1. PLS 121: American Politics and Government American Politics and Government Political Parties, Polls, and Public Opinion

2. 2 / 24 Political Parties Functions performed: –Recruitment –Interest Aggregation –Interest Articulation

3. 3 / 24 Zoön Politikon? Aristotle: –Man is a political animal Robert Dahl: –Citizens only interest themselves in politics when it directly touches their lives Tip O’Neill: –All politics is local

4. 4 / 24 In a democracy… Citizens are expected to: –Vote –Run Campaigns –Lobby –Stay informed –Join –Contribute –Litigate –Protest –Watch the Media Citizens are not allowed to: –Riot –Harass –Bribe –Threaten –Law break

5. 5 / 24 Participation Hierarchy Gladiatorial activities: –Running for office, working in campaigns, etc. Political activism: –Becoming an active member of a political party or interest group Spectator activities: –The simplest kinds of political activities that demand a minimal amount of effort and a correspondingly low amount of political resources Apathy: –Lack of interest in politics

6. 6 / 24 Voting Participation Either: –Ratio of voters to voting-aged citizens –Ratio of voters to those registered to vote –Which is a better measure?

7. 7 / 24 Voting Participation Currently: –About 70% are registered In 2000: –Less than 50% of VAP voted In 2004: –It was 56.2% of VAP, but it was 72.9% of registered voters (RV) –Highest: Wyoming (104.7% RV) –Lowest: Indiana (57.4% RV)

8. Election Winners %PVEV%EV%VAP 1976Carter50.129755.226.8 1980Reagan50.748990.126.7 1984Reagan58.852597.631.2 1988Bush53.442679.226.8 1992Clinton43.337068.823.1 1996Clinton49.237970.423.2 2000Bush47.827150.424.9 2004Bush51.128653.228.7

9. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

10. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

11. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

12. Results by State (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

13. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

14. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

15. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

16. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

17. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

18. Results by County (2004) Source: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

19. 19 / 24 Voting Participation (%VAP) Guatemala 24% Switzerland 38% Venezuela 50% Mexico 59% Finland 71% Great Britain 77% Turkey 80% Spain 80% Belgium 85% Italy 90%

20. 20 / 24 General Trends Increase Turnout: –New Democracy –Mandatory Voting –Proportional Rep –Postal Voting –National Crisis –Easier Registration –Lessening Barriers –Competitive Parties –Tradition –Large Middle Class –Moderate Weather –Weekend Voting –Parliamentary –Absentee Voting –Vote-by-Mail –Election ‘Theme’

21. 21 / 24 Political Parties Great Britain –About 20 parties (10 in parliament) –Labor – 63% –Conservative – 25% Italy –About 170 parties –13 hold seats in Camera dei Deputati –11 hold seats in Senato della Repubblica

22. 22 / 24 United States Two Party System Single-member districts Winner take all system Majority / Minority Parties Divided Government

23. 23 / 24 Third Parties Usually impotent. A few exceptions: –Progressive Party (1912) “Bull Moose Party” Theodore Roosevelt: 88EV, 27%PV –Independent Party (1992) H. Ross Perot: 0EV, 19%PV –Green Party (2000) Ralph Nader: 0EV, 2.7%PV –Reform Party (2000) Patrick Buchanan: 0EV, 0.43%

24. 24 / 24 Questions Is low turnout a good thing or a bad thing? Do our two parties represent the US? Why are third-parties so difficult to elect? Why spend the time and effort to vote? In America, do interest groups serve the same functions as third-parties in other countries?