Political Parties: Essential to Democracy Chapter 10

Core Questions 1. What is it that political parties do in America? 2. How has the nomination process changed throughout our history? 3. How does our “two-party” system compare to multiparty parliamentary systems?

4. What role have minor parties played in American politics? 5. What is the relationship between history and the development of political parties? 6. What is the current status of political parties in America? 7. What does the future hold for political parties?

Chapter 10 Outline A. What political parties do for democracy B. A brief history of American political parties C. American political parties today D. Political parties and their future

Minor Parties in the US

Some Realities about American Political Parties

Portrait of the Electorate

Party Identification 1950s-2000

Voting Behavior of Partisans and Independents

Party Column Ballot Method of voting in which all candidates are listed under their party designations, making it easy for voters to cast votes for all the candidates of one party.

Office Block Ballot Method of voting in which all candidates are listed under the office for which they are running.

Nonpartisan A local or judicial election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties.

Patronage Dispensing government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.

Honeymoon A period at the beginning of a new president’s term in which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress, usually lasting about six months.

Caucus A meeting of local party members to choose party officials and/or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

Party Convention A meeting of party delegates to pass on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

Crossover Voting A member of one party voting for a candidate of another party.

Closed Primary A primary in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote.

Proportional Representation An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.

Winner-take-all An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.

Minor Party A small political party that rises and falls with a charismatic candidate or, if composed of ideologues on the right or left, usually persists over time.

Realigning Election An election that proves to be a turning point, redefining the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties during periods of historic change in the economy and society.

Laissez-faire Doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.

Keynesian Economics Economic principles based on the principles advocated by John Maynard Keynes; increasing government spending during business slumps and curbing spending during booms.

Divided Government Governance divided between the parties, especially when one controls the White House and the other controls Congress.

Political Party An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy.

National Party Convention The national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice-president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.

Soft Money Money contributed for party-building purposes that does not have to be disclosed under federal law.

Party Platform The official statement of party policy.

Party Registration The act of declaring party affiliation; in some states required when one registers to vote.

Party Identification An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.

Dealignment Change in the composition of the electorate or its partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.