1. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Differentiate between the ideology of Democrats& Republicans
Examine how political parties serve as key linkage institutions to translate inputs from the public into outputs from policy-makers
Bell Ringer:
Based on the Pew Research typology survey, what category did you fall into? Which pieces of the assessment do you agree with? Which pieces do you disagree with? Explain your answer.
Agenda:
SOTU address
Typology survey
Political parties
Homework:
Read Chapter 7
Reading Quiz Feb. 2
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

2. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Differentiate between the ideology of Democrats& Republicans
Examine how political parties serve as key linkage institutions to translate inputs from the public into outputs from policy-makers
Bell Ringer:
Eric Cantor, a representative from Virginia, said that the party plans to decrease spending by billions of dollars pretty quickly. He did not, however, say what would be cut. Discuss 3 areas where you believe cuts should be made? Discuss the impact of cutting funding from these areas.
Agenda:
Homework:
Chapter 7 Reading Quiz
Florida Primary
Political Party Project due February 14th
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

3. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Differentiate between the ideology of Democrats& Republicans
Examine how political parties serve as key linkage institutions to translate inputs from the public into outputs from policy-makers
Bell Ringer:
Political Culture: Party Identification (handout)
Agenda:
Party organization
Party in the electorate
Party in government
Homework:
Chapter 8 Reading Quiz Feb. 10
Political Party Project due Feb. 14
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

4. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Trace the historical development of the American two party system
Describe what is meant by party eras, critical elections, and party realignment
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner take all” plurality system have helped maintain a two-party system in the United States
Bell Ringer:
What factors might explain why voters engage in split ticket voting? What message should political parties take away from this increasing trend? What do you think such behavior means for the state of democracy?
Agenda:
Nevada Caucus results
Parties:
organization
in government
eras
Work on projects
Homework:
Chapter 8 Reading Quiz 2/10 Corrections due 2/13
Political Parties Project due 2/14 Divided We Govern due 2/16
NOTE: Choose from options A,B, or C for your Unit Essay
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

5. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment
Understand the significance of the weak and decentralized character of the American party system
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner-take-all system” and plurality system have helped to maintain a two-party system in the U.S.
Bell Ringer:
“Party Government” read excerpt from the Woll Readers starting on page Then answer the questions from the handout and put them in your journal.
Agenda:
Challenges of political parties
“Divided We Govern”
Work on project
Homework:
Reading Quiz 7 corrections due 2/13 at 4:00 pm
Projects due 2/14
Test 2/16
Essays due 2/21
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

6. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment
Understand the significance of the weak and decentralized character of the American party system
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner-take-all system” and plurality system have helped to maintain a two-party system in the U.S.
Bell Ringer:
Finish “Party Government” read excerpt from the Woll Readers starting on page Then answer the questions from the handout and put them in your journal.
Agenda:
Presentations
Minor parties
Homework:
Minor Parties handout cbxkkk
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

7. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment
Understand the significance of the weak and decentralized character of the American party system
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner-take-all system” and plurality system have helped to maintain a two-party system in the U.S.
Bell Ringer:
In your opinion, are third parties in the U.S. weak because Americans don’t vote for them, or do Americans not vote for third parties because they know they can’t win?
Agenda:
Homework:
Key Terms & first section of Guided Reading questions due next class
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

8. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine how political parties in a democracy serve as key linkage institutions.
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment.
Examine the roles of the party in government, in the electorate and as an organization
Bell Ringer:
You Be the Policymaker (handout)
Agenda:
Work on group projects
Homework:
Chapter 7 Reading Quiz
Chapter 7 Overview
Political Parties Group project
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

9. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine how political parties in a democracy serve as key linkage institutions.
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment.
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner-take-all system” and plurality system have helped to maintain a two-party system in the U.S.
Bell Ringer:
“It is not a function of our government to keep citizens from falling into error; it is the function of the citizens to keep the government from falling into error.”
- Justice Robert H. Jackson
Based on the quotation, consider and comment on the following:
How can American citizens keep the government from falling into error?
Do you agree with this statement? Explain.
Agenda:
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

10. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.
Political Parties
Objectives:
Examine how political parties in a democracy serve as key linkage institutions.
Examine the significance of divided government and explain how the recent pattern of divided government may explain party dealignment.
Explain how electoral rules such as the “winner-take-all system” and plurality system have helped to maintain a two-party system in the U.S.
Bell Ringer:
Now that you have created your own political party, what do you see as being some of the challenges you would face in working on the issues your party chose to tackle?
Agenda:
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

11. The Meaning of Party Political Party:
a group of persons who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office.
Parties can be thought of in three parts:
Party in the electorate
Party as an organization
Party in government

12. The Meaning of Party Tasks of the Parties
Linkage Institution: the channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda
Parties Pick Candidates
Parties Run Campaigns
Parties Raise Funds
Parties Give Cues to Voters
Parties Articulate Policies
Parties Coordinate Policymaking

13. The Meaning of Party Parties, Voters, and Policy: The Downs Model
Rational-choice theory
Assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives
Downs Model
Voters maximize chances that policies they favor are adopted by government.
Parties want to win elected office.

