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89 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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political party
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-an organized group with shared goals and ideals that joins together to run candidates for office under a common label and exercise political power in government •INSIDE gov’t |
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special interest group
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-a group that exists outside of government that tries to influence policy •OUTSIDE gov’t -a non-governmental group united by a common interest that tries to influence policy |
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ANATOMY OF A POLITICAL PARTY
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Party in the electorate, party organization, party in government
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Party in the electorate
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-People in the party -In U.S, you just gotta register |
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Party Organization
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-Activists -But not a hierarchy; there's no monolithic party organization - National, state, and local are joined because it's convenient, but not because there's a bureacracy or anything |
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Party in Government
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-fragmented, decentralized institutions -cooperate well because they get their people elected and there's an incentive -national, state, and local levels work together by accident |
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Party Era
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a historic period in which the majority of voters support the party in power, which tends to win a majority of elections •a shift in party era reflects a party realignment |
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Party Realignment
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a dramatic shift in partisan preferences from voters, that results in displacement of the majority party by the minority party over a significant period of time •signified by a critical election |
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critical election
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an election that signals that a realignment has taken place -you can only tell it's a critical election through the lens of history -because the change in majority party has to last |
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Era 1: Jeffersonian Era, 1800-1824
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Critical election: 1800 ◦Development of parties; 1st party system ◦Hamiltonian Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans ◾Jefferson, Madison, Monroe all with 2 terms◾Federalists die out at the end Founding Fathers designed US for no permanent political parties◾only for temporary factions |
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Era 2: Jacksonian Era, 1824-1860
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Critical Election: 1828◦Corrupt bargain in 1824◾JQA chosen over Jackson; Jackson wants revenge◦Jacksonian Democrats vs. Whigs◦Whigs◾only joined by their anti-Jacksonianism
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Era 3: Golden Age of Political Parties, 1860-1932
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Critical Election: 1860◦two periods of Republican dominance◾1860-1965◾1896-1932◦Why “golden age?” ◾political party organizations were most effective in characterizing politics and American life
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Machine Politics
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a party organization that uses tangible incentives (jobs, favors, etc.) to win loyalty among voterscan call in favors from the people they nominated◦spoils system / patronage◾there were no direct primaries, so parties were in power◾decline started with 17th Amendment (direct election of senators) |
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Era 3A: Lincoln-Cleveland
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Realignment due to Civil War and reconstruction•Republicans dictate terms to Democratic south◦ratify Amendments 13,14, 15◦pass reconstruction act•Radicals: punish the south•Moderates: don’t be too hard on them
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Era 3B: McKinley-Hoover
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1896 election: McKinley vs. Bryan◦Bryan was pro:◾free silver◾inflation•which debtors liked•who were farmers◦McKinley was pro: ◾gold standard◾preferred by banks and factory workers (with fixed wages)•Progressives: T. Roosevelt (R), Taft (R), Wilson (D)•Laissez faire: Coolidge
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Era 4: New Deal Coalition, 1932-1968
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Critical Election: 1932◦FDR◾increases size of nat’l gov’t (New Deal)◦Realignment due to: ◾labor unions◾religion (Catholics, Jews)◾African Americans (first time they vote Democrat)◾poor◾cities All of the above switched party coalition = different elements of the electorate that come together to support that party’s candidate |
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Era 5: Era of Divided Gov’t and Weakening of Political Parties, 1968-present
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party-centered → candidate centered◦weakening of political parties◾parties → primaries◾catalyzed by high tech politics◾parties no longer sponsor social events•party organizations can’t influence as many people to vote -party dealignment and divided government -no party realignment or critical elections |
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Party Dealignment
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the gradual disengagement of people from political alignment
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Divided Government
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party opposite the president controls at least one of two houses in the government -leaded to policy gridlock, ticket splitting, and increase in independents |
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1960s
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Civil rights, Vietnam protests, and sexual revolution
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Party Coalition
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Different elements of the electorate that come together to support a party's candidates -patterns in vote choice -statistics show who shows up NOT VOTER TURNOUT |
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Nixon
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-appealed to silent majority of America to return to a peaceful order -strong in South -Pursued southern strategy |
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1994
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Republicans took Congress for 1st time in a long time
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Modern Party Coalitions
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Party id, ideology, income/education
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Party Identification
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-Most POWERFUL predictor of vote choice -self-ID is most reliable; little crossover -self Id means democrats vote for democrats and vice versa |
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idealogy
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self-ID ◾liberals vote Democratic ◾conservatives vote Republican |
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Income/Education
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positively correlate, so we look at them together◦the extreme (super poor and super rich) vote Democrat ◾no education-democratic ◾and PhD’s (because most are college professors and colleges = liberal) ◦swing vote is the middle class |
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Ticket Splitting
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Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices
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gender gap
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a term that refers to the regular patterns by which women are more likely to support Democratic
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Prospective judgment
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a voter's evaluation of a candidate based on what he or she pledges to do about an issue if elected
-based off promises |
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Retrospective judgment
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a voter's evaluation of the performance of the party in power.
