formed to promote one principle rather than a general philosophy of government.
5. Minor parties - have not fared well / not well policy advocates / perform most useful function - safety valves for political system
B. Two parties have alternated power in the United States for more than 125 years.
1. The electoral system - involves twin principles of SINGLE WINNERS - chosen by SIMPLE PLURALITY VOTE – tends to encourage competition between two parties for political office
2. Presidency causes diverse groups to coalesce into SAME parties
3. ONLY those two parties dominate elections / historical claims on loyalties.
C. Federal nature of American politics ensures that parties operate from bases of strength after defeat at national level.
1. REAGAN carried forty-nine states in 1984 / Democrats kept control of House / also controlled most state governments. 1986 - Democrats regained control of Senate / retained control into Bush administration.
2. Parties retain strength in local areas / durability of party identification.
D. Americans identify with one of two major parties.
1. PARTY IDENTIFICATION - psychological attachment to party / not same as voting for the party in given election.
a. Voting is behavior.
b. Identification a state of mind
c. Republicans / Democrats combined exceeds Independents.
d. Democrats exceed Republicans.
e. Democrats shrunk / benefit of Republicans / Independents.
3. Party identification - cultural factors (race / religion) more effect on party preference than socioeconomic factors.
a. Protestants - Republican Party / minorities / Jews / Catholics -Democratic party.
b. Low education / income / occupational status -Democratic party.
c. Women more likely to be Democratic than are men.
V. Democrats / Republicans differ in party ideology.
A. Difference in way voters / activists classify themselves as liberal-conservative.
1. Republican identifiers - conservatives / Democratic identifiers - liberal.
2. Republican / Democratic activists divide clearly along liberal / conservative lines.
B. Ideological differences - 1992 party platforms
1. Republican platform - stressed freedom over equality / emphasized order - called for government to control sex / violence in media.
2. Democratic platform - stressed equality / avoided calling for more social order.
3. Parties tend to carry out much of their platform when in office.
C. Parties SIMILAR - they are both capitalist / reject government ownership of means of production.
VI. American parties parallel federal system - separate national / state organizations.
A. National level - main organizational components.
1. NATIONAL CONVENTION - every four years to nominate a presidential candidate / set party policy / rules.
2. NATIONAL COMMITTEE - composed of leaders from state parties / has a steering role.
3. CONGRESSIONAL PARTY CONFERENCES - guide party's legislative activities within each chamber.
4. CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN - organizations are separate bodies in each house for each party.
B. National organization is not hierarchical / little control over state party organizations.
1. State party organizations vary in strength and resources.
2. National organizations do not interfere in state operations
3. Centralized urban party machines no longer dominate organizations in states.
4. Party label - more important than party organization in political campaigning. / Republican Party stronger than Democratic Party organization.
C. American political parties enjoying resurgence.
VII. Parties essential to making government responsive to public opinion.
A. Role of parties
1. Present clear / coherent programs to voters.
2. Voters should choose candidates according to party programs.
3. Winning party should carry out program once in office.
4. Voters should hold governing party responsible at next election for executing its program.