14. The Meaning of Party

15. The Party in the Electorate
Party image
A voter’s perception of what Republicans or Democrats stand for
Party identification
A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other
Republican, Democrat, or Independent

16. The Party in the Electorate
Ticket-splitting
Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices
Independents are most likely to split tickets.
No state or race is completely safe due to split tickets.

17. The Party in the Electorate

18. The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington
These are the people that work for the party.
Local Parties
Party Machines: a type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements to win votes and to govern
Patronage: a job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit; used by party machines
Due to progressive reforms, urban party organizations are generally weak.
Revitalization of party organization at county level

19. The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The 50 State Party Systems
Closed primaries: Only people who have registered with the party can vote for that party’s candidates.
Open primaries: Voters decide on Election Day whether they want to vote in the Democrat or Republican primary.
Blanket primaries: Voters are presented with a list of candidates from all parties.
State parties are better organized in terms of headquarters and budgets than they used to be.

20. The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington
The National Party Organizations
National Convention: the meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and the party’s platform
National Committee: one of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions
National Chairperson: responsible for day-to-day activities of the party

21. The Party in Government: Promises and Policy
Party members actually elected to government
Which party controls government has policy consequences.
Coalition: a group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends
Parties and politicians generally act on their campaign promises.

22. The Party in Government: Promises and Policy

23. Party Eras in American History
Historical periods in which a majority of votes cling to the party in power
Critical Election
An electoral “earthquake” where new issues and new coalitions emerge
Party Realignment
The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election

24. Party Eras in American History
: The First Party System
Madison warned of “factions”
Federalists: first political party
: Jackson and the Democrats Versus the Whigs
Modern party founded by Jackson
Whigs formed mainly to oppose Jacksonian Democrats

25. Party Eras in American History
: The Two Republican Eras
Republicans rose as the antislavery party
1896 election centered on industrialization
: The New Deal Coalition
New Deal coalition: forged by the Democrats; consisted of urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners

26. Party Eras in American History

27. Party Eras in American History
1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government
Divided government: one party controls Congress and the other controls White House
Divided government due in party to:
Party dealignment: disengagement of people from parties as evidenced by shrinking party identification
Party neutrality: people are indifferent towards the two parties

28. Party Eras in American History

29. Party Eras in American History

30. Understanding Political Parties
Democracy and Responsible Party Government
Responsible Party Model
1. Parties have distinct comprehensive programs.
2. Candidates are committed to the program.
3. The majority party must carry out its program.
4. The majority party must accept responsibility.
American political parties fall short of these conditions.
No mechanism for party discipline

31. Understanding Political Parties
American Political Parties and the Scope of Government
Lack of uniformity keeps government small
Big programs like Health Care (1994) fail
But also makes cutting government programs difficult
Individuals focus on getting more from government for their own constituents

32. Understanding Political Parties
Is the Party Over?
Political parties are no longer main source of information for voters; media are
Yet parties will play an important but diminished role in American politics
State and national party organizations have become more visible and active
Majority of people still identify with a party

33. The Decentralized Nature of the Parties Both of the major parties are highly decentralized and fragmented.
WHY?
The party out of power lacks a strong leader.
The federal system distributes powers widely, in turn causing the parties to be decentralized.
The nominating process pits party members against one another because only one person can chosen to be the party’s presidential candidate.

34. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics
Third parties: electoral contenders other than the two party parties; rarely win elections
Third parties are important.
Are “safety valves” for popular discontent
Bring new groups and ideas into politics
Two-party system
Discourages extreme views
Contributes to political ambiguity

35. Why Are Minor Parties Important?
“Spoiler Role”
Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.
Critic
Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.
Innovator
Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.

36. Example: Libertarian Party
Ideological: Those based on a particular set of beliefs on political, social, and economic matters
Example: Libertarian Party
Single-issue: Have only one public policy matter they focus on
Example: Free Soil Party
Economic Protest: Generally form when the economy is bad. No real policy agenda, just unhappy with how major political parties are handling situation and demand change
Example: The Greenback Party
Splinter/factional: When conflict within a major party causes that party to divide and some of its members break away and form their own party
Example: “Bull Moose” Progressive Party

37. Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics
Multiparty Systems in Other Countries
Winner-take-all system: legislative seats awarded only to first place finishers
Proportional Representation: legislative seats awarded based on votes received by the party - more votes, more seats
Coalition Government: two or more parties join to form a majority in a national legislature

38. Summary
Parties are a pervasive linkage institution in American politics.
Party in electorate, government, and as organization
America has a two-party system.
The decentralized nature of political parties makes major change difficult and encourages individualism in politics.