1. Political parties Definition:
A group sharing a similar ideology that attempts to gain control of government by winning elections
Nominate candidates
“Inform” the public on policies
Linkage institution—connect the people and the government

2. Party Label or Brand What do you associate with each of these:
Republican
Democrat
Party Label or Brand:
The evaluation a person makes about a party
The people, ideas, events that are associated with a political party

3. Party Base The most loyal supporters of a political party
They are very likely to vote in primary elections
They will not vote for the other party
They are usually ideologically more extreme compared to the general public

4. Swing Voters
Independent voters that do not identify with one political party
They tend to be moderate ideologically
Their vote is crucial to winning the general election
The 2012 election could have hinged on less than 50,000 votes in swing states
Ex. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida
The 2016 election hinged on 70,000 votes in 3 states:
Ex. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin

5. THIS is a Key Concept, and an Exceptional Visual item:
Pew Center Research: Political Polarization w/ party Identifications

6. Independents about 39%
Democrats about 32%
Rep. about 23%

7. Trends in Party Identification, 1939-2014
Note:  yearly averages from the Gallup Organization interactive website yearly totals from Pew Research Center aggregate files. Based on the general public. Data unavailable for Independent data unavailable for

8. New Figures - America’s Party Identification in 2016
PRINCETON, N.J. – Reported Jan. 11, In 2015, for the fifth consecutive year, at least four in 10 U.S. adults identified as political independents. The 42% identifying as independents in 2015 was down slightly from the record 43% in This elevated percentage of political independents leaves Democratic (29%) and Republican (26%) identification at or near recent low points, with the modest Democratic advantage roughly where it has been over the past five years.

9. The History of the Democratic party--1960-1992
John F Kennedy—highly respected/ strong party label.
Ex. Kennedy Soundbite
Kennedy killed on November 22nd 1963
Lyndon Johnson becomes President
Johnson's Great Society
( show the 1st :09 mins. of video)

10. The fall of Lyndon Johnson
The fragmentation of the Democratic party begins:
Young liberals protest the war
The Vietnam War did Johnson in ( Only show Film for Time of 00:00 until 10:30.)
Johnson's Inability to End the War Cost the Party
Johnson decides not to run for re-election in 1968
The South leaves the party to support a 3rd party
Civil Rights
Unrest in urban areas

11. Party Goes to War with itself
Democratic National Convention--1968
Peace movement vs. Establishment Democrats
Inside the Convention--a view from 1984!

12. What did this do to the party label?
Democrats seen as a radical party
Too left wing
Comprised of warring factions
Nixon wins 1968 and 1972
1968—Democratic party split
1972--Nixon won 49 of the 50 states
Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College

13. Today’s Research Assistants:
The Mexico City International Research Department:
Jaime Royal Payne-Diaz
Teenage Daughter Consultant:
Sasha Royal Payne-Dias

14. In a 24 year period the Democrats only won the Presidency Once!
1968—Republican Nixon Wins
1972—Republican Nixon Wins
1976—Democrat Carter Wins
1980—Republican Reagan Wins
1984—RepublicanReagan Wins
1988—Republican Bush (41)Wins

15. 1968--1976 Democrats in 1976 Jimmy Carter elected in 1976 Southern
Protestant
Military background
Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College

16. 1980—1992 Republicans control the presidency
What did the electoral college map look like during this period?
Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College

17. Question: How to save the Democrats from oblivion?
198o’s—the Democratic Leadership Council
Move it to the center
Problem: what about the “identity of the party?”
Some party elites wanted it to remain a liberal party
EX. Jesse Jackson, Ted Kennedy

18. Clinton moved rhetorically to the ideological middle on wedge issues
Abortion:
“It should be safe, legal, but rare ”
Death penalty:
“As governor I approved three executions. . . each offender was a serial killer. . .
Welfare:
“I don’t want a welfare program, I want a back to work program. . .”

19. Clinton’s strategy of “triangulation”
Left
Right
He tried to stay in this area when discussing policy issues

20. Jackson and Kennedy wanted the party on the left
What the candidate tries to do
1992: Why Clinton’s strategy worked. He understood this fact of American political parties
What party activists want
Jackson and Kennedy wanted the party on the left

21. Clinton Wins in 1992

22. Problem for the Republicans in national elections today (2017)
In the last twenty four years they have only won the popular vote majority once. (2004)
The share of the minority vote is always less than 50%
Women often favor the Democrats, w/ increasing margin
The share of the Hispanic vote was less than 30% in (and here is what they said ten months ago ! Conservative Lations - before Repub. Debate )
The “Tea Party” faction of the party is pulling it to the right
The party is identified with older white men and not seen as open to new ideas

