U.S. Political Parties

George Washington
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If we had listened to George, there would be no political parties in the US today.
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“Let me warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.”

What Are Political Parties?
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1.
A Political Party is a group organized…
To Nominate Candidates
2.
3.
To Win Political Power through elections
To Promote Ideas About Public
Policies

Two Main Political Parties
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Democratic Party (DNC)
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Swept into Congress in the 2006 election
Held a Super
Majority until 2010
Represented by the
Donkey
President Barack
Obama

Republican Party (RNC)
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Former President
George W. Bush
Represented by the
Elephant
Also known as the
Grand Ole’ Party
(GOP)

What Do the Parties Stand For?

1.
Core Belief: A strong government provides needed services and remedies inequalities
2.
Biggest Exception: Government should stay out of people’s moral decisions, e.g. abortion

What Do the Parties Stand For?
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Democrats
3.
4.
5.
Issue Agenda:
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Education
Health/social services

Environmental protection
Emphasizes…Fairness, especially for disadvantaged groups
Relations with Labor Unions: Close and supportive

What Do the Parties Stand For?
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Democrats
6.
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Core Supporters:
Lower – Income People
East & West Coasts
Minority groups
Secular (nonreligious) individuals
Teachers – Mr. Green???
Trial Lawyers

What Do the Parties Stand For?

Republicans
1.
Core Belief: A strong government interferes with business & threatens freedom
2.
Biggest Exception: Government should regulate people’s moral decisions, e.g. abortion

What Do the Parties Stand For?

Republicans
3.
4.
5.
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Issue Agenda:
Strong Military
Tax Cuts

Property Rights
Emphasizes…Individual success, not group rights
Relations with Labor Unions: Distant & hostile

What Do the Parties Stand For?
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6.
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Core Supporters:
Higher – Income people – Mr. Green???
South, Mountain West
Whites
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Conservative Christians
Businesspeople

Party Identification

What Influences Party Identification?
1.
Family: #1 Indicator of which party you will vote for
*Exception: If one parent sides with one party and the other sides with another

Party Identification
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What Influences Party Identification?
2.
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Religion
Catholics tend to vote Democratic, however, this is changing because of
Right to Life
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Jews – traditionally vote Democratic
Christian Evangelicals – Republican
¾ supported George W. Bush

Party Identification

What Influences Party Identification?
3.
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Socioeconomic Status (Income)
Lower – Income: Democratic
Higher – Income: Republican

Party Identification
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What Influences Party Identification?
4.
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East and West Coasts –
Democratic
South and Mountain West -
Republican

Party Identification
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What Influences Party Identification?
5.
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Other Indicators
Women tend to vote…Democrat, esp. single women
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Minorities tend to vote…Democrat, except for
Cubans –Republican; more anti-communist
Trend is for College–Educated to vote…Democratic Why?
More women and minorities are getting college educations

Voter Turnout, 1992-2010
Year
2010**
Voting-age population
235,809,266
Voter registration Voter turnout
Turnout of voting-age population (percent)
NA 90,682,968 37.8%
2008*
2006
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
231,229,580 NA 132,618,580*
220,600,000 135,889,600 80,588,000
221,256,931 174,800,000 122,294,978
215,473,000 150,990,598 79,830,119
205,815,000 156,421,311 105,586,274
200,929,000 141,850,558 73,117,022
196,511,000 146,211,960 96,456,345
193,650,000 130,292,822 75,105,860
189,529,000 133,821,178 104,405,155
51.3
36.4
49.1
38.8
55.1
56.8
37.1
55.3
37.0

Influences on Voter Turnout
1.
Socioeconomic Status – lower the income, the less likely you are to vote
2.
Education – the higher you are educated, the more likely you will vote

Influences on Voter Turnout
3.
Age – 18-25 year olds have the lowest turnout
Who has the Highest???
-The Elderly – 60 and older

Influences on Voter Turnout
4.
5.
Social Connections – the more you have, the more likely you are to vote – more interested in what’s happening
Attitude – those who find it to be a dirty profession, don’t vote

Third Parties
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Third Parties in the US are Secondary
Political Parties
Historically, the US has a Two Party system
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Some say the Electoral College with its
“Winner take all” award of electors has done this
Should we just use Popular Vote instead???

Third Parties
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Third Parties rarely win elections but do play an important role in Democratic
Governments
Third Parties draw attention to issues that may be ignored by the Majority Parties & force them to adopt the issue(s) as part of its platform.
Referendum: referring and issue to popular vote of the people for approval or rejection

Third Parties
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Third Parties also help increase Voter
Turnout.
Example?
Same-Sex Marriage Amendment in Ohio
(2004)

Major Third Parties
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Libertarian
Support maximizing liberty, especially in the economy and in social codes of conduct
Small government

Environmental Third Parties
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Green Party of the
United States
Ralph Nader
Environment
The Greens/Green
Party USA
Smaller fringe party

More Third Parties
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American
Independent Party
Key Issue: segregation
American Nazi Party
Racist often with shaved heads
Has not fielded a candidate since
Rockwell

Socialist Parties
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Socialist Party USA
Socialist Equality
Party
Socialist Labor Party
Socialist Workers
Party
Democratic
Socialists of America

Major Third Parties
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Briefly successful Parties
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Prohibition Party
Against the sale of alcohol
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Peace and Freedom
Party
Against Vietnam
War

That’s a party?
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Pansexual Peace
Party
Left-wing
Free love
Pot Party & U.S.
Marijuana Party
Advocate the legalization of
Marijuana

Important 3rd Party
Movements
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Bull Moose Party (1912) – Teddy Roosevelt – also called the Progressive Party
Women’s suffrage, banking reforms, social welfare assistance for women and children

Important 3 rd Party
Movements
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Socialist Party (1900s) – Eugene Debs
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Ran for president from jail

Important 3 rd Party
Movements
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Dixiecrats (1948) – Strom Thurmond
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Segregationist Platform – race was a major issue
Significance: First splits in Democratic Party
South used to be all Democratic

Important 3 rd Party
Movements
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American Independent (1968) –
George Wallace
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Continuation of Dixiecrat – segregationist – “Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever
Opposed to racial integration
Receives 46 southern electoral votes
Shot and paralyzed (1972) by Arthur
Bremer (in order to gain fame)

Important 3 rd Party
Movements
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Independent/Reform – Ross Perot
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Key focus was the economy
1992 Election – received almost 20 million votes -19% of popular vote
NAFTA –”giant sucking sound heading to
Mexico”

Important 3 rd Party
Movements
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Green Party (2000) – Ralph Nader
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Stole votes from Al Gore
The reason Bush won???

3 rd Party Important Roles & facts
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3 rd Parties tend to exist to promote a
Specific Issue or Personality
Growing trend is for a major party to help a 3 rd Party with the idea of taking votes that would likely go to a major party – This is the classic “Divide
&Conquer” tactic

3 rd Party Important Roles &
Facts
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Currently, the Green Party is viewed as pulling more from the Democrats while the Libertarian takes more votes from the Republicans