LECTURE NOTES

 

UNIT 6

POLITICAL PARTIES 

 Define a Political Party & its Basic Function:

Political parties are organizations which run candidates for office.  They want to run government from the inside. (Interest groups try to influence it from the outside– by lobbying, electioneering etc.)  

  • Democratic Party
    The Democratic Party evolved from the Jeffersonian Republican Party.  The Jeffersonian Republican Party was founded on the principles of a limited national government, participation of the common man, and the belief that the American farmer was the backbone of American society, and thus , advocated policies to benefit the farm class.  

 

  • Republican Party
    In 1856 the Republican Party was established and their major issue became their opposition to slavery.  Thus, they drew most of their support from the North and Midwest and found little support in the South.  The South then became a strong one-party  Democratic region.   

        Compare the current democratic and Republican parties on the following aspects:

a.      Ideology

b.      Issues

c.       Group support

d.      Images

e.      Geographical areas

REPUBLICAN 

DEMOCRATS

Most Republicans are moderate to conservative                                           

major issues are:
Controlling inflation

 Reducing the role of government. – fewer programs, regulations, & services

Strong Military Defense

Reducing Crime – conservative strategy. – use tougher penalties & death penalty

Abortion- Pro Life.

 

 

Most Democrats are  moderate to liberal.

major issues are:
Reducing unemployment

Protecting Free speech

Equality for blacks and other minorities

Equality for women. 

Abortion – pro choice

                                                    

Group supporters (Types of Voters)

Republicans:

 Democrats:

The more educated

Higher income

White collar and professional.

Conservatives

Males

Older voters

Businesses, white collar professionals

Anglos

Protestants

Born-again evangelical Christians 

Rural areas and small cities, and suburbs

Mountain, Plains, Sunbelt, Midwest  states.

 

 

Grade school graduate – the less educated

Lower income

Blue Collar Workers & Union Members.

Liberals

Females – (The “gender gap”)

Younger voters

Union members, blue collar workers

Minorities

Catholics & Jews

Urban and inner city voters

East and West coast, Northeast and South. (South is gradually becoming less Democratic and more 2-party or slightly Republican.)

 

 

                                                            

Images (the Democratic Party Perspective):
Republicans are: (negative images)

Democrats are:(positive images)

1.   dominated by big business

2.      dominated by wealthy

3.      economic conservative anti worker

4.      conservative-tied to status quo – afraid to change

5.      party of the Depression

6.      insensitive to poor

7.      Radical Rights, ultra – conservative Party

 

1.   For the little man & common people

2.      Party of minorities, equality for all

3.      Progressive party

4.      Party of the poor and under privileged

5.   Party of social programs

6.  Party with a social conscience

 

Images (The Republican Party Perspective)

Republicans are :(positive images)

 

Democrats are: (negative images)

 

1.      Free enterprise

2.     Individualism

3.     Laissez faire – less government

4.     Middle of the road- moderate

5.     Fiscal restraint – lower taxes & spending

6.     Strong defense, peace

7.      Family values

 

 1.   dominated by labor unions

 2.   dominated by minorities

 3.      radical liberal big spenders party

 4.      party that promises anything to win

 5.      Party of war.

 6.   Ultra liberal, leftist party

 

HISTORY, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND LACK OF SUCCESS OF THIRD PARTIES

 

4 types of third parties:

  • ·      Single Issue Third Party: Formed because they feel two major parties are ignoring a key issue.  Liberty and Free Sol

  • ·      Economic Protest Third Parties: People feel left out of prosperity of the country. Farmers and Laborers.

  • ·       Secessionist Third Parties: Formed by major political Leaders who Temporarily Drop out of their party and form a third party and use it to vent frustrations over things being done. Teddy Bull Noose.  Lafont Progressive.

  • ·      Ideological Third Parties: Formed by people who feel the two major parties is not dealing with major issues in American Society. Demanding Drastic changes in American Society. Ex Communist, Socialist Laborers. Socialist, Libertarian. Would rather stick to their philosophy and lose than compromise their principles and win. 

  Benefits of third parties

  • ·      Third parties have forced major parties to deal with issues they wanted to ignore.

  • ·       Have represented ignored groups in society

  • ·       Raised ignored issues

  • ·       Kept the other two parties on their toes.

  • ·       Act as a safety valve in our political system. Reduces Violence.

 

Reasons Third Parties Have Not Been Successful

  • ·      Not viable party – why waste their vote.

  • ·      Not a popular issue.

  • ·     The larger parties steal issue from them. – Ross Perott and the balanced budget.

  • ·      Radical Image – always fighting against a distorted image

  • ·      Poor – Lack of money.

  • ·      Lack of Media Coverage – frivolous candidate

  • ·      Often their issues are too narrow. Don’t affect a wider audience.

  • ·      Election Rules have been deliberately written against them.