23. Party Organization Each party has a national organization
Each party has a state organization
Federalism—decentralizes politics

24. State party organization
Michigan Democratic Party
Michigan Republican Party
Indiana Republican Party
Colorado Democratic Party

25. National Party Organization
Each major political party has a bureaucratic structure
It has a Chairperson
Republican Chair today—Ronna
Romney McDaniel
Democratic Chair : —Tom Perez
Job of the Chairperson
The face of the party in the national media
Manages the national party organization
especially important during the general
election campaigns

26. Current Interim DNC Chair:
Tom Perez (from )

27. National Congressional Campaign Committee
They raise money for congressional candidates
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC)

28. Congressional Districts
Map of Michigan's Congressional Districts
NY Times Michigan Election Results: Presidential election Interactive site (gives the above map)

29. The National Convention
Every four years each party calls a convention of delegates
Purpose:
Write the party platform
Republican Party Platform 2012
Republican Party Platform 2016
Officially nominate the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate
Unify the party after the primary election cycle
Unite the Party

30. Party realignment
When an issue or set of circumstance causes a shift in the electoral base—the party base-- of each party.
When was the last major realignment?
Creation of the New Deal Coalition—1930’s
Urban workers, Blacks Americans, Jewish voters, the South.
Regional realignment in the South
Dealignment:
More voters are calling themselves independents and no party is clearly dominates
Was there a new “Obama” coalition forming in the U.S.?
Is there a new “Trump” coalition forming in the U.S.?

31. Why do we have a two party system?
Plurality system
Single member district plurality (SMDP)/winner take all
Electoral College feature: Majority win needed before the choice goes to the states
Ideological distribution of opinion in the United States
Tradition

32. How American Political Parties Are Structured
The 3 Headed Giants: from your text book, pg. 220:
William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC Newswire via AP Images
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.) is chair of the Democratic National Committee, and Reince Priebus is chair of the Republican National Committee.

33. Multi-party systems: The French system has at least 20 parties!
French presidential elections took place in April & May, Emanuel Macron ran against Marine Le Pen in the second tour. Macron won.
Marine Le Pen—
Front National Party (right wing)
Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste
(left wing)
Socialist Party
Ben Hamon
Emmanuel Macron
En Marche! party

34. How do multi party systems govern?
They elect members of their legislature using proportional representation
They must form coalitions of support in order to get anything done
Various parties must work together in the National Assembly and Senate and vote together to form a majority in the representative body

35. Proportional representation
The congress represents the electorate more closely.
There are many political parties.
The parties are represented in congress according to the percentage of the vote the party receives
The important factor is the party, not the individual candidate.

37. Minor or third parties in the United States
There are many minor parties
Communist Party of the USA
Libertarian Party of the USA
Green Party USA

38. Types of minor parties: Splinter or factional parties
American Independent Party 1968
Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College
One issue parties
Ex. Prohibitionist
Ideological parties

39. The Dominance of Our Two-Party System
The Effects of Third Parties
Third parties bring issues to the public’s attention
Third parties can affect the vote
Third parties provide a voice for dissatisfied Americans
Some have argued that, given the polarization of the two major parties, Americans should organize a new party based on moderate politics. Why might such an initiative fail—or succeed?
Third parties can influence election outcomes. On occasion, they have taken victory from one major party and given it to another, thus playing the “spoiler” role.

40. So: Mr. V -
Do you have the question of the Day?

41. Why don’t minor parties become major parties?
For all the reasons we have a two party system!
If a minor party shows support, a major party grabs its ideas
Most Americans are here
Too extreme
Too extreme
If a minor party is here a major party will take its ideas

42. Third Party Challengers:
H. Ross Perot, Candidate in 1992
Ross Perot 1992 Infomercial

43. Third Party “Causes”:

45. Jackson and Kennedy wanted the party on the left
Remember this……
What the candidate tries to do
Why Clinton’s strategy worked. He understood this fact of American political parties
What party activists want
Jackson and Kennedy wanted the party on the left

46. Recollection Time: Two general types of ballots
Party column—all candidate of the same party are listed under the party name.
Democrats
Greens
Republican X
All candidates of one party are listed in the column

47. Office Group

48. Office Group—Candidates are grouped according to office, making it harder to vote a straight party ticket.
All candidates running for the specific office are listed
together.
Senate
Mayor
President
Demo.
Rep.
Green

49. See: Printed Handout on Sister Souljah Moment

50. My, how 4 years makes a difference
My, how 4 years makes a difference. The Question: WHAT or WHOM is different?
1) This was Mitt’s challenge in 2012: The “Birthers”.
2) You and I have read about the 2015 & 2016 words of Trump and Carson as Candidates.