1. AP US Government and Politics Boucher
Ch. 9 – Political Parties “The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers. The people don’t acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and Democrats, instead.” – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. “I sleep like a Democrat. I lie on one side, then I lie on the other!” – Republican bumper sticker “Vote Democrat. When’s the last time you heard of a nice piece of elephant?” – Democratic bumper sticker
AP US Government and Politics
Boucher

2. What are Political Parties?
A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label
Tasks of Political Parties
Picking Candidates (Nominating)
Running Campaigns
Give Cues to Voters
Articulate Policies
Coordinate Policymaking
Rational-Choice Theory
Assumes that individuals act in their own best interest (including party identification)

3. History of Political Parties
Founding – 1820s
Viewed parties as factions
Emergence of Federalists, Republicans (Ham v. Jeff)
1820s – 1860
Jacksonian Democracy
Political participation becomes mass activity
Parties built from bottom up

4. History of Political Parties
Civil War and Sectionalism – 1860s – 1930s
New Republicans dominate after Civil War
Most states dominated by one party
Republicans break into progressives (Mugwumps) and professionals (Old Guard)
Era of Reform (1930s – present)
Progressives push measures to curtail parties’ power and influence
Primaries, strict voter registration, initiatives, referendum
Effects?

5. Party Realignments
Critical/Realigning Periods – When a sharp, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
Five agreed upon realignments
1800, 1828, 1860, 1896, 1932
Two kinds of realignment
1980 a realignment?
Presidential voting pattern shift

6. State and Local Parties
Political Machine – A party organization that recruits members via incentives
Abuses were extensive
What is the “new” political machine format?
Ideological Parties
Principle is more important than winning election…so, they lose
Solidary Groups
Members motivated by companionship (Adv? Disadv?)
Sponsored Parties
Created or sustained by another organization (Detroit Democrats = UAW)
Personal Following (Kennedys, Bushs, Byrds, etc.)

7. Local Parties to National Conventions
Local (grassroots) parties differ from state and national
50 State Parties
Primaries: Open, Closed, Blanket
National Conventions
Are they necessary?
Formulas used to allocate number of delegates
Democrat rules
1970s – Weakening of local party leaders to increase minority representation
Hunt Commission – 1981 – Increased the influence of elected officials
1988 – Superdelegates!
1992 – Proportional representation implemented

8. Third Parties Ideological Parties One-issue Parties Factional Parties
Socialist, Communist, Libertarian
One-issue Parties
Free Soil, Know-Nothing, Prohibition
Factional Parties
Bull Moose, American Independent Party
What is the impact of third parties?

9. Find the Fake Third Party!
Pansexual Peace Party (PPP)
Pot Party
Boston Tea Party
American Nazi Party
Maine Secession Party
Pirate Party
Modern Whig Party
Ray O. Light Group