American Government Clep-The Political Party System

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political party

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an organized group of people w/ similar views on the nature of government and the methods by which government should be run

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Federalist Party

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US first only party. led by Alexander Hamilton

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Democratic-Republican Party

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Formed when Federalists were perceived as overstepping their boundaries and imposing too harsh a federal/elite power over the people

Marked the start of traditional two party system

Now Democratic Party

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Thomas Jefferson

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first President of Democratic-Republican Party in 1801

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Whig Party

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formed after enragement of "big govt" and loss of Andrew Jackson's election.

Opposition of Democratic-Republican party

Now Republican party.

Election of Abraham Lincoln 1860 solidified party

First Whig pres William Henry Harrison

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third parties/minor parties

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little formal political power

formed because they feel that the major parties are not attentive to their concerns

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economic protest parties

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focus on some aspect of the economy

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ideological parties

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express views that go beyond mainstream opinion

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Libertarian Party

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2008 platform called for the replacement of the govt sponsored social security system w/ private voluntary system

example of ideological party

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Capital Hill

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where Congress meets

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Issue parties

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focus on one topic-tend to be small and are usually short lived.

Example, Prohibition Party

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Factional parties

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break away from other parties and often cent on an individual who has left a major party.

2006-sen. john lieberman (co) lost democratic primary election, so ran as an independent democrat and reelected to senate

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Green Party

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2008, felt neither candidate (Obama or McCain) was willing to confront big business
focus on environmental issues

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Ralph Nader

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2000 election

won 2.7 % of national votes

Thought that if he didn't run, democrats would have won florida

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Ross Perot (1992 election)

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ran as independent
emphasis on anti-incumbency and his charge that the govt needed to deal w/ the federal budget deficit

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Greenback Labor party (1880 and 1884 elections)

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support from rural parts

wanted the fed govt to continue to allow paper dollars (called greenbacks) to circulate as currency,demanded to print more money.

No electoral votes

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People's Party/Populist party (1892 election)

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JReformist party

ames weaver (also ran as Greenback labor)

22 electoral votes

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Prohibition Party

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prohibition of alcohol beverages, ratification of eighteenth amendment of 1919 (repealed in 1933)

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Socialist Party

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emphasizes govt-directed equilization of weath and govt control of industry

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States' Rights Democratic Party (1948)

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Strom Thurmond (called a Dixicat), opposed the democratic's nomination of harry truman.

Won S. Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi

opposed desegregation and favored states' rights

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Muliparty systems

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most Western democracies, U.S. two party system

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Electoral College

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the winning presidential candidate must gain a majority of electoral votes

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winner takes all system

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congress

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why 2 parties?

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electoral votes
no incentive for third party votes
campaign finals laws favor 2 parties

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campaign finance laws

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to receive federal funds, parties must receive at least 5% of the popular vote nationally and must appear on at least 10 state ballots

goals met prior to funding (first time around a third party must fund itself)

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popular madate

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majority of popular votes

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Log Cabin Republicans

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favor marriage for homosexuals

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Republicans for Choice

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pro-choice republicans

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Blue Dog Democrats

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advocate fiscal restraint (does not favor govt spending on social programs like usual Democrats)

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Critical Election

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election associated w/a major poitical realignment in the US that persists thru subsequent elections, leads to electoral realignment

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Franklin D. Roosevelt

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most powerful Democratic president, won 4 elections beginning in 1932.

New deal programs to address great depression

argued for activist government

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activist government

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govt that created work, employed people and provided tax funded benefits such as social security

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political dealignment

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citizens have become disenchanted w/ the major parties

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bipartisanship

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cooperation among politicians in major parties

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swing voters

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voters that can "swing" the pres election

(ie winning the independent voters)

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Federal Election Commission (FEC)

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govt agency over sees campaign financing

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hard money

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given directly to a candidate

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soft money

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given to party committees to be used more generally

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Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) or McCain-Feigngold

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attempt to control money's influence on political campaigns.

limited gifts to political action committees,

$2100 to a candidate in a two-year period
$10,000 in a ear to a state party of political committee
$26700 to a national party committee

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527 Committees

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committee's advertisements were not taxed if not formally affiliated w/ a political party and do not specifically endorse a candidate.

Promoted certain issues instead (swift boating, Kerry's election)

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public financing

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sometimes disclosed because of limits

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political identification

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people t3end to adopt a certain political identity young and stick w/ it thru life.
(influenced by family)

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Normal vote

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stability of voting for own party

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divided government

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presidents of one party often face one or two congressional houses in the hands of the other party

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gridlock

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when govts can't get things done

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primary elections

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voters decide presidential nominees

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closed primaries

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parties can only vote for members of their own party

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Open primaries

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Can vote beyond your party

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caucuses

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sometimes instead of primaries.

Locals select delegates to county meetings, and the delegates back a certain candidate

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the franchises or suffrage

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the right to vote

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Voter registration

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left to each state

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the electorate

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eligible voters

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less social capital

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caused decline in political interest

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rational choice theory

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people decide not to vote because the costs of doing so are greater than the perceived benefits of voting

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high-stimulus elections

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elections for influential offices or on important issues that get substantial medial coverage and that feature attractive candidates

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political efficacy

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the sense that one's vote matters in political life of the town, country, state and nation