1. TWO-PARTY SYSTEM

2. EARL DODGE Who is he? Run for President 6 times Candidate for Prohibition Party 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 Minority party Political party without wide support

3. HISTORICAL BASIS Framers of Constitution hated political parties Considered “Factions” Will only divide the people Washington warns about them in farewell address Ratification created two parties Federalists Anti-Federalists Country began with a 2 party system

4. FORCE OF TRADITION Established human institutions are likely to become self-perpetuating People accept the 2 party system because there has always been a 2 party system Nation was born out of 2 parties so why not keep it like that Essentially America is a 2 party system—because America is a 2 party system

5. ELECTORAL SYSTEM Favors a two party system Single-member districts Only one candidate wins an office Winner take all system Plurality: winner is person with the most votes Minor parties have slim chance of winning People consider them a wasted vote

7. WORKING TOGETHER Bipartisan Democrats and Republicans working together They shape election laws to favor a 2 party system 7 minor party candidates in history have made the presidential ballot in all the states

8. AMERICAN IDEOLOGICAL CONSENSUS Americans on a whole are ideologically homogeneous Pluralistic society: several distinct cultures and groups Broad consensus: general agreement on fundamental matters Americans don’t always agree Deep divisions over race or religion don’t really exist In the grand scheme, we tend to agree more than most

9. MULTIPARTY SYSTEMS Multiparty arrangement System has several major and many minor parties Offers more choice Can represent the will of the people Unstable Sometimes one party can’t gain control Coalition: temporary alliance of several groups Come together to form working majority and take control

10. ONE-PARTY SYSTEM Dictatorships all use a one-party system Basically a no party system America and one party Some areas have a one party system Democrats always controlled the South for decades Two party system has spread quickly in last century

11. PARTY MEMBERSHIP PATTERNS Membership totally voluntary Democrat, Republican Minority party Independent—no affiliation Two major parties are broadly based They want as many members and support as possibly