Agenda, November 5 th ⌖ Lecture: Third Parties ⌖ Third party Packet ⌖ Interest Groups???

Third Parties : “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004

Third Party Any political party organized in at least some states, other than the two current leading parties Jesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota,

History of American Third Parties ● No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency: ➢ Only 8 have won as much as a single electoral vote ➢ Only 5 third party candidates including TR in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of popular vote

Purpose of Third Parties: “The electoral progress of third parties is in direct proportion to the failure of the two major parties to incorporate new ideas.” Ralph Nader the Green Party in 2000

Importance of Third Parties #1: Though very rare, a Third Party may replace one of the major parties ➢ 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858

Purpose of Third Parties #2: Influence: major parties often take on the ideas of third parties: ➢ Both the Republican and Democratic Parties in 1992 took on Perot’s reform government ideas, reduce the deficit George Bush (Republican), Ross Perot (Reform), & Bill Clinton (Democrat) during 1992 Presidential debate

What often happens to Third Parties? Once the major parties incorporate their ideas, third parties “burn out” ⌖ Populist Party platform assimilated by the Democratic Party in 1896 William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for President, 1896

What do Shooting Stars & Third Parties have in Common?

Types of Third Parties

Sectional Parties Example: Strom Thurmond and the Dixiecrat Party, 1948 ran on a segregationist platform

Economic Protest Parties Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party in 1892 won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes

Ideology Parties Examples: Socialist, Communist, Libertarian Parties Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

Charismatic Personality Parties Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive “Bull Moose” Party in 1912

Specific Issue Parties Example: Prohibition Party in 1892

Combination Parties Example: George Wallace 1968 (American Independent Party) ● Dynamic leader with Southern base ● Anti-civil rights issue ● Won 13% popular vote & 46 electoral votes

Third Party Candidates in 2016?

Barriers to Third Parties ● “Single-member, plurality” winner-take- all ● Electoral College rules in Presidential elections ● Signature Requirement to get on ballot ● Republicans & Democrats make the election laws and rules for debates (Ex: 3rd Party candidate must poll at 10% to be included in Presidential debates)

Barriers to Third Parties ● Difficult for 3rd Party candidates to raise campaign $ ● 3rd Party Presidential candidates only get public $ if they received more than 5% of popular vote in the previous presidential election ● News media gives relatively little coverage to minor parties

Analyzing Political Satire: Third Parties in America With a partner, analyze each of the following pieces of political satire answering the following questions: 1. What is the main message of the piece? 2. What does it tell us about third parties generally?

Ross Perot,

Ralph Nader, 2000 Election

RALPH NADER MATH PROBLEM, 2004 Election

Third Party Cartoon 2008