-based off what’s already happened |
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American Political Parties
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Fragmented and decentralized from their party structure
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The National Party Chair
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Runs the National Party Organization day-to-day between the committee meetings
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Raising Money (National Party Chair) |
-Fundraiser, tries to sell the party and candidates so people will donate to the party -Job is to be the face of the national party and to sell it |
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Party Unity (National Party Chair)
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-Make sure that disputes are reconciled so everyone has faith in the process -"Party referee" |
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National Party Commitee
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1.
Establish the organizational policy for the convention, organize the convention, how many delegates get, how delegates are selected. 2. Make decision about how to use their resources to help the nominee win the general election. 3. The big focus is on the Presidential election. |
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National Party Convention
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-Supreme National Authority -Nominates candidates at convention -revises and approves party platform, official statement which the party stands for on political issues -Republican and Democratic National Committees -Most of the platform adopted at the convention becomes law |
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State and local party organizations
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1.
The vast majority of positions are at the state and local levels. 2. Precinct - 3. Precinct captain is the party leader for the party organization in that area. 4. Have a ward and a ward captain, organization is locally driven. ward=a few precincts precincts are a few city blocks 5. The U.S. has over 100,000 precincts. 6. -local party tends to focus on local races |
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State Level Party Organizations
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-State committee and has a state party chair for each state's parties -State party chair is in charge of the organization, full-time paid member of the organization -Presidential selection and seating of the delegates, at the conventions the RNC and DNC will determine -Get out the vote -Party leaders no longer have the influence over politics like they once did -Loss in control over the nomination process and the increase in tech. allows for canidates to better stay up to date and "run their own show" -State governor will have his own party organization |
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Informal Groups
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Republicans -Labor unions, progressive groups, republican special interest groups, business groups, anti or low tax groups |
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Think tanks |
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institutions of policy oriented researchers in academics who come up with policy and research ideas. 2. -for democrats-the open society institute 3. for republicans- the heritage foundation and Hudson institute |
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electoral system
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-the procedures by which a country conducts its elections -the rules prevent a third party from succeeding |
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Plurality |
More than everyone else, but less than 50%
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For house races what kind of system do we have?
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Single member district system
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Senate has what kind of system?
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winner-take all
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Proportional Representation System
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-Voting for a party, proportionally represented in the legislature
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party system
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number of parties in a country that have a realistic chance at exercising substantial influence in government
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multiparty system
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a system in which 3 or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in a coalition
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Types of 3rd parties
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-system and rules does not provide a realistic chance for them to succeed -green party started put as a single issue party-a party formed around one issue |
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splinter party
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party that is an offshoot of one of the main two parties |
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ideological parties
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parties that are centered around a certain idealogy -communist party of America -libertarian party -green party -socialist party |
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reform parties
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the whole party is centered around one popular charismatic person
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running candidates for office
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-Have to be a nominee of one of the two major parties to have a nomination -party's official endorsement for them to rep. the party in government Need the nomination to be competitive. 2. Direct primaries and indirect primaries (the people) select the party nominees. 3. Led to decline in power parties organization leaders. |
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Who raises more, republicans or democrats
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republicans |
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how will RNC and DNC raise money
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-mail, phone, email -donate to candidate's campaign -hard money contributions which are capped |
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BCRA
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Bipartisan Campaign reform act, you can only donate up to 2,000 indexed to inflation can make a direct contribution - |
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Independent Expenditure Only Groups
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raise it on their own and spend it on their own speech
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How can candidares mobilize support
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tv ads, preparing research, train volunteers canvassing, microtargeting
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Micro-targeting
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using data from government census and marketing firms, use census data from shopping habits and social media -pioneered by the republicans |
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Formulating and Promoting Policy
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-party platform comes up with the official statement of what the party stands for -most of the promises made do get adopted(2/3) -about 50% or more of the losing parties pledges find their way into public policy |
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Organizing government
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political parties organize and structure the government, within the framework established by the constitution -parties select the majority and minority leader, the majority and minority whips, etc. -party leaders are going to try and enforce party unity through incentives -party labels have become the most powerful predictor of how congressmen vote -party affiliation plays a lalrge rule with who is nominated |
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Futhering Unity
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Poltical party labels will help to try to unify different people in different branches and levels of government, so they all may work together. -Party labels have become vehicles for cross-branch policy making and cooperation |
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Voting que
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-party label, or informational shortcut
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Accountability
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-Party Labels are identification providing a way to hold the government accountable -parties help create accountability between the party and the electorate |
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Lobbying
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Communication on behalf of an organized group in an attempt to influence political leaders to support the group's position -lobbyist can be a member of the group, or a pro. lobbyist where groups hire you to rep. diff. special interest groups -they work in D.C (K street), usually former legislatures, congressmen, or staffers |
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How do lobbyists try to shape policy?
