DEMOCRACY &
Government & Citizenship
Timpanogos High School
Political Parties
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.4 Basics of Political Parties
WHAT ARE POLITICAL PARTIES? ULTIMATE GOAL?
»
An organized group of individuals who seek to win
elections, control government, and shape public
policy

Parties develop political “platforms”.

Democratic Strategy (2012)
Government
Timpanogos High School
6.4 Constitution
Are Political Parties in the Constitution?



Political parties are not included in the
Constitution…
Did the Framers expect parties to
develop?

Washington, Madison, and others warned
against “the spirit of [political] parties”

The Framers believed something like
today’s political parties were inevitable
○

Rigid Two-party system?
Though not mentioned in the
Constitution, political parties are an
essential feature of modern government.
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Timpanogos High School
6.4 Importance
Shape almost all aspects of government today



In Congress, the party in power (majority) largely sets the agenda
and thus shapes public policy.
Parties promote democracy:


Help define and focus the issues for the voters
Gives some predictability to the candidates
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Timpanogos High School
6.4 Importance

Provide checks and balances:
 The minority party = watch dog
○
Criticize… offer alternative policies / solutions
○
Democrats = War in Iraq
○
Republicans = national debt and the size &
scope of government.
Government & Citizenship
Timpanogos High School
Unit 6
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
Political Parties
•
Each team will organize as a political party and create a party poster
•
Party Poster Requirements:
○
Party Name (needs to be legitimate)
○
Party Slogan/Logo (These can be one and the same)
○
Party Platform


Write one sentence showing your parties position for six issues:
Abortion, Gay Marriage, Immigration, ISIS (intervention – nonintervention) …
-
… Pick two other issues that your party feels strongly about
Examples: Gun Control, Death Penalty, Marijuana, etc.

Preface each statement with “We believe …”
For Each take a definitive stance (i.e. either for or against gay marriage
○
Your Poster needs to look good and be as artistic as possible, use color pencils and markers
(back drawers)
○
The text on your poster needs to be big to read from the back of the classroom
○
These posters will be presented in class.
Debate Topics

Each party will be assigned a distinct
position on the following issues:
 Gay Marriage
 ISIS (intervention v nonintervention)

Write a concise statement reflecting
your position on that issue
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Propositions

Gay Marriage
 The Liberty party
○ Marriage should be allowed between any two consenting
adults
 The Party party
○ Marriage should between one man and one woman only

ISIS
 The Botanist party
○ The US should intervene against ISIS with regular troops
 The People’s party
○ The US should NOT intervene against ISIS with regular
troops
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Timpanogos High School
Debate Procedure

A Speaker will preside over the debates
 Speaker’s main power comes through the power of recognition.
Also, the Speaker also has standing recognition during “general
debate”
 The Speaker will elected by the congress

Each party member for the both parties will give a 30 sec.
speech (party leaders organize this)
 30 sec. For, 30 sec. speech Against, so on



After speeches, we move to “general debate” for 5 minutes –
Any one may speak if recognized
Once debate time has expired, the Senate will take a vote
(Standing and Secret ballot)
I will act as the Speaker on first issue, then turn the
speakership over to the newly elected Speaker
Debate – Mini Mock Congress
Political Parties
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.5 Development & Organization of Parties

5a When did political parties first develop?
Early… Two opposing parties, the Federalists
and the Jeffersonian-Republicans in election
of 1800

5a How did our current two-party system
start?


Today’s Democratic party was organized
under the leadership Andrew Jackson in the
1820’s

The Republicans ran their first presidential
candidate, Abraham Lincoln, in 1860

Current two party system…
○
Rigid two party system?

1968
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Timpanogos High School
6.5b Weakness of Modern U.S. Parties

Weak – relative to their European
counter parts & relative to their own
historical power

Direct Primaries – took the nomination
process out of the hands of party bosses and
put it into the hands of voters …
○

Relatively Strong
 European Parties control who
gets nominated …
Thus…

… candidates don’t have to be loyal to the
party leadership

State and local parties are independent from
the national party

Rise of Independent voters – decline in voter
loyalty to the party

Split – ticket voting more common
US
AP Government & Politics
 … candidates must be loyal to
the party
Europe
Timpanogos High School
6.5c Organization

National, State, County,
Local (precinct)
 Precinct chair - delegates

National =
 RNC
○ Republican National
Committee - RNC chair
 DNC
○ Democratic National
Committee - DNC chair
AP Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.5c Organization

Each party organizes a
national convention.

Purpose?



