Political Parties in American Politics Political Parties and

Political Parties in American Politics

Political Parties and Democracy • Political Parties – Defined – Party Platform – Functions • Formation – Policymaking – Elections

Political Parties and Democracy • What is a Political Party? – An organization that seeks to influence government policy by electing its members to office to implement the party platform • Parties compared to interest groups call themselves a party – – – Republican Party Democratic Party Green Party Reform Party Libertarian Party • James Carville “purpose of a political party in a democracy is to win elections”

Political Parties and Democracy • Party Platform – Position paper drafted by party activists at the national convention – Planks represent issues – Defines what the party would do if it controlled the government • Presidential candidates are not bound by the platform and may have to run to the center and away from the platform

Political Parties and Democracy • Party Functions – Nominate Candidates – Structure Voting Choice – Propose Alternative Programs – Coordinate Government Actions – Link Between Groups and Individuals and Government Officials

Political Parties and Democracy • Why Do Parties Form – Parties form as outgrowths of policy debate and policymaking process – Parties form as a necessary element of elections • Democratic theorists believe parties are necessary for democracy to exist – Must have at least two competing parties – In Southern States, only one party but liberal versus conservative factions within the party • In the 1980 s conservative Democrats became Republicans • Liberal Democrats remained in the party, but the South turned increasingly read

Political Parties and Democracy • Internal Mobilization – Party formed by government officials inside the government – i. e. , Federalist Party • External Mobilization – Party formed outside government to gain control of political institutions • Jeffersonian Republicans or Democratic Republicans • Republican Party • National Socialist Party (NAZI Party)

Dominant Themes • Realignment • De-alignment • Two-Party System

Dominant Themes • Realignment – Dominate party replace by new dominant party – Critical election occurs every 28 to 36 years • • • 1800 1828 1860 1896 1932 – Since 1968 political process characterized by “divided government” • Presidency is controlled by one party and Congress under the control of the other party

Dominant Themes • Causes of Realignment – Conversion Theory • Shift in voter support from one party to a new party • Caused by cleavage issue or wedge issue – Slavery in the 1850 s – Depression in 1890 s – Depression in the 1930 s – Mobilization Theory • New voters mobilized to vote in critical election • If 2008 is a realignment – Voters converted – Voters mobilized

Dominant Themes • De-alignment – 1960 s voters shifted away from identifying with two major parties – Labeled themselves as Independents – Democratic theorists feared “death” of democracy • Resurgence of Partisanship – 1980 Election of Reagan – 1994 Republican Revolution – 2000 Election of G W Bush • Independent Voters – Split 50 -50 or proportion of candidate vote – Mc. Cain hoped these voters would shift to him on election day

Dominant Themes • Two-Party System – US considered two-party system despite presence of “third-parties” – US parties are catch-all/umbrella parties • Less ideological than European parties • Attempt to capture political center to win the election – Minor parties or “third-parties” form as protests • • Free Soil Know-Nothings Prohibition Populist States Rights/Dixiecrats American Independent Reform Green

Dominant Themes • Major parties co-opt, borrow, or swipe the ideas of successful minor parties – Teddy Roosevelt – Franklin D. Roosevelt – Republicans and Democrats in 1990 s

Dominant Themes • Why a Two-Party System? – Electoral System • Single-Member District • Plurality/Winner Take All – Sociological/Psychological Opposition • Communists and Socialists

Historical Overview • Pre-Party, 1787 -1789 – Constitution makes no provision for parties – Winner of electoral college becomes president and second place becomes VP – Early political factions • Federalists • Anti-Federalists

George Washington, 1789 -1796 • Unanimously elected • Administration “bipartisan” – Federalists • John Adams • Alexander Hamilton – Anti-Federalists • Thomas Jefferson • Infighting between Hamilton and Jefferson over agenda led to development of parties – Federalist Party – Jeffersonian Republicans or Democratic Republicans

Partisanship and the Election of 1796 • First Partisan Election – John Adams nominated by Federalists – Thomas Jefferson nominated by Democratic-Republicans • Adams wins electoral college and Jefferson becomes VP • Alien and Sedition Acts made it illegal to defame the president or Congress – Democratic-Republicans convicted for writing essays critical of Adams – Supreme Court refused to hear cases – Law expired in 1801 • Democratic-Republicans begin mobilizing to defeat Federalists

Election of 1800 • Parties select tickets – Federalists • John Adams • Charles Pickney – Democratic Republicans • Thomas Jefferson • Aaron Burr • Jefferson and Burr tie • Election to the House – One State One Vote – Seven Days 36 Ballots – Jefferson wins, but questions actions of Burr • 12 th Amendment (1804) provides that electors will cast separate ballot for president and VP

Demise of the Federalists • 1800 to 1820 witnessed the disappearance of the Federalist Party – – – Jefferson 1800 Jefferson 1804 Madison 1808 Madison 1812 Monroe 1816 Monroe 1820 • Era of Good Feelings in 1820 with no party opposition – Monroe should have been elected unanimously – Electoral vote thrown to J Q Adams to preserve Washington’s place in history

Birth of the Democrats • 1824 – Four candidates for Democratic Republicans • • J Q Adams A Jackson H Clay Wm Crawford – Jackson wins plurality of electoral college and popular vote, but not the required majority of the electoral college – Election thrown once again to the US House • J Q Adams declared winner • Jackson faction claims corrupt bargain and bolt from the party

The Democratic Party • Democratic Party born out of 1824 election controversy – Martin Van Buren aligns North and South Democrats behind Andrew Jackson – Mobilization of voters • Jackson wins election of J Q Adams – Jackson broadly wielded power drawing opposition to his “reign” – National Republicans unable to maintain opposition • Whig Party forms in opposition and has moderate success between 1836 and 1952