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- by providing a service for a member of Congress -information for members of Congress or the person they are trying to influence -most effective when they provide all the research that supports the position and the other side, but explains why their side is the right one |
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Direct Lobbying Techniques |
-Personal Contacts with key legislators -Providing expertise and research results -offering expert testimony before congressional committes -providing legal advice to legislators -following up on legislation |
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Groups that are best represented?
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Groups that have members that have a lot of political skills -argument against term-limits, legislators don't know enough givng lobbyists more power |
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Inside lobbying
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-testifying -speeches |
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Indirect or Outside Lobbing
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-cultivating image and reputation with the public |
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Electioneering
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strategy of participating in the electoral office and appealing to the people -campaign finance/contributions -rating candidates -PACs High tech campaigning is expensive |
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PAC
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takes funds and donations to canidates. give money directly to candidate -most money goes to incumbent |
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super pac
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independent expenditure groups, can donate money and spend as much as they want
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Special interest groups
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-endorsing candidates, recruiting candidates, voting candidates, get out the vote
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Litigation
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Court authority, from the court to interpret it in a way that would force the court to make that case
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How to engage in court system
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file an amicus brief- "friend of the court", interest group throwing in their two sense, can sponsor a group, have sponsors who provides resources for the ability to engage
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What makes interest groups so successful
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-group size very large groups aren't as effective organizational advantage in a small group, trying to mobilize a small group is easier -free rider problem -selective benefits |
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Free rider problem
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People experiencing the benefits of a group without having to join |
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selective benefits
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used to get rid of the free rider problem
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Intensity
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-smaller goups are more intense and focused -smaller groups have more to lose |
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single interest groups |
narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and tend to be intense
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financial resources
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-get you heard, $ talks -no observable effects on outcomes -lobbying competitive -big interest face off -high degree of diversity on sides that do lobby |
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Types of Interest Groups
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-economic interests, labor, business, environmental, equality, consumer and other public interests
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labor
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-made up of labor unions -support gov. intervention to raise wages and working conditions -tends to support dem., more receptive to giving the union what they want by forcing businesses to give what they demand -join the union and stay in it as long as they stay there -right to work laws -unions don't have the voice they used to -can end up hurting economy, because if giving into demands must increase the cost of good for the increased labor costs or mover overseas -public sector employee unions- government lobbying itself, people are paid by tax dollars, in order to meet demands, either raise taxes or cut from someone else |
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labor union
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organization of workers that try to influence their organization by collective bargaining
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right to work laws
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laws that forbid unions of a business to force employees tot join the union as a condition of employment
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business
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-have a lot to gain, also a lot to lose -well organized, influential, numerous -have increased, a lot of raising $ trying to electioneer in hope of gaining access to candidate if they are elected -corp. pacs's are more likely to favor republicans, however democrats have gotten a large sum of the share in the years they are in power -corp. pacs tend to favor incumbents |
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environmental interests
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-fighting for env. protection as they see fit -interest claims that businesses will be in it for self-profit and not in the interest of common good -a lot of the policies/goals are argued for protect the environment, but lead to poverty -economy is global, if our gov. raises cost to operate, company will relocate -decline in employment and the env. protection still not fixed -damges to the economy because of the connections of the ripple |
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ACTIVITIES OF AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES
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running candidates for office must be one of the two major parties
Who chooses nominees? → today, the voters ----direct primaries -indirect primaries |
