American Politics

American Politics

Two Political Parties• Democratic Party• Modern Name given 1840• Today: Moderate to Liberal• “blue states”• Symbolized by a Donkey• Referred to as the “Left”

• Republican Party• Founded 1854• Today: Moderate to

Conservative• “red states”• Symbolized by a

Republican• Sometimes called the

“GOP” or “Grand Old Party”• Referred to as the “Right”

Political Parties

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Ideology• IDEOLOGY - an orientation

[direction] that characterizes ones thinking

• POLITICAL IDEOLOGY - views about government policy (guiding principles) and function (how it works).

• How and what you think about stuff:– Life– Living– Religion– Politics– Education– Relationships– Decisions

SYNONYMS:• Belief(s)• Ideas• Principles• Ideals• Opinion• Philosophy• Doctrine• Creed• Dogma• Tenets• Worldview• Credence• Articles of faith

Partisan• A strong, fervent [passionate],

enthusiastic, and sometimes militant supporter of a person, political party, cause, faction, person, idea or philosophy– “Partisan Politics” = favoritism shown to

members of one’s own party, faction, sect, or cause.

– Nonpartisan = free from party affiliation or bias (Nebraska’s Unicameral Legislature is technically [on paper] nonpartisan.

What influences our political beliefs?

• Family• Religion• Psycholog

y• Events• Economic

Status• Age• Experience

Political Party Spectrum in America

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Spectrum• SPECTRUM - A broad sequence or range of related qualities, ideas, or activities • IN POLITICS:

• Usually defined by the terms liberal, conservative, and moderate

• Defined in terms of government involvement – (MORE? or LESS?)

Classic Political Spectrum

Increasing Tyranny

Political Views

More Free

LiberalismCommunism ConservatismSocialism

Less Free

FascismModerate

Increasing Tyranny

Less Free

No room for Libertarian (little to no government involvement) views on this spectrum

Modern Political Spectrum

Tyranny - “arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority; oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler.”

Government Authority

More Free

LiberalismFascismCommunism

ConservatismSocialism

Less Free

LibertarianismModerate

Less TyrannicalMore Tyrannical

Political Spectrum in America today

Presidential Politics and the Electoral College

• Electoral College - system written in Constitution for electing the President of the United States

• Designed to equalize small and big states• Designed to lessen influence of the popular vote

– Framers did not trust the “mob” (general population = uneducated, no interest in government)

• Number of “Electors” from each state = to Congressional delegation– 2 Senators + # of Representatives = # of Electors– Can change based on Census every 10 years

The Electoral College

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