CH 5 Political Parties

pp. 116-142

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• People have differing opinions.• When they find people with the same

thinking, they join together.• If they want to use their thinking to affect the

course of the government and politics, they form political parties.

• Partisanship– 116 the strong support one has for his/her party

and its policies. – Parties will select people for government jobs

based on it.– Parties will legislate according to it.

Political parties

• Party in power• 118 the party controlling the executive branch

is considered so.• The party out of power is expected to check

and balance the one in power.

• Two-party system• 119 Only two parties have a chance of having

candidates elected.

• Bipartisan• 120 Both parties agree on a common issue

and work together.

systems

• Pluralistic society• Consists of several distinct cultures and

groups, based on:– Ethnicity– Race– Religion– Gender– age

systems

systems• Coalition• A temporary alliance of parties working together to make a

majority (51%) to control the government.• Current coalitions include:

– Britain– Australia– Israel– Germany– Japan– India– Belgium– Finland

US party history

• Faction• Conflicting groups, often within the same

party.

Video on party factions (copy)• What party is portrayed?• How do you know?• What two candidates are the two factions grouped

around? (2)• Youtube I and II:• Is the faction system good for this party? Explain.

• Youtube III• What is the difference between this and the

previous videos?

Video on party factions• Images: answers

– Baracky: • Shows how the more powerful Hillary Clinton tried to stop Barack Obama

from winning more nomination votes in the Democratic Party.– The Empire Strikes Barack:

• Shows how much more difficult the competition for the Democratic nomination became

Though the Democrats did survive the antagonization between Clinton and Obama, the Republicans gained much information to use against Obama.

– Baracky II: • Shows how Barack Obama won the nomination for the Democratic Party,

but had to face the nominee from the Republican Party, John McCain.• Shows how Democrats Obama and Clinton “united” to show cooperation

and strength against the Republicans.

Electorate

• 129 The people eligible to vote• How a party reaches those people, as the

Republicans did in 1896, could bring it victory or defeat.

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• Political parties form for different reasons.• US history started out with only one party, but

it soon split up after differences in opinion on how much power the central government should have……

Parties in US history

• sectionalism• 129 emphasizes the devotion of a people to

the interests of their part of the country• North, • South, • West (Midwest)

Minor Parties

• ideological party• Based on a particular set of beliefs– Communist– Socialist– Socialist labor– Socialist worker

• single-issue party• Focus on one public policy matter:– Slavery– Irish-catholic immigration– Right to life

Minor Parties

• economic protest party• Unhappiness about income inequality or corruption– Anti-Wall Street bankers– Calling for use of silver WITH gold to give more people

access to cash.– Public ownership of transportation and communications.– Tariffs– Adoption of initiatives and referendums

Minor Parties

• splinter party• Groups that have left their original party.

Most minor parties are these.– TR’s Bull Moose Progressive Party (R)– Robert La Follette Progressive Party (R)– Henry Wallace’s Progressive Party (D)– States Rights (Dixiecrat) Party (D)– George Wallace’s American Independent Party

Minor Parties

Split-ticket voting

• 141 voting for candidates of different parties in the same election

EC: How do people participate politically? (9)

• Petition• Debate• Vote• Run for office • Demonstration• Campaigning/join a political party• Donations• Internships • Keeping informed

Class Work,

Party Functions

• 118 photo—question– The nominating of candidates– Informing and activating supporters– governing

Which party?

• 121 photo: question– A feeling that the party is not addressing the

important issues.– A shift in the politician’s ideology– A shift in the political leanings of the politician’s

electorate.

Major Political Parties

• 121 Cartoon: Question• They are more concerned with gaining votes

than party issues

• 124 EC: Question.• The Communist Party

Four Eras

• 128 Graph question• The Republican Party

• 130 image question• Republicans boast they bring a:– Booming economy– Successful foreign policy

Anomaly EC

• Why is the Green Party difficult to peg in any one of the categories?

• Started as an environmental party (single issue). Expanded to many issues: (6)– Universal health care– LGTBQ rights– Restraining corporate power and abuse– Campaign finance reform– Global fair trade– Amnesty for undocumented aliens

Is there a difference?

• 141 cartoon• The cartoonist believes that there is little real

difference in the Republicans and Democrats– The economy– Taxing big business– Abortion– Immigration– Universal health care– Campaign finance

Good or bad? (No, we are not CNN)

• Graph 134 questions– The Bull Moose Progressives– Split the Republican Party and allowed the

Democrats to win.

• Should minor parties be allowed? Explain.– Yes> allow for democratic diversity– No> allow one party to win, when it might have

been stopped.

The Spoiler Role

• Graph 135• Most succeeded to a small or large degree– James Weaver– Theodore Roosevelt– Robert La Follette– George Wallace– Ross Perot

Political Party Identification

• 142 questions– A Independents– B Democrats

Discourse: Discussion, Debate

• What is ‘civil’ discourse?• Arguing/discussing without insulting or

angering the opponent(s)….

• What is ‘honest’ discourse?• Arguing/discussing without lying about the

other side or what they want……

The Daily Show• Jon Stewart discusses “civil discourse”• 1. many blamed the language used by people in the political

left and right for much of the anger and fear in Americans– Culminating in the killings in Tucson….– President Obama asked that American press, leaders, and citizens

engage in “civil and honest discourse”, at a speech in Tucson.• 2. discussion of the Republican title for a bill to end the

Democrat Health Care Bill.– Is it appropriate to use a possible lie as a name for the bill?– Stewart is more concerned that people are more concerned about the

title than whether the Republicans are lying to get their bill passed.

The Daily Show• Jon Stewart discusses “civil discourse”• 1. many blamed the language used by people in the political

left and right for much of the anger and fear in Americans• What event did some say it caused?

• What did the president ask Americans (media, leaders, and the public) to consider doing?

• 2. discussion of the Republican title for a bill to end the Democrat Health Care Bill.

• What possible lie is used in the name of the Republican bill?

• What is Stewart greatly concerned about at the end?

Political Cartoon

• 145 (#s 34, 35)• 34 Shows both major parties enjoying their

control of the government as they sit with each other at the dining table

• 35 No, their battering ram is much too small to break down the fortress gate.

• The major parties barely hear the noise (so they do not have to care) of the minor parties’ assault.