1. The Party System GOVT 2305, Module 9
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The Party System
GOVT 2305, Module 9

2. The Democrats and the Republicans
Two-Party System
The United States has a two-party system, which is the division of voter loyalties between two major political parties, resulting in the near exclusion of minor parties from seriously competing for a share of political power.
The Democrats and the Republicans
What are the names of the political parties that have dominated American politics since the Civil War era?

3. Third parties
A third party is a minor party in a two-party system. The Green and the Libertarian Parties are currently the most successful third parties in the United States.

4. Why Two parties?
Candidates for executive and legislative office in the United States run from geographic areas and the candidate with the more votes wins the office. Candidates who finish second or third win nothing, no matter how close the race.

5. Multiparty systems
Many democracies have a multiparty system, which is the division of voter loyalties among three or more major political parties.

6. Proportional Representation
Countries with multiparty systems tend to have proportional representation (PR), which is an election system that awards legislative seats to each party approximately equal to its popular voting strength.
Does that happen in the United States? No
16 % of the vote = 16 % of the seats

7. Party organization

8. Party organization
A national committee and a national chair lead the national party organizations. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) work to increase party representation.
GOP = Grand Old Party
Reince Priebus, GOP National Committee Chair

9. Party services
The DNC and RNC recruit candidates, train candidates, and provide financial support to candidates.
The national party organizations have lost influence because of the rise of Super PACs. Candidates don’t need to rely on national party support to fund their campaigns.

10. alternation in power

11. Alternation in Power
Alternation in power among political parties is an inevitable and essential element of democracy. Over time, the political party in power loses support because it adopts policies that prove unpopular with a large segment of the population, mishandles a natural disaster, or is unlucky enough to be in charge during an economic downturn. Eventually, the party in power loses majority support and the opposition party takes power.
If one party or one person holds power over an extended period of time, be suspicious that the country is not a democracy.

12. Recent Alternation in power
1960—Kennedy, D
1964—Johnson, D
1968—Nixon, R
1972—Nixon, R
1976—Carter, D
1980, Reagan, R
1984, Reagan, R
1988, George H. W. Bush, R
1992, Clinton, D
1996, Clinton, D

13. More
2000, George W. Bush, R
2004, Bush, R
2008, Obama, D
2012, Obama, D
2016 ?
Note: Once a party gains power, it tends to hold it through the next election. It is rare, however, for a party to win the White House three consecutive elections.

14. What You Have Learned
What is a two-party system? Why does the United States have a two-party system?
What are third parties? What are the most important third parties in the United States?
Why do some countries have multiparty systems? How does proportional representation contribute to a multiparty system?
What role do the party organizations do?
What is alternation of power?