Section 2 The Two-party System CHAPTER 5 Section 2 The Two-party System

The Two-Party System Objectives: * Analyze the two-party system in the United States. * Compare the party system in the United States with that of other countries. * Describe party membership patterns in the United States.

The Two-Party System * You probably have never heard of Earl Dodge. * He ran for president 5 times (1984, 88, 92, 96, and 2000) as candidate for the Prohibition Party * He is not very well known in that he belongs to a minor party. * One of the political parties without wide support. * The two parties dominate the American political landscape * This country basically has a two-party system.

The Two-Party System Why a Two-Party System? * The US has had mainly two parties dominate the landscape of politics for most of our history. * A number of factors help explain why America has had and continues to have a two-party system. * No one reason offers a wholly satisfactory explanation for the phenomenon.

The Two-Party System * The two party system is rooted in the beginning of the nation itself. * The Framers of the Constitution were opposed to political parties. * The first two parties were born with the Ratification of the Constitution. * Federalists who favored the ratification of the Constitution as it was and the Anti-Federalists who wanted a bill of rights added to the Constitution before they would support it. * The Framers looked at parties as “factions” and were divisive and promoted disunity.

The Two-Party System * The Constitution does not make any provisions for political parties. * The Framers did not foresee the ways in which the government system they set up would develop. * They did not realize that the parties would emerge as prime instruments of government in the US. * They also did not know that these two parties would tend to be moderate, to choose middle-of- the-road positions and to help unify a nation, not divide it.

The Two-Party System * Most Americans accept the idea of a two-party system simply because there has always been one. * Challenges to this system, even though minor, have had very little success. * Single-member districts is one of the most important features of our two-party system * This means that only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot * It is a winner-take-all contest.

The Two-Party System * The winning candidate is the one who receives a plurality – the largest numbers of votes cast for the office. * A plurality does need to be a majority (50+%) * The single-member district pattern works to discourage minor parties. * Much of the American Election Laws are purposely written to discourage non-major party candidates. * Republicans and Democrats regularly act in a bipartisan way in this matter. They find common ground and work together

The Two-Party System * They deliberately shape elections laws to preserve, protect, and defend the two major parties and the two-party system. * Americans are an ideologically homogeneous people. * They have shared many of the same ideals, the same basic beliefs, and the same patterns of belief. * Americans are not all alike. The United States is a pluralistic society – one consisting of several distinct cultures and groups. * Americans do not always agree with each other on every issue.

The Two-Party System * Both of the parties tend to look alike in many ways. * Both tend to be moderate and are built on compromise and regularly try to occupy “the middle of the road” * The candidates and parties have to win over the same people and seek the same prize * Democrats usually receive votes from people who support social welfare programs, government regulations of business practices, and efforts to improve status of minorities. * Republicans usually receive votes from people who private market forces in the economy, less government involvement , and less social welfare programs.

The Two-Party System * People argue that America should replace the two-party system with a multiparty system. Where you have several major and many lesser parties that exist. * This is popular in Europe. * The multiparty tends to have parties that are centered around particular interest such as, economic class, religious belief, sectional attachment, or political ideology. * The major problem is the weakness of a multiparty system leads to instability in government. * One party is unable to win support of a majority of votes.

The Two-Party System * Power to govern must be shared by a number of parties in a coalition. A coalition is a temporary alliance of several groups who come to form a working majority and so to control the government. * All dictatorships have one-party system – may call it a “no-party” system. You have no choice on election day. One candidate is running for that office. *Democrats are more successful in northern States and Republicans are more successful in southern and western States.

The Two-Party System Party Membership Patterns * Membership in a party is voluntary, * Each party to gain more votes have to appeal to many different types of people. * Democrats usually pull people that are African- American, Catholic, Jewish, and union * Republicans usually pull people that are Protestant, white males, business minded. * Patterns - - Higher income people vote Republican Lower income people vote Democrat * Other factors that affect party choice – - education, work environment, place of residence, and age.

The Two-Party System Other Major Parties > The Libertarian Party > The Communist Party > Prohibition National Party > Green Party USA > The Reform Party > The Socialist Party > The Constitution Party > The Natural Law Party