POLITICAL PARTIES NEW SEATS AND UPDATES Seats might

POLITICAL PARTIES

NEW SEATS AND UPDATES *Seats might change around in the first few days* Research Paper due THIS THURSDAY 11/19. I will still look at rough drafts for partial credit until tomorrow. Chapter 5, Section 3 is due tomorrow Go Over Congress Test

PARIS UPDATE • President's Address • Read through the overview of presidential candidates reactions

AGREE, NEUTRAL, DISAGREE • Political Parties are essential to our democracy. • Political parties are corrupt and make the world a terrible place. • Political parties are ok…. it is just not right that there are only two major parties. • Someday…. I will belong to a political party.

POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEMS • 3 Political Party Systems in the World 1. ) One Party System: Political party and the government are the SAME • Only 1 party, so no competing ideas • Party membership based on lineage, wealth, military power, religious power • Example: China (Communist Party)

POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEMS 2. ) Multi-Party System: Three or more parties compete for control of the government • Common in Europe, Israel, Japan • Advantage: provides voters with many different choices and ideas • Disadvantage: difficult for one party to get majority of votes, which leads to a Coalition: EXAMPLE – Italy (50 different govts. since WWII) Daisy Alliance Sunflower Alliance 500, 000 votes 450, 000 votes Coalition Italian Communist 200, 000 votes

POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEMS 3. Two-Party System: Two parties compete with each other to run the government. • Party system of United States: Democrats and Republicans Thomas Nast 1870/74

ADVANTAGES OF TWO PARTY SYSTEM • Stabilizing • Keeps people near the center • Extreme ideas not supported by populace • Continuity • Government changes parties often • Transition is usually smooth

DISADVANTAGES • Two party system does not allow voice of minority parties to be heard

REFLECT What is the greatest cause of polarization in America? Can this be addressed? How? *Take out graphic organizer from Monday

WHY ISN’T THERE ANYTHING ABOUT PARTIES IN THE CONSTITUTION? • Framers were against ‘parties’ • factions! • The first parties: Federalists and Anti-Fed. • Our two-party actually tends to unify rather than divide • Both are moderate

PARTY ORGANIZATION National State Local

PARTY ORGANIZATION National State ward and precinct committees activists and volunteers party voters and identifiers Local

PARTY ORGANIZATION National state committees & conventions Congressional district committees State city & county committees. Local

PARTY ORGANIZATION national party convention National State chairperson and national committee Local

FUNCTIONS • Nominate Candidate and Run Election • Parties need to find viable candidates for a whole range of elected positions at the federal and state level • Obstacles to recruitment include: • time, privacy, finances, prospects • Providing resources for candidates • Providing ideas for candidates

FUNCTIONS • Informing and Activating Supporters • Fundraising • Getting out the vote

FUNCTIONS • The Bonding Agent: Presenting alternatives to the electorate • Voters need choices among candidates and among policy alternatives. These candidates should be qualified

FUNCTIONS • Governing • legislative leadership positions • executive appointments • judicial appointments • Conducting business according to partisan ties

FUNCTIONS • Watchdog: Providing organized “loyal” opposition to government (minority party or parties only) • Make sure, if not in power, that party is ready for next election • leaders • issues • policies

WHY DO WE HAVE A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM? 1. The force of tradition 2. Ideological “consensus” o free from bitter, fundamental disputes o pluralistic, yet a lot of agreement 3. The historical basis 4. The electoral system

OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM PREVENTS MORE THAN TWO MAJOR PARTIES ● Most elections are for single-member districts o “Winner-take-all” elections o Requires a plurality (the most votes) ● Why can’t a “third” party have a good chance? o Two viable choices: the incumbent party or next best chance party § o The perception of the “wasted vote” Very high bar to get name on the ballot

http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Twoparty_system

PARTIES- NOMINATE, INFORM, BOND, WATCHDOG, GOVERN 1. Which of a party’s functions do you think most Americans would say parties actually give the most attention and energy? 2. Which of a party’s functions do you think is the most subtle, with most Americans being unaware of it? 3. Why do people feel their vote would be wasted if they vote for a party unlikely to win, in the typical ‘single-member districts’? 4. Can you think of an alternative way to elect representatives?

WHAT RULE-CHANGE COULD FIX THIS? ● Proportional representation

YET, THIRD PARTIES EXIST. . . ● Playing the role of critic, of innovator, of “spoiler” ● Types of minor parties o ideological parties o single-issue parties o economic protest parties o splinter parties • Is it a wasted a “wasted vote”?

• • TYPES OF ‘THIRD PARTIES’ Ideological parties: based on a comprehensive view of social/econ/polit. matters Single-issue parties: based on a single public question Economic protest parties: rooted in periods of economic discontent. anti-major parties, without having a clearly defined ideological basis. Splinter parties: split away from one of the major parties, often formed around a strong personality.

● How do political parties affect democracy, in general? ● Would you prefer a multi-party system? ● What could be reformed about this system? ● Which type of minor party do you find the most compelling, or most important for the health of American democracy?