1. Comparative Politics

2.  Two party system (Democrats and Republicans regularly get 75% or more of the vote in elections)  Third parties playing a role in times of crisis. Usually co-opted by one of the two dominant parties  Non ideological parties (“catch all” parties) prevail (at least until recently)

3.  Focus is on forming broad coalition to win elections more than ideological orientation  Both parties characterized by loose coalition of interests with varied interests often at odds with others in the big tent.  Examples of Republicans during the Progressive era and Democrats during the New Deal

4.  Moderate Republicans and Moderate and Left leaning Democrats would unite to pass legislation such as Medicare and Great Society Program that expanded role of government in economy  Coalition of Democrats and Republican moderates and liberals broadly accepted the idea of a mixed economy along the lines of FDR. Nixon famously said “we are all Keynesians now”  Coalition backed civil rights legislation

5.  1980 elections a pivotal realignment of political parties  Parties become more ideological as their base of support changes.  Democrats “big tent” reflects new social movements of the “New Left” and demographics  Republicans reflect countermovement of the :New Right”

7.  The Financial Crisis of 2008  Deficits expanded, unemployment, and housing prices collapsed.  Income inequality has been getting worse under neoliberalism and middle class in crisis  Tea Party Movement shifts Republicans to Right  What’s difference today?

8.  Larger percent of voters are independent of either party, voter turnout has been declining with blips along the way. More Americans in polls say they distrust politicians and political parties. And levels of cynicism in political institutions and leaders, the media and business and labor, have grown since the 1980’s  Prospects for Parties and Democracy?