U.S. Political Parties
CP Political Systems
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
What is a political party?
– Organization of people who share similar ideas about the
way the country should be governed
Political Party Systems
• 3 Political Party Systems in the World
1.) One Party System: Political party and the government
are the SAME
• Only 1 party, so no competing ideas
• Party membership based on lineage, wealth, military
power, religious power
• Example: China (Communist Party)
Political Party Systems
2.) Multi-Party System: Three or more parties compete for
control of the government
– Common in Europe, Israel, Japan
– Advantage: provides voters with many different choices and ideas
– Disadvantage: difficult for one party to get majority of votes, which
leads to a Coalition:
EXAMPLE – Italy (50 different govts. since WWII)
Daisy Alliance
500,000 votes
Sunflower Alliance
450,000 votes
Coalition
Italian Communist
200,000 votes
Political Party Systems
3. Two-Party System: Two parties compete with each other to
run the government.
– Party system of U.S.: Democrats and Republicans
– Advantages: Continuity
– Disadvantages: Minority parties (third parties) receive
little attention – focus is on two main parties
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
•
George Washington against political parties
 “parties serve their own interests”
 “parties not beneficial to American people”
•
Parties formed after his exit:
1. Democratic-Republicans
2. Federalists
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• DemocraticRepublicans
 Supported states rights
 Supported economy
based on agriculture
 Power in hands of all
people
 Led by Thomas Jefferson
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Federalists
 Supported strong
national govt.
 Supported economy
based on industry
 Power in hands of
wealthy and educated
 Led by Alexander
Hamilton
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Federalists Breakup
 Federalists gradually
disappear – no political
momentum
 John Adams only party
member to be elected
President
 Supporters formed new
party: Whig Party
(1834-1856)
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Mid 1820’s:
DemocraticRepublicans breaking
up
• Democratic Party
formed to continue
representing small
farmers and working
people
U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• 1850’s: Democratic Party and Whig Party split
over slavery
– Pro-slavery voters form Democratic Party
– Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats formed Republican
Party
U.S Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Republican Party
 1860: Abe Lincoln
becomes 1st Republican
President
 Emerges as stronger of 2
parties after Civil War
 1865-1931:Only 2
Democratic Presidents
elected
 Grover Cleveland
 Woodrow Wilson
U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
• Democratic Party
– Tends to Attract
Working people (blue
collar)
Liberals
Catholics
Minorities
Union Members
People in favor of
govt. involvement in
social policies
U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
• Republican Party
– Tends to attract
Businesspeople
(white collar)
Protestants
Conservatives
Non-minorities
Non-union supporters
People against
govt.involvement in
social policies
Democrats:
The Issues
• Abortion:
– Pro Choice
– Favors contraceptive education to prevent
necessity of abortion
Democrats:
The Issues
• Environment:
– Support stronger environmental laws and
protection of nature
– Push for cleaner air and water
– Support funding for preservation (Everglades in
FL; Redwoods in CA, etc…)
Democrats:
The Issues
• Gay Rights:
– Should be protected from workplace discrimination and
hate crimes
– Should be given equal work benefits like more traditional
families
– Largely oppose President Bush’s proposal to ban gay
marriage through a Constitutional Amendment
Democrats:
The Issues
• Gun Control:
– Strong advocates for gun control
– Supported both the Brady Bill and the Assault
Weapons Ban
Democrats:
The Issues
• Health Care:
– Push for more Heath Care funding (Medicare, Children’s
Health Insurance Program)
– In favor of program to ensure all Americans have quality,
affordable health care. (100% government funded)
Democrats:
The Issues
• Foreign Policy:
– Generally much more supportive of international agencies
than are Republicans – support NATO and the UN
– More skeptical of the Bush Administration’s rush to war
than were the Republicans
– Very skeptical of the handling of the reconstruction of Iraq
Democrats:
The Issues
• Education:
– More funding for struggling schools is necessary
– Highly critical of No Child Left Behind, which has been
under funded
– Tax money should not be used on religious schools
Democrats:
The Issues
• Social Security:
– Fundamental right of Americans
– Best way to protect is to maintain federal government
control
– Largely oppose privatizing
Democrats:
The Issues
• Welfare:
– Support increased child care for welfare recipients so they
are more able to work steady jobs
– Support funding for job training so recipients will be more
competitive in the job market
Democrats:
The Issues
• Women’s Rights:
– For over 20 years, have been pushing to ratify the Treaty of
the Rights of Women that arose from the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (would be a statement on America’s part saying
that we support equal rights for all women)
Democrats:
The Issues
• Worker’s Rights:
– Favor labor unions and workers rights
• Includes right to organize free from harassment and the
right to challenge employers for disability and
discrimination cases.
– Support worker movements to increase the minimum wage
and worker benefits
Republicans:
The Issues
• Abortion: Pro-life; Anti-Choice
– Prefers funding go towards marriage education and
abstinence only campaigns
– Have tried several times to pass statutes that would
allow prosecution of acts that harm fetuses
Republicans:
The Issues
• Environment:
– Favor the exploration of all resources in the U.S. for energy
production and have generally opposed looking for more
environment-friendly power alternatives
– Pushed for oil drilling in ANWR, the building of more
nuclear power plants, a shift towards the use of coal, and
have submitted proposals that would weaken the Clean Air
Act
Republicans:
The Issues
• Gay Rights:
– Against giving gays equal rights in the eyes of the law
– “We do not believe sexual preference should be given
special legal protection or standing in law”
– Oppose idea of gay marriage; seek to define marriage as
union between man and woman
– Supports amendment to the Constitution defining marriage
Republicans:
The Issues
• Gun Control:
– Favors allowing the sale of firearms to proceed more easily,
and with fewer safety precautions
– Opposes any new gun-control laws
– Fought the regulation and banning of assault weapons
Republicans:
The Issues
• Health Care:
– Believes health care should work within the free market
system where competition will lower the costs of
healthcare (no federal govt. involvement)
Republicans:
The Issues
• Foreign Policy:
– Have brushed aside
international organizations in
favor of unilateral policy of
preemption
– Bush Doctrine supports
preemptive invasion when
necessary to protect the
security of the U.S.
