Chapter 12

Political Parties

Where do they come from?

What do they do?

James Madison In The Federalist No. 10 predicted the task of regulating conflicting economic interests would involve

"the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operation of government."

George Washington "baneful effects of the spirit of party"

Alexander Hamilton - the Federalists

Thomas Jefferson -

Democratic-Republicans

(the Republicans)

Era of Good Feeling

1824 - Democratic-Republicans split

(Whigs)

(Clay, Webster, Harrison)

1828 Andrew Jackson - Democrats

Democrats v Whigs

1854 - Republican Party - Whigs, Free soilers, anti-slave Dems

opposed the expansion of slavery

Democrats were torn apart on slavery issue

1860- the Party of Lincoln elects a candidate

1870s - Grand Old Party -

GOP = Republican Party

Political Patronage and the Civil Service System

Democratic Party - "solid south"

Big City Party Organizations

Machines

1884 and 1892 -

Democrats elect Grover Cleveland

Populist Party - Free Silver

James B. Weaver

Wm. Jennings Bryan

1901 - 1909 Theodore Roosevelt(coalition of Progressives)

1912 -

Bull Moose v Conservatives Wilson's Democrats

1920 - Back to Normalcy

- Warren G. Harding

Calvin Coolidge

Herbert Hoover

1932 - The New Deal -

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Democrat

1948 - Harry S Truman

Issue-oriented Politics

Civil rights, Voting, taxes

1952 - Dwight D. Eisenhower

1960 - JFK and the New Frontier

1964 - LBJ v Barry Goldwater

1968 - Nixon

1976 - Carter reunified Democratic Party

1980 - Reagan and Republicans control Senate

Still 34 state governorships,

House of Representatives

1988 - Bush

- Democrats control both Houses

1992 - Democrat Bill Clinton elected with

control of both Houses

1994 -

Republicans control both Houses

Clinton wins again in 1996

Republicans retain control of both houses

2000 – Bush wins and retains control of both houses

State governors are

26R/24D 2002

What is a Political Party?

A group of office holders, candidates, activists, and voters who identify with a group label and seek to elect to public office individuals who run under that label

Frank J. Sorauf, Political Parties in the American System

- the nature of a political party is somewhat in

"the eye of the beholder."

*Party Leaders outside government - control the party machinery and serve as an important power base. eg. William L. Ward

*party activist - perform the day to day party business

Organizational Party – the staff

*Political Consultant

Professional who manages campaigns and political advertisements

*Party Leaders in Government - the "point men" of the agenda

Governmental Party –

The office holders of a party

President - Congress

Governor - state legislatures

Mayor - Councilman

Party in the Electorate

The voters

who consider themselves associated with the party

Major Political Party -

a broadly based coalition that attempts to gain control of government by winning an election

*carrying out their agenda - party whips round up party votes

The American System of Presidential Election

In V.O. Key Jr's., Politics, Parties, and Pressure Groups

* Parties serve as an essential function in the management of succession to power

Role of Political Parties

in the US

Manage transfer of power

choice to voters

Act as bridge between government and voters

recruit candidates for office

reconcile conflicting interests in society

staff government and run it

link all branches of government

The Presidential type Government in America fits quite well with the Dual Party System

the electoral college system

the winner take all theory

* A successful presidential candidate must have the support of a broad coalition

At the National Level

(National Party Platform)

Democrats - friendly towards labor, regulation, diversity

Republicans - business, free enterprise,economic conservatism

Austin Ranney

We are approaching a

"no-party system"

presidential candidates agenda very similar

One-Partyism – one party dominates and wins virtually all contests. (solid south)

Split-ticket voting

The educated voter does not vote strictly party line

Democrats v Republicans

The Dualist Theory – there will always be the two-party system, regardless of splintered system

What are their

philosophical differences?

Their origins;

What were they;

Who are they today;

Frank Sorauf in 1984

Party Politics in America

* Democrats see themselves as the working class

* Republicans see themselves as the middle class

Income

Gender --> influence

Religion elections

ethnicity

Who controls the National Party?

The President

The Party Chairman

Highest Ranking elected official

DNC and RNC Committees

The National Convention

ba carnival, boring?

Nelson W. Polsby in 1983

Consequences of Party Reform

National conventions survive primarily as spectacle

Deals have already been cut; candidates have been chosen

1790s-1824 Congressional Caucus

1831-1908 "Classic"

Convention System

(smoky rooms, party bosses)

1912-1968 "Mixed"

Convention System

(convention decides; party boss)

1972-present Presidential

Primaries

(done deal by convention time)

A forum for the gifted speaker

Keynote Address will set the tone for the convention

Will Rogers on political parties

"I don't belong to an organized party, I'm a Democrat"

“Big Tent”

In Chicago the classic

1968 Democratic Convention

*the ultimate absolute circus.

*new meaning to the term

self-destructive democrat

In 1972, they dropped unit rule

(state casts all of its votes)

for fear of "boss control"

In 1976, Democrats dropped the winner take all primary for a Presidential election in favor of proportional representation

(favors a Bill Clinton type)

The Question of the Century:

Are Parties Accountable to the Voters?

Will the candidate who gets elected keep his campaign promises?

Mixed opinions on this topic because we must examine the accountability of the voter

*Third-Partyism – will always arise in our dual party system

Reason: different viewpoints within a party on the same issue

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