Political Influences
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Political Parties
Interest Groups
The Media
Political Parties
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Role of parties:
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Party in the electorate – people who
associate themselves with one of the two
major parties
Party in government – appointed, elected
officials at all levels of the government
Party in organization – maintain strength of
the party between elections, raise money
and organize the conventions
Party Systems
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One party system
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Two party system
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Membership might not be voluntary
By law – dictatorships; by circumstance – Solid South
Minor parties with little effect
General consensus on principles and values
Single member district promotes
Win the largest number of voters
Multiparty system
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4 to 20 different parties
Instability possible due to the rise of coalitions and compromise
Proportional representation
Meaningful choices
What do parties do?
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Recruit candidates
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Raise money and run the campaign
Educate the electorate
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Who is interested in running – especially if the
incumbent is not running (find the best)
Nominate and support candidates for office
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Information, and encourage voters to be involved
Organize the government
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Majority v. minority party, political appointments
Party Identification and
membership
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Voluntary
More and more as INDEPENDENTS (not a third party –
dealignment)
Why?
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Ideology
Education
Income
Occupation
Race
Gender
Religion
Family tradition
Region of the country
Marital status
Why two parties in the US?
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Historical roots
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Electoral system
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Federalist v, Anti Federalist
British Roots
Single member districts – one winner per office
(not proportional)
Election laws
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How to get on the ballot – difficult for third party
candidates
Party Development in the US
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1789-1800
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1800-1860 – Democratic domination
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Republican Domination – Grand Old Party (GOP)
1932-1968
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Democratic Republicans until 1824, then a split with Andrew
Jackson
Democrats – party of the common man
1860-1932
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Hamilton (strong national government) v. Jefferson (states’ rights)
Return of the Democrats – economic issues – New Deal Coalition
formed (Blacks, City dwellers, blue collar, Catholics, Jews, and
women)
1968-present – Divided Government
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Gridlock could take place?
Divided Government
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Electoral Dealignment 
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People not registering with a party
Independents
Electoral Realignment –
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New coalitions formed
1860 and 1932 examples
1980 might be (Reagan)
Types of Third parties
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Ideological
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Splinter/Personality/Factional
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Split away from major party
Strom Thurmond’s States’ Rights; T. Roosevelt’s Bull Moose
Progressive
Single Issue
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Particular set of social, political or economic beliefs
Communists, Socialists, Libertarians
Single public matter
Free Soil, Right to Life and Prohibition
Protest
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Economic problems
Greenback and Populist party
Structure of parties
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National Convention
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National Committee
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Works between
National Chairperson
Congressional Campaign Committee
State and Local Organization
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Select nominee for president and vice president, more of a rubber
stamp today due to primaries and caucuses “frontloading”
State law regulates
Better organized and better funded today
No patronage
Dependent on national party due to soft money being filtered to
them
Remember – very decentralized, no chain of command
The future for parties?
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Third party challengers?
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Loss of support by party loyalists?
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Are they different?
Party reforms
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More independents
Increase in split ticket voting
Lack of perceived differences between the parties
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Spoiler role- take votes away
Greater diversity and openness – conflict within the party
Methods of campaigning
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More independent for candidates - no reliance on parties –
direct contact with the voters
Interest Groups
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Federalist 10 – Madison warned against
“factions” but stated that the separation
of powers would moderate their effect
Functions of Interest Groups
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Raise awareness of public affairs
Stimulate interest in public affairs
“linkage” between government and
their membership
Information to the government – data
and testimony
Political participation
Types of Interest Groups:
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Economics
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Groups that promote causes
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Most interest groups
Labor – AFL-CIO and Teamsters
Business – Chamber of Commerce, NAM
Professional groups – AMA, NEA, ABA
Agricultural Groups – Grange and National Farmers Union
Specific causes: ACLU and NRA
Welfare of groups: AARP, NAACP, VFW
Religion based: National Council of Churches
Public Interest Groups
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Common Cause, League of Women Voters, MADD
Strategies of Interest Groups
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Influencing Elections
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Lobbying
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Information, data to officials
Direct – personal contacts
Grassroots – members send messages
Coalition lobbying – common goals join together
Litigation
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PACs – contribute money
Amicus Curaie briefs filed
Going Public
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Attention to an issue – gain support through mass mailings
Legalities
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PACs – developed in the 1970s – case
of Buckley deals with 1st amendment
and right to spend money
Regulation
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1946 - first attempt – register
1995: lobbying disclosure act – who is
being “lobbied?”
Trends in News Coverage
The role of the media
Television
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News coverage has been reduced to “Sound
bites” of 30-45 seconds
24 hours a day coverage
“Real time” coverage
Ideological agendas with the news – CNN
Crossfire, Hardball with Chris Matthews,
Glenn Beck Program, The O’Reilly Factor
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News from Late Night shows – Daily Show
Consequences
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Superficial coverage – no in depth
coverage
Credibility of reporters due to “liberal”
or “conservative” bias
“Fake news” that becomes “Real news”
More choices available to the American
public
Talk Radio
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9/10 Americans listen to radio,
especially in the cars
Radio personalities: Howard Stern, Al
Franken
NPR as legitimate news radio
Newspapers
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33% of Americans read the newspaper
on a daily basis
Rise of National Papers – Wall St.
Journal, USA Today, Washington Post
Intense advertising competition
60% of cities have competing
newspapers
Internet
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Major source of news and information
37% of Americans receive their news
information at least once a week
Younger, male, better educated and
affluent - news audience statistics
Roles of the media
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Inform the public
Shape public opinion
“linkage” between citizens and
government
Watchdog that investigates wrong
doings
Agenda setting – which topics will be
national political issues
Government Regulations
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Technical regulations
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Structural regulations
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FCC in charge of regulating
Ownership and organization –
Telecommunications Act broadened competition
Content regulations
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First amendment protections, but lawsuits do
occur
Media and the President
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News release – prepared text
News Briefing – announcements and daily
questioning (press secretary)
News conference – questioning of high level officials
Leaks – anonymous information released
On the record – quoted by name
Off the record – cannot be printed
On background – no official associated with the
information
On deep background – print what the official said,
but not connection to anyone
Media and Congress
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C-SPAN and C-SPAN II – some of the
happenings are broadcast