– Argue that the use of
American military force is
essential for keeping the
world safe for Democracy
Republicans:
The Issues
• Education:
– Support both the “No Child Left Behind” program and the
school vouchers
– Favor school vouchers because they think that by giving
students more educational options, including religious
schooling, a competitive market will be created
• Argue public schools will be forced to improve in order to retain
students
Republicans:
The Issues
• Social Security: Favor privatization of social security
– Citizens will be able to opt to place portions of money that
would have gone into Social Security into other types of
accounts. Accounts will give the opportunity to play the
stock market in an attempt to increase returns. (takes away
Federal responsibility)
Republicans:
The Issues
• Welfare:
– Favors increasing the mandatory work week for those
receiving government assistance
– Support cuts in child care and training funding while
pushing $200 million for marriage education
– Pushing for more funding for religious organizations and
charities, which then will be responsible to caring for our
nation’s poor
Republicans:
The Issues
• Workers’ Rights:
– Favor the rights of businesses to maximize profits
– Favors workers and management working together to do
what is in the best of all involved; no outside influences
(against Labor Unions)
– Believes Labor Unions restrict production of businesses;
sees it as a regulation of business
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans usually wear hats.
Ronald Reagan
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats usually don’t.
Jimmy Carter
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats buy banned books.
Bill Clinton
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans form censorship committees, and
then read them.
Barbara Bush
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats eat the fish they catch.
FDR Fishing in Warms Springs, GA
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans hang them on their wall.
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans study the financial pages of the
newspaper.
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats put them on the bottom of their bird
cage.
How To Tell Em Apart
On Saturday, Republicans head for the golf
course, the yacht club, or the hunting lodge.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower hunting
President George
W. Bush yachting
and golfing.
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats get a haircut, wash the car, or go
bowling.
A younger Bill Clinton bowling
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans have guest rooms.
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats have spare rooms filled with old baby
furniture.
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans hire exterminators
How To Tell Em Apart
Democrats step on the bugs
How To Tell Em Apart
Republicans sleep in twin beds – some even in
separate rooms.
How To Tell Em Apart
That is why there are more Democrats.
The Kennedy Family
What Do Political Party Members Do??
•
Major function of each party is to get its candidate
elected to office
– Steps include
1. Party members nominate, or name the
candidates they want to run for office
2004 Republican National
Convention
What Do Political Party Members Do??
2. Party starts an election campaign
– An effort to gather support for its candidates and inform
voters of the party’s stand on issues
– Requires many party workers and volunteers to perform
dozens of job that include:
•
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Raising funds
Polling voters/making phone calls
Drive voters to the polls
Register voters
John Kerry Campaigning
What Do Political Party Members Do?
Presidential Election Campaigns
What Do Political Party Members Do?
3. Once a party’s candidate is elected, the party helps
the candidate organize and manage the govt.
–
Example: When a President is elected, 100’s of job
vacancies in govt. must be filled. Jobs usually filled
by party members who have contributed time,
energy and money to the campaign.
–
Patronage: giving jobs or special favors to party
workers
Political Party Organization
• Political Parties are organized at every level:
– Local Party Committee : Goal is to get candidates from
party elected to local political office, like mayor, city
councilman, school superintendent, etc…
Mayor of Atlanta:
Shirley Franklin
Alvin Wilbanks:
Superintendent of GCPS
Political Party Organization
• Political parties are organized at every level:
– State Party Committee: Goal is to get candidates from
party elected to state political office, like governor,
attorney general, state legislator, etc…
Georgia Governor:
Sonny Perdue
Political Party Organization
• Political parties are organized at every level:
– National Party Committee: Goal is to get candidates from
party elected to national political office, like President,
Senator, House Representative
President of the U.S.:
George W. Bush
Georgia Senator:
Saxby Chambliss
Georgia Representative:
John Linder
Third Parties
• What are Third Parties?
– Parties representing minority opinions that challenge the
Democrats and Republicans
– Some successful Third Parties:
• Populist Party – 1890’s
• Progressive Party – split off from Rep. Part in 1912
• Libertarian Party – third most popular party in U.S. today
Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 1. Parties Tied to a Single Issue:
Examples:
 Prohibition Party: formed in 1872 to support banning of
alcohol in the U.S.
 U.S. Marijuana Party: formed to support the legalization of
marijuana in the U.S.
 Green Party: formed to protect the environment
Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 2. Parties Tied to a Political Belief
Examples:
 Libertarian Party
 The Third Party
 Socialist Parties
Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 3. Parties Tied to a Single Candidate
Examples:
 Reform Party – formed around Presidential candidate Ross
Perot in 1996
 American Independent Party – formed around Presidential
candidate George Wallace in 1968
Third Parties
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America First Party
American Heritage Party
American Independent Party
American Nazi Party
Communist Party USA
Constitution Party
Family Values Party
Grassroots Party
Green Party
Independence Party
Labor Party
Libertarian Party
Light Party
Natural Law Party
The Third Party
Worker’s World Party
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Peace and Freedom Party
Prohibition Party
Reform party
The Revolution
Socialist Party, USA
Southern Independence Party
U.S. Pacifist Party
Veterans Party of America
We the People Party
Knights Party
Libertarian National Socialist Green
Party
Pansexual Peace Party
Pot Party
Constitutional Action Party
American Falangist Party
U.S. Marijuana Party