The Stress of Slavery • Slavery cleavage issue weakening Democrats and destroying Whigs – – – Missouri Compromise of 1820 Compromise of 1850 Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854 Dred Scott Decision John Brown Revolt

Republican Party • Anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats realize incapacity or unwillingness of party officials to deal with slavery • Republican Party formed in 1854 as anti-slavery party – Nominate Fremont in 1856 – Win control of House in 1858 – Lincoln is nominee in 1860

Reconstruction and the South • A Johnson becomes president following assassination of Lincoln – Impeached by House for violating the Tenure Act – Senate fails to convict • Republican post-war agenda and Reconstruction fuel Southern opposition and establishes the “Solid South” that votes for Democratic candidates at national and state levels – Exception 1928 when Democrats nominate Catholic Al Smith – Exception 1952 when Republicans nominate Dwight D Eisenhower • Republican Party is all but nonexistent in South until Reagan

Republicans Dominate Presidential Elections, 1868 -1896 • Republican Presidents – U S Grant 1868, 1872 – Rutherford Hayes 1876 – James Garfield 1880 • Assassinated – Chester Arthur 1881 – Benjamin Harrison 1888 • Democrat Presidents – Grover Cleveland 1884 – Grover Cleveland 1892

Depression and the Realignment of 1896 • • Democrat Cleveland president during Depression of 1890 Economy used as wedge issue to bring about realignment in 1896 – Mc. Kinley versus Bryan – Wizard of Oz • Republicans dominate in White House and congressional races between 1896 and 1932 – Mc. Kinley • Assassinated – – – • T Roosevelt Wm Taft Harding Coolidge Hoover Democrats limited to two terms – Woodrow Wilson 1912 – Woodrow Wilson 1916

The Great Depression and a Democratic Realignment of 1932 • Hoover president at beginning of Great Depression – 1932 Unemployment 25% – Homerville and Hoover Flags • F D Roosevelt is the change candidate in 1932 – New Deal Program • Economy cleavage issue brings about realignment in 1932 with the New Deal Coalition – Roosevelt 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944 • Depression, Dust Bowl • World War II

Post-FDR Democratic Dominance • Democrat Presidents – Truman 1948 -1952 • “Dewey Wins” • Constitution amended to limit president to two terms – J F Kennedy 1960 • Assassinated Nov 1963 • Republican President – Dwight D Eisenhower 1952, 1956 – VP Richard Nixon – “I Like Ike”

1964 and LBJ • Johnson v Goldwater – Daisy Girl Ad – Landslide • Johnson as President – Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Voting Rights Act of 1965 – Vietnam War

1968: LB, War, and Civil Rights • Johnson runs for reelection, but withdraws after weak showing versus peace candidate Mc. Carthy in NH – Civil Rights – Vietnam War • Hubert Humphrey becomes LBJ’s surrogate • R F Kennedy declares – MLK assassinated – Bobby assassinated in California

1968 and Chicago • Democratic National Convention in Chicago – Mayor Daley – Anti-War Delegates – Anti-War Movement • Abbie Hoffman • Tom Hayden • Allen Ginsberg • Protests/Demonstrations

1972: Watergate • Watergate Scandal – Republican operatives arrested in DNC – Cover-Up Begins • • • Hush Money CIA operation Secret Tapes Expletive Deleted Transcripts Saturday Night Massacre – Nixon resigns in disgrace • Gerald Ford – Only person to serve as president never elected to serve as VP or President – Gerald Ford pardons Nixon – Republican image is destroyed

1976: Jimmy Carter • Gerald Ford runs in 1976, but is defeated by Jimmy Carter • Carter’s position as an outsider diminishes his ability to work with Congress

1980: Ronald Reagan • Reagan “rebrands” the Republican Party – Reagan in 1980 • Misery Index • “Are You Better Off Now Than Four Years Ago” – Reagan in 1984 • Democrats nominate Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro (a woman as VP) • Age Becomes Issue – Bush in 1988 • Democrats nominate Dukakis • Bush VP Quayle

1992: Wm Jefferson Clinton • Clinton returns Democratic Party back to the political center • Republican Revolution in 1994 gives party control of House and Senate • Clinton wins reelection in 1996, but is mired in Lewinsky scandal

2000: George W. Bush • Bush defeats Gore in close election mired by confusion over Florida ballots – Recount – Chads • Bush defeats Kerry in 2004 • Democrats regain control of Congress in 2006

2008: Barack Obama • Obama redefines electoral map and defeats Mc. Cain • Pundits declare realignment

Party Organization • National Convention – Nominate candidate – Write platform • National Committees – House and Senate – Functions • • Raise money Head off factional disputes Enhance media image Mobilize voters • State Party – Statewide – County – Precinct

Parties and the Electorate • Party Id – Party made up of “rank and file” members – Party affiliation is psychological and related to ideology

Parties and the Electorate • Democrats – Education • HS or Post-Grad – Occupation/Income • Union, Unskilled, Low – Gender, Race, Relationship • • Women Blacks Hispanics Unmarried/Gays – Religion • Catholics and Jews – Society • Punk, Rock and Hip Hop – Region/Residency • Northeast • Upper Midwest • West (CA, OR, WA)

Parties and the Electorate • Republicans – Education • College – Occupation/Income • Professional, White Collar • High Income – Gender, Race, Relationship • • Whites Men (NASCAR) Cuban Americans Married – Religion • Southern Baptists/Evangelicals – Society • Country Music – Region/Residency • South, Southwest, Near West • Suburbanites • Rural Areas