The American Political
Process
Government – Libertyville HS
What is Politics?
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Formal definition: “The
conduct of public affairs”
Realistically, it’s all about
the pursuit and exercise of
power
What is political power?
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Influencing others’ (political)
behavior
Acquiring and exercising
power to make rules, laws &
policies that everyone is
required to follow
Politics
Politics is not evil or “dirty” –
it is the core of any
government
Political Parties
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What is a political party?
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A group of people …
… with similar interests &
beliefs …
… seeking power (through
elections) …
…to control policymaking …
… which is organized along
federal lines (national + 50
states)
Political Parties
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In a democratic
government, political
parties represent the way
people participate in the
political process
Many ways to participate
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Join a political party
Volunteer to help on a political
campaign
Take part in demonstrations
Vote in election
Run for public office
Functions of Political Parties
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Parties are the link
between people &
government
Essential to operation of a
democratic government
Read and review the five
functions of political
parties in your textbook
(pp 123-24)
Party Membership
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Purely voluntary
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No dues paid
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No duties in exchange for
membership
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BUT people can contribute
$
BUT you can volunteer to
work for a campaign
Broad based & multi-class
(economic, social) in
nature
Party Membership: Democrats
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Farmers
Union workers
African Americans
Ethnic minorities
Environmentalists
Political liberals (“progressives”)
Catholics, Jews
Entertainment industry
Big business
Graduate degree holders (MA, PHD)
Party Membership: Republicans
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Fiscal conservatives
Small business
Evangelical Christians
Military
Eastern European immigrants
Slightly more males than females
Married couples
Higher income voters
College graduates
Elderly
American Political System
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So why does America
have a two party
system?
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Historical reasons
American Ideological
consensus
Conduct of elections
Historical Reasons: Republican
Party Evolution
1780s:
Federalists
(x=1800)
1854: GOP
formed
(today)
1820:
Whigs
(x=1850)
Historical Reasons: Democratic
Party Evolution
1780s:
D-Rs
1830s:
“J-Ds”
1800:
“TJ-Ds”
Today’s
Ds
“American Ideological
Consensus”
France: Population?
65 million
Italy: Population?
58 million
[
Left / Liberal
]
Right / Conservative
Europeans are dispersed across
political spectrum
“American Ideological
Consensus”
Americans are concentrated
towards center of ideological spectrum
Left / Liberal
[
]
Right / Conservative
Why?!?!
“American Ideological
Consensus”
•
US has two oceans
to E, W
Nice
• US has friendly
neighbors to N, S
• Americans less
polarized b/c they
are safe!
Water
Water
Nice
Europe, by contrast…
YIKES!!!
SMD vs. PR
Single Member Districts
Example
Country A
% of
Votes
Candidate 1
40%
Candidate 2
30%
Candidate 3
20%
Candidate 4
10%
Who wins?
Proportional
Representation Example
Country B # of
Districts
Won
Party A
40
Party B
30
Party C
20
Party D
10
Who wins?
SMD v. PR
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Single Member
District characteristics
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Winner takes all
No incentive to come
in anything but first
place
No incentives for third
parties
No incentive to build
coalition / compromise
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Proportional
Representation
characteristics
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No losers, only degrees of
winners
Greater representation of
ideas and issues
More extreme ideas
represented in process
Coalition building required
Third Party Types
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Economic Protest
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Expresses their discontent
with the major parties and
current economy
Examples?
Ideological
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Based on comprehensive
view of social, political, or
economic matters
No compromise of beliefs
for victory
Examples?
Types of 3rd Parties
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Single Issue Party
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Motivated and focused on
one overriding public
policy issue
Example?
Splinter Party
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Splits off from one of the
major parties
Electoral “Kiss of Death”
for major party – why?
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Splits support of 1 party
between 2 candidates
Example?
Contributions of 3rd Parties
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Political conventions
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1830s – 1st one held by 3rd
party
Every 4 years, 1 for each
party
Nomination of President, VP
Today, primaries, caucuses
precede convention
Also develop Party Platform
Still relevant?
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Show differences between
parties
1 week of being ‘on message”
Contributions of 3rd Parties
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Address issues major
parties don’t want to
discuss
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Example: Ross Perot &
NAFTA
Ralph Nader and big
money in politics
Disappoint in Ds, Rs =
support for 3rd party
rd
3
Contributions of
Spoiler
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Election of 1912
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Popular vote
Wilson:
6,296,284
Roosevelt: 4,122,721
Taft:
3,486,242
Parties:
TR = Bull Moose /
progressive (Split Rs)
Taft = R
Wilson = D
Lesson? Big % to 3rd
party can cost a major
party the election
rd
3
Contribution of
Parties:
Spoiler
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Election of 1992
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Result
Clinton:
GHW Bush:
Perot:
Clinton = 43%
Bush = 38%
Perot = 19%
Lesson: major parties
have to protect their
flanks!
370 ECV / 44,909,806 popular vote
168 ECV / 39,104,550 popular vote
0 ECV / 19,743,821 popular vote
Contributions of 3rd Parties
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2000 election
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(Nader) (Gore)
Need 270 ECV to win
Gore = 267 EC (+500k
PV)
GW Bush = 246 ECV
FL = 25 ECV
(Bush)
w/o Nader, voters would have either stayed home or vote for Gore
Contributions of 3rd Parties
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FL vote
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Results
Bush: 271 ECV / 50.4 million
Gore:
266 ECV / 50.9 million
Nader:
0 ECV / 2.8 million
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Bush = 2,912,790
Gore = 2,912,253
Nader = 97,488
Bush: +537 votes
Who says your vote
doesn’t count?
What would Nader say
about criticism by Ds?
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Those were votes for him
and against Gore / Ds