Government study guide chapter 8 Vocabulary Party Competition: The battle of the parities for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics. Political Party: According to Anthony Downs a, "team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election." Linkage Institutions: The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. Rational Choice Theory: A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives. Party Image: The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism. Party Identification: A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other. Ticket Splitting: Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm in American voting behavior. Party Machines: A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern. Patronage: One of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reason rather than for merit or competence alone. Closed Primaries: Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty. Open Primaries: Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests. Blanket Primaries: Elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all the parties. Voters can then select some Democrats and some Republicans if they like. National Convention: The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform. National Committee: One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national committee is comprised of representatives from the states and territories. National Chairperson: The national chairperson is responsible of the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee. Made By Abby Carroll 1
Coalition: A group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends. Party Eras: Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections. Critical Election: An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party, Critical election periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era. Party realignment: The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period. New Deal Coalition: A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans and intellectuals. Party Dealignment: The gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in party by shrinking party identification. Third Parties: Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not usual, but they rarely win elections. Winner-Take-All System: An electoral system in which legislative sears are awarded only to the candidate who come in first in their constituencies. In American presidential elections, the system in which the winner of the popular votes in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state. Proportional Representation: An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election. Coalition Government: when two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe. Responsible Party Model: A view favored by some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises. Other stuff (notes) Meaning of party A team of men and women seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election Parties in three parts Made By Abby Carroll 2
Party in electorate (us) Party as an organization (paid by party) Party in government (people elected) Tasks of the parties Linkage institution: the channels through which people s concerns become politicians issues on the government s policy agenda Parties pick candidates Parties run campaigns Parties give cues to voters Parties articulate policies Parties coordinate policy making Parties and policy Rational choice theory Assumes that individuals ace in their own best interest weighing the costs and the benefits of possible alternatives Downs model Voters maximize chances that policies they favor are adopted by government Parties want to win elected office Most people are moderate The party in the electorate Party image Voters perception of what republicans or democrats stand for Party identification A citizens self-proclaimed preference for one party of the other Republican, democrat, independent There are a lot of independents because of a decline in trust of the government Ticket splitting Voting with one party for one office and in another party for other offices Independents are the most likely to split tickets No state of face is complexly safe from split tickets Party organization from grassroots to Washington There are the people who work for the party Local parties Party machines: type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements to win voters to govern Patronage: a job promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit used by party machines Due to progressive reforms urban party organizations are generally weak Made By Abby Carroll 3
Revitalization of party organizations on country level 50 state party systems Closed primaries: only people who have registered with the party can vote for that parties candidates They like this one Open primaries: voters decide on election day whether they want to vote for the democrat or republican primary Weren t a big fan of this one Blanket primaries : voters are presented with a list of candidates for all parties Doesn t happen anymore Semi-closed primaries: democrats for democrats republicans for republicans and independents have to choose beforehand State parties are better organized in terms of HQ and budgets than they used to be National part organization National convention: the meeting of part delegates every 4 years to choose a presidential ticket and party s platform National committee: one of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions National chairperson: responsible for day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee Party in the government: promises and policy Party members actually elected to government Which party controls government has policy consequences Coalition: a group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends Parties and politicians generally act on their campaign promises Party eras in American history Party eras Historical periods in which a majority of votes cling to the party in power Critical election An electoral earthquake where new issues and new coalitions emerge Party realignment The displacement of the majority party b the minority parry usually during a critical election 1796-1824: 1 st party system Madison warned of factions Federalists were the 1 st political party 1828-1856: Jackson and the democrats and the Whigs Made By Abby Carroll 4
Modern party founded by Jackson Whigs former to oppose Jacksonian democrats 1860-1928: two republican eras Republicans rose as an antislavery party 1896 election on industrialization 1932-1964: the new deal coalition New deal coalition forged by democrats consisted of urban working class ethnic groups Catholics Jews the poor and southerners 1968-Present: era of divided party government Divided government: one part controls congress and the other controls the white house Divided government due in part to: Party Dealignment which is the Dealignment of people from parties as evidenced by a decline in party identification Party neutrality: people indifferent to the two parties Third parties Third parties are electoral contenders other than the 2 major parties and rarely win elections Third parties are important Are safety valves for popular discontent Bring new groups and ideas into politics Two part system Discourages extreme views Contributes to political ambiguity Multiparty systems in other countries Winner take all system: legislative seats awarded only to 1 st place finishers SMDP (single member district plurality) Proportional representation: legislative seats awarded based on votes received by the party, more votes means more seats MMDP (multi member district plurality) Coalition government: two of more parties join to form a majority in a national legislature Understanding political parties Democracy and responsible party government Responsible party model Parties have distinct comprehensive programs Candidates are committed to platform Majority party must carry out its program Made By Abby Carroll 5
The majority party must accept responsibility American political parties fall short of conditions, what is wanted, to make things simpler, not necessarily what they get No mechanism of party discipline American political parties and the scope of the government Lack of uniformity keeps government small Big programs like health care (1994) fail But also makes cutting government for their own constituents Is the party over? No Political partied are no longer main source of info for voters, the media is Yet parties play an important but diminished role in American politics State and national party organizations have become more visual and active Majority of people still identify with a party Made By Abby Carroll 6