American political parties

American Political Parties

Background

• Political parties were not around at the start of American politics, George Washington even warned against them

• People quickly discovered that there was value in having a political organization, within 25 years parties became the norm.

• Many parties have come and gone over time, but among the most popular were the Whig, Federalist, Republican, Democratic, & Progressive parties

Party Systems

One-Party System• Usually found in

dictatorships• Only 1 party exists, all

others are made illegal• Only political differences

that exist are among the party leaders

• No choice and no real political debate

Multi-Party System• The political system allows for

unlimited competing parties• It is common to have 5-10

popular parties capable of winning elections

• Allows for a great deal of competition and choice for people

• Also leads to greater conflict with so many parties with power

In Between: A 2 Party System

The United States is one of only a few countries who use a 2 party system.

• In these systems 2 major parties compete for power

• Other parties usually exist, but have little power

• These systems offer some choice, but often do not satisfy everyone

Third Parties

• In a system like that in the US, 3rd parties often exist. While they rarely win big elections, they

can serve many purposes and have a major impact in our politics.

Types of 3rd Parties

1. Single Issue Party – Party that focuses only on one issue (Pro-Life, Environment, Etc.). They usually don’t last long term.

2. Ideological Party – Focuses on attempting to change society overall. In the US these parties include Libertarian, Communist or Socialist parties.

3. Splinter Party – These are made up of members of an existing party, who branch out for one reason or another. (Example: Tea Party) These are usually the most popular 3rd parties.

What do 3rd parties do?

They rarely win, so why are they important??• They raise awareness about issues & force

things to be talked about that otherwise wouldn’t (min. wage)

• They can win small, local elections (city council, school board, etc.)

• They can take votes away from major candidates and be the difference in an election

(1992, 2000)

Why 3rd parties struggle

Many 3rd parties have good ideas, but still have trouble winning elections…why?• They have trouble raising $$ when people don’t

think they can win• They must collect signatures and file papers to

be put on ballots• We use a winner-take-all system, meaning that

only 1 person can hold office. Other countries divide representation based on election results.

Party Organization

Political Parties operate like a pyramid.

National Party: Set the policy for all

members, focus on national elections,

and raise $$State Parties: In all 50 states. Responsible to register members and

attempt to win statewide elections

Local Party Organizations: Thousands of local chapters help recruit members, work

on campaigns at all levels, get out the vote, etc.

What do parties do?

Political Parties serve 6 basic functions1. Recruit Candidates to run for office

2. Educate the public on issues they feel are important3. Help to operate the government (filling jobs,

communicating, etc.)4. Dispense Patronage (aka – handout favors)5. Serve as a watchdog of the party in power

6. Reduce Conflict: having 2 parties allows them to focus and work together, as opposed to 100’s of individuals

trying to

American Politics

Political Ideology: A persons most basic beliefs about government, including its

purpose, style, function, etc.

Choosing a Party

• For many Americans this can be a difficult choice. In fact, a large % of people cannot choose a party & instead remain independent. But in an election, we must all choose who to vote for. Our political beliefs and opinions are formed over many years, and can change often in our lives.

Political Socialization

The factors that help us form our political identity are know as factors of socialization.1. Family/Upbringing – earliest and largest

influence, you develop ideas based on conversations at home

2. School – As you learn about history, government, and current events, you form

opinions about them

Political Socialization

3. Friends & peers – Through discussions with friend, co-workers, neighbors you gather information and are exposed to viewpoints that help

4. Personal Characteristics – Age, Race, Gender, Occupation, Income, Location all have an impact

5. The Media – People are heavily influenced by what they see & hear on the news, online, or in other forms of media. For many people, they use this as their #1 source of information.

Political Ideology

Radicals: Far Left wing, want major changes fast! Often want to overthrow governments & change the whole system

Liberals:Left of center, liberals tend to think that government should be active in peoples lives & has a responsibility to its citizens. Want to see changes, but within the rules.

Moderates:Can identify with both liberals and conservatives, depending on the issue. Allow for change, but with limits. Usually tolerant of other views, vote unpredictably

Conservatives:Right of center, they embrace tradition and are hesitant to make changes without good reason. When they make changes it is usually slow, cautious. Typically want government to be small and limited.

Reactionaries:Far right wing,Want to “go back to the way things were” Will use violence and authority to restore and maintain order as they see it

THE LEFT WING VS. THE RIGHT WING

Political Ideology & Parties

Radicals: Communists, Socialists, Anarchists

Liberals:Democrats, Green Party, Reform Party

Moderates:Republicans & Democrats… Independents

Conservatives:Republicans, Libertarians, TEA Party

Reactionaries:Nazi Party, KKK

THE LEFT WING VS. THE RIGHT WING

Anarchists, Communists, Socialists, Greens, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, Tea Party, Libertarians, KKK, Nazis

The Democratic Party

• Oldest Political Party in the US, dating to 1792• Symbolized by the Donkey• Famous Democrats: Thomas Jefferson (1st

Dem. To be President), FDR, JFK, Bill & Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama

Philosophy of Democratic Party

• Democrats are often described as “Left Wing” because they tend to be more liberal in their beliefs.