Formal selection of the parties
presidential candidate by pledged
delegates = Rubber Stamp
Develop the party platform
Show for the voters
Where? (Swing States)



Republicans 2016 – Cleveland OH
Democrats 2016 – Philadelphia PA
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Timpanogos High School
6.5d Balance of Power
»
The Fight for Majority Control :

2001 - Jim Jeffords breaks from the Republican party
○
(2002 - brings power back to the Republicans)

2006 - Democrats win back both the House and Senate

2008 – Democrats gain more seats in Congress & elect a president!!

2010 – Republicans take back the House

2014 – Republicans take the majority in the Senate, solidify their majority in the
House
»
Party Resurgence (CNN, 2008) …. Republicans v. Democrats (Studio C)
»
Party in power usually gets the blame …
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Timpanogos High School
6.5 Balance of Power
2004-2006
AP Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.5 Balance of Power - 2006

Post 2006 House
 202 R
 233 D

Post 2006 Senate:
 49 R
 51 D
Government & Citizenship
Timpanogos High School
6.5 Balance of Power - 2010


Pre 2010
House Balance:

Post 2010
House Balance:

Senate Balance:

 255 D’s
 178 R’s
 2 vacancies

Senate Balance
 59 D’s
 41 R’s
Clerk of the House (Current Membership)
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Timpanogos High School
6.5f Critical Elections / Realignment
Realignment For Dummies (HH)
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POLITICAL PARTIES
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6.6a The Two-Party System
»
Party systems:
 One Party
 Two Party
 Multiparty
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Multiparty System - UK
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House of Commons – Coalition
Government HCmmns Debate (CNN 2013)

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Israel – Coalition government
Government & Citizenship
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6.6a The Two-Party System

Why does the U.S. have a two-party system?

Why cant third parties gain any political traction?

U.S. has the winner-take-all system (This is
sometimes referred to as “First past the post”)
○
Congress = Single member districts – only one winner
○
President = Candidate with highest popular vote wins all of the
state’s electoral votes
○
There is no reward for second place – Thus no incentive to keep
going


Example: Ross Perot won 19% of the popular vote in 1992, but won NO
electoral votes.
In contrast: Europe = Proportional System
○
Reward for 2nd, 3rd place, etc. - Coalition governments
AP US Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.6 The Two-Party System

Why two-party system cont.

Legal & political barriers for third-party candidates:
○
Ballot access
○ Wasted vote principle
○ Two major parties are institutionalized

Brand Name ……. Raising money
 No charismatic third party leaders or platforms
○ Third parties tend to be more extreme – Americans dislike

Case Study:
 National, online primary?
AP U.S. Government & Politics
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Government & Citizenship
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ROLE OF
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6.7a-b Third Parties
»
7a Third Parties defined …

Any party other than the two major parties
What are the major types of Third Parties in
U.S.?

○
»
Single issue …… Ideological ……. Splinter
7a-b What effect do third parties have?
Potentially swing elections … “Spoilers”

○
○
Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party (1912)
Ralph Nader and the Green party (2000)
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Timpanogos High School
6.7b Notable Third Party Candidates

Ralph Nader = Green Party

Ross Perot = Reform Party

Politics 1
 Light Party
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
6.7c Is it time to end the two party system?

John Huntsman calls for Third Party
(RIT video)

Dealignment and the rise of the
Independent (non affiliated) Voter
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Timpanogos High School
Third Parties

Are third parties making America
ungovernable? (intro to video)
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Elections
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Timpanogos High School
6.8b Election Cycles – Voter Turnout

Presidential Elections




Primary Season v.
General Season
Voter Turnout?
Campaign Strategy?
Presidential v Midterm Turnout
Elections
v.

Mid Term Elections




Primary Season v.
General Season
Voter Turnout?
Campaign Strategy?
Primary Election Turnout
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Timpanogos High School
2010 Primaries

Incumbent Bob Bennett was
unseated by Mike Lee at the
2010 Utah Republican
convention
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Timpanogos High School
In-Depth – Party Coalitions Party Factions

Both Democrats and Republicans
have developed factions
 Tea party
 Blue Dog Democrats
 Fiscal Crisis …
○ Cliffhanger (Frontline – 2013)
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Timpanogos High School
2008 Primaries

Jason Chaffetz unseated
incumbent Chris Cannon in the
2008 Utah primaries
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Timpanogos High School
6.8 Elections - Video
 Clinton
 Homer
…. Republican Intro … Perry Gaffe
Simpson votes for Romney
 Awkward Moments
 2014 Primary Election Explainer (Vox)
2007 2008

Primary elections / season






2009
Open v Close Primary
Caucus v. Direct Primary
Super Tuesday
General elections / season
Mid term election
Presidential election
2010
2011




Party convention
Delegates
Incumbent
Inauguration
2012