Political IdeologyPolitical Parties

Two-Party SystemCampaignsElections

Voting

Political Participation

Where are you on the political

spectrum?

• PBS Political Party Self Quiz

• World's Smallest Political Quiz

Party Platforms

http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004483

2012 Democratic National Party Platform

A party platform refers to a political party's formal statement of its basic principles, objectives, and

positions on major issues.

Which parties have the most members???

Third PartiesThird Parties also form to support a cause or candidate

Influence elections by winning votes, press issues, often don’t receive as much financial support.

Few third-party candidates get elected to office

Examples: Tea PartyGreen Party (Ralph Nader)Reform Party (Ross Perot received 19% of pres. Vote in 92)Libertarian (Ron Paul, 1988)Constitution Party (Virgil Goode)“Bull Moose” (Theodore Roosevelt, 1912) = ProgressiveSocialistFree Soil

Party Organization

Both parties have local, state, and national organizations.

http://www.gop.com/ RNChttp://www.democrats.org/ DNChttp://www.pagop.org/ Statehttp://www.padems.com/home Statehttp://yorkgop.com/ Localhttp://www.yorkdems.org/ Local

Free Membership (register to vote)

More Voting

Early Voting – PA? No

http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx

Absentee Ballot Voting

Register to Vote

Write-In Candidate

Two-Party SystemU.S. Politics

Red or Blue - Why?

A Republican or Democrat has won the Presidency since 1860.

There are 2 independents out of 535 in the 112th Congress.

There is only 1 Independent Governor in the United States.

PA Government, Third Parties?

Compare the # of political parties in the U.S. with other Countries:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2101.html#sw

Proportional Ohio Primary

RCP Primary Results

Choosing Candidates (Pres.)Caucus – meeting of party members/leaders (Iowa)

Primary – election by party members for candidate to run for office

Iowa Caucus (Midwest)

New Hampshire Primary (New England)

South Carolina (South)

Nevada (West)

2012 Primary Results

2008 Primary Results

Super Tuesday (March)

Closed primary – must be party member to vote (PA is Closed)

Open primary – no membership required but may only vote in 1 party primary.

National Convention, every 4 years, write national party platform, delegates nominate candidates for President and VP.

Campaign Financing“There are four parts to any campaign. The candidate, the issues of the candidate, the campaign organization, and the money to run the campaign with.” - Former Speaker Tip O’Neill

How much does it cost to run for President???

Obama in 2008?

Presidential Campaign Data

Federal Election Commission

Campaign Laws limiting contributions. Why?

Political PropagandaDefinition(s):

Propaganda, simply put, is the manipulation of public opinion.Ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause. (Merriam-Webster)A message that is meant to influence people’s ideas, opinions, or actions. (Textbook)

Common Techniques: Name Calling, Fear, Transfer, Plain Folk, etc.http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/intro.ipa.html

http://www.flackcheck.org/

Campaign Ads:http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2012/

Electors?Electoral College NARA Video

• Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution

• Who chooses Electors? Who are the Electors?– State political parties, loyal party members

• How many Electors in PA?– 2 (Senators) + # of Reps (House) per State = ???

• Strengths and Weaknesses?– Wide support, Center of public opinion (2-party-system)– Democracy? - Overrepresentation - Discourage 3rd

Party

• Winner-Takes-All: http://www.270towin.com/

• Only Maine and Nebraska are not Winner-Take-All (they use the Congressional District Method)

• Does your vote count? YES!

Electoral College…

Electoral College Quiz: – http://www.270towin.com/quiz.php#.UHd6F

3Dd5JM

• When has the Electoral college “failed”?• J.Q. Adams (1824)• Hayes (1876)• Harrison (1888)• Bush (2000)

DATA 1789-2004 Presidential Elections NARA

Links• http://www.people-press.org/typology/quiz/

• Electoral College FAQs

• Potential GOP candidates

• http://www.gop.com/

• http://www.pagop.org/

• http://www.democrats.org/

• http://www.padems.com/home

• http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/platforms.php

• http://www.teapartypatriots.org/Mission.aspx

• http://www.lp.org/

• http://cartoons.osu.edu/nast/index.htm