Chapter 6:
Political Parties
“[A Political Party] serves always to
distract the Public Councils and enfeeble
the Public Administration. It agitates the
Community with ill founded Jealousies
and false alarms, kindles the animosity of
one part against another, foments
occasionally riot & insurrection. It opens
the door to foreign influence & corruption,
which find a facilitated access to the
government itself through the channels of
party passions.”
- President George Washington
1796 Farewell Address
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Parties and Party System
Party Organization: party leadership and workers at the
national, state, and local level.
Party in government: group of office holders who belong to a
party and were elected as candidates of that party.
Party in the electorate: citizens who identify with a party
What does the Constitution say about political parties?
Federalist Party (1789-1816) Adams
Democrat Republican Party (1796-1828) Jefferson
Adams and Jefferson (start -3:22)
Democrat Party (1832-Present)
Whig Party (1836-1850s) What issue led to the
demise of the Whig party and formation of the
Republican party?
Republican
Party (1856-Present)
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John Adams
2nd President of the United States
“There is nothing which I
dread so much as a division of
the republic into two great
parties, each arranged under
its leader, and concerting
measures in opposition to
each other. This, in my
humble apprehension, is to be
dreaded as the greatest
political evil under our
Constitution.”
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Political Parties
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(1:11)
Democrat Party
“There are no necessary
evils in government. Its
evils exist only in its
abuses.”
-Andrew Jackson
1st Democrat President
(1829-1837)
Battle of New Orleans - #1 Hit 1959 (2:26)
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History: Democrat Party
1828: Party Founded - 1st President Andrew Jackson
1832: 1st Party Convention in U.S. History
1828-1865: Pro-Slavery, Pro-Agriculture. Pro-Secession.
1866-1960s: Pro-School segregation. Passed literary tests
and poll taxes to undermine voting rights of AfricanAmericans.
1930s: New Deal - Social Security, Minimum Wage,
and Welfare.
1960s: Great Society – Government Housing, Student
Loans, Medicare/Medicaid. A majority of Democrats
filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights bill. Some did vote
with Republicans helping the bill to become law.
1960’s to Present: Now identified as party of higher taxes
for the wealthy, government subsidies for green
energy, pro-choice on abortion, government
healthcare, and gay marriage.
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The differences between the Democratic and
Republican Parties are MOST evident in
‘Party Platforms’
2012 - Democrat Party Platform
1 - Raises Income Taxes for those making over $250K yr.
2 - Supports All Abortion and Government financing if means-tested.
3 - Supports gay marriage
4 - Supports ‘Path to Citizenship’ for illegal aliens
5 - Supports full implementation of Obamacare
6 - Supports Reduction of U.S. Nuclear stockpile
7 - Supports ‘Millionaire’ surtax (30% tax on those making $1 million per yr)
8 - Energy: Continued Tax subsidies/grants for Green Energy
9 - Free Speech: Opposes corporations financing projects with a political motive
during election time (e.g., films that criticize incumbents)
10 - Equal Rights Amendment: Advocates for its Ratification
11 - Supports stronger legislation to restrict 2nd Amendment Rights.
12 - Opposed to school choice vouchers for Americans.
13 - Supports laws to ‘fight’ global warming (EPA Rules, Taxes)
14 - Initially took out reference to God and Jerusalem, but ‘voted’ back in.
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Republican Party
“Government of the people,
by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from
the Earth.”
-Abraham Lincoln
1st Republican President
(1861-1865)
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History: Republican Party
1856: Party founded to oppose slavery.
1861: 1st President Abraham Lincoln
1865-1875: Passed 13th , 14th, 15th Amendments.
First forty-two African Americans to serve in U.S.
Congress and Senate were Republicans. Passed
the 1875 Civil Rights Act before Democrats took the
House in 1875. Last Civil rights amendment to pass
until the 1960s.
1880s to-1960s: Fought Jim Crow laws in the South.
After given the right to vote, in 1920 a vast majority
of women turned out to vote for Republicans.
Passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the help of
Democrats.