• This means that they actively pursue change, often times significant change

• Focus on equality, working for common good• See a large role for government in taking care of

and providing for citizens through programs such as healthcare, welfare, environmental issues, etc.

The Republican Party• Also known as the GOP (Grand Old Party)• Created as a 3rd opposing slavery in the 1850’s• Symbolized by the Elephant• Famous Republicans: Abraham Lincoln (1st

Rep. President), Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, The Bush Family

Philosophy of the Republican Party

• Republicans are usually “Right-Wing” or Conservative

• They generally believe government should be smaller, providing only a few needed services

• Reluctant to make major changes• Tend to be more supportive of the individual &

individual choice rather than the common good

THE PARTIES ON THE ISSUES

ISSUE Dem. Position Rep. Position

Taxes Raise taxes on wealthy, cut or maintain tax amounts on middle class or poor

Cut taxes for all people and on businesses

Abortion

Pro-Choice Pro-Life

Gun Control

Place more restrictions on guns/gun ownership

Less restrictions on guns/gun owners

Death Penalty

Against Support

Welfare Programs

Support most of these and making sure they are available long term

Place more rules and limits on these programs to cut down costs

Each party has a written platform, or statement of their position on major issues.

It is important to know that these are just generalizations about the parties, not every democrat or republican shares the same beliefs. Many of these issues are complicated, and there may be several opinions within the parties themselves. It is also common to see a republican share beliefs with a democrat on certain issues, and vice versa.

THE PARTIES ON THE ISSUES

ISSUE Dem. Position Rep. PositionMilitary Force

Usually slower to use military, want support from other countries, willing to cut spending on military

Quicker to support military action, willing to usually spend large amounts of $$ on the military

Immigration

Allow a way for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship, make it easier to become a citizen

Treat illegal immigrants as criminals. Supportive of building a fence along US/Mexico border

Environment

More rules to protect environment. Against offshore drilling for oil or drilling in Alaska

Less rules, ok to drill offshore or anywhere else in US

Business vs. Workers

Support more rights for workers/unions. Higher taxes on business and more rules for them to follow

Anti-Union, less rules for businesses to follow

It is also important to know that the parties positions are always evolving and changing with the needs and opinions of America & Americans. The Goal is always to WIN ELECTIONS!

Party Membership

Democrats• Low Income• Union Members/Blue Collar

Workers• Environmentalists• Minorities• Women• Younger voters• Urban Areas• Northeastern & West Coast

States

Republicans• Wealthy• Business Owners/CEO’s• Men• People who identify

themselves as religious• Military members• Older voters• Rural/Suburban areas• Western & Southern States

Party Membership

Party Mem-

bership (Mil-lions)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

DemocratsRepublicansIndpendents

The largest party in the US is the Democratic Party with 42 million members, republicans claim 30 million, and independents make up 24 million people.

Both parties have seen huge dropoffs in membership since 2008.

How Americans See Themselves

Political Party

31%

27%

40%

12%

Democrats RepublicansIndependents Other

Political Ideology

21%

40%

35%

4%

Liberal ConservativeModerate Other

Red (Republican) vs. Blue (Democratic) States

Other Options• There are technically about 50 political parties in the US you can join.

Among the most popular:

• Green Party – A liberal political party with a heavy emphasis on the environment and on equality and fairness

• Libertarian Party – A conservative party focusing on eliminating most government services and cutting taxes

• Tea Party – Technically not a party, this is a splinter of the Republicans focusing on returning the party to its small government, low spending/low tax roots. Has gained tremendous popularity and influence in the last 4 years

The Primary Process

• In order to choose candidates for political office, the parties use a series of elections to determine who gets the nomination.

• Candidates are nominated though either a primary election or a caucus

• Presidential candidates compete state by state for points, known as delegates.

The Primary Process

Caucus• Older method, less common

of the 2• Party leaders meet

privately, debate, and then choose the candidates they want to support

• This is done in towns, counties, districts, and statewide

Primary• More common type, like a

normal election, but you only choose people from 1 party

• Open Primary – You can pick which party to vote for on election day

• Closed Primary – You must be a registered party member to vote

Earning the Nomination

• After the primary season (spring), the parties call a nominating convention in late summer to officially award the delegates

• Some states award all their delegates to the winner, while other divide theirs based on the voting totals (by county, district, or %)

• The winner earns the nomination, picks a VP and gives a speech to the party faithful