1980s to Present: Now identified as party of strong
defense, low taxes, pro-life, economic freedom,
strict definition of marriage, and smaller government.
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The differences between the Democratic and
Republican Parties are MOST evident in
‘Party Platforms’
2012 - Republican Party Platform
1- Lower Corporate Tax Rate (currently highest in world)
2- Taxes should be low; National Sales Tax only after you repeal Income Tax.
3- Supports Balanced Budget Amendment to Constitution
4- Feds should pull out of housing financing to avoid future bailouts.
5- Supports ‘Right to Work’ states.
6 – Repeal Obamacare (Go with ‘Tort Reform’ to bring down Health costs)
7- Rein in EPA (let market decide our energy future)
8- Drill Here, Drill Now (No Cap and Trade)
9- Audit the Federal Reserve
10- Supports strong Voter ID laws
11 - Strongly supports 2nd and 5th Amendment Property Rights
12- Human Life Amendment:14th Amendment would apply to the unborn
13 - Supports School Choice
14- Emphasizes that America is ‘Exceptional.’
15- Will allow states to help enforce Illegal Immigration laws
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Modern American Political Parties
The Party Organization
National Committee: Political party organization that consists of
representatives from each state.
Party Chairs (1:36) DNC - Debbie Wasserman Schultz; RNC - Reince Priebus
Democrat National Committee
Republican National Committee
Informal Groups that influence
the parties include
Political action committee (PAC) (Ch.8)
527 and 501 c 4 organizations (Ch.8)
Think Tanks
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Modern American Political Parties
The Party in Government
Party in Congress: Caucus for Democrats; Conference for Republicans
Graph: Ideology of the Parties in Government for the House of Representatives
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Modern American Political Parties
The Party in the Electorate
2008, 2012: Rasmussen Report
2014: Gallup
Nov, 2008
41% Democrats
34% Republicans
25% Independents
Oct, 2012
39% Republicans
33% Democrats
28% Independents
Jan, 2014
42% Independents
31% Democrats
25% Republicans
Record-High 42% of Americans Identify as Independents
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Modern American Political Parties
Party Identification/Party Coalition
Party Identification: person’s loyalty
to a specific party. But, Party Coalition
and Identification change with time.
Recent challenges to these patterns(5:33)
Trailer (2:00) 2014: Chicago Activists (4:23)
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The Role of Political Parties
in American Politics
The National Convention
What happens at the Democrat and Republican National Conventions?
Party Platforms are Written:
2012 Platform Drama
Fox (2:55) CNN (start-:57) Vote: Fox (1:35) Vote: CNN (2:03)
Political Stars are Born:
Reagan at the RNC Convention in 1976 (3:05)
Obama at the DNC Convention in 2004 (1:49)
Party-Switches are Highlighted:
Artur Davis, Former Democrat Congressman (start-1:28)
Charlie Crist, Former Republican Governor (start-:46)
Headlines are Made:
1984: Mondale (1:30); 2012: Clint Eastwood
(2:00)
Presidential Candidate Acceptance Speeches
are Given: Obama Romney
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The Role of Political Parties
in American Politics
Campaign Assistance - Raising Money:
(2008) Obama: Over $700 million
(2008) McCain: Over $300 million
(2012) Obama: $1.1 billion
(2012) Romney: $1.01 billion (LA Times)
Party Platforms:
Politicians vote Party line 90% of time.
Cooperation in Government:
Divided Government v Unified Government
Divided government: House, Senate, and White House are not controlled by
the same party.
Unified Government: One party holds the majority of seats in the Senate and
the House, and the president is a member of that party as well.
With a “United Government” Party policy BECOMES Government policy.
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Minor Parties
Third parties do best when trust in the major parties
is low. Barriers to Third-Party Success? (start-3:40)
•
Winner Takes All Elections
•
Major Parties absorb Third-Party Ideas
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Conclusion
“Some men change their party for the sake of
their principles; others their principles for the
sake of their party.”
-Winston Churchill
Prime Minister of England
during WWII.
“This was their Finest Hour” (1:38)
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