Political Science 1100, Introduction to American Politics, February 25, 2013

 

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Current Events 

 

 

Voting 

 

 

In Reality, we tend to cast Retrospective Votes: We Tend To

• Reelect Incumbents When There Is Peace And Prosperity
   
• To Elect Challengers When We Feel Threatened And Experience Personal Economic Hardship  

       Retrospective voting is particularly important in voting for President

 

2008: A Change election favors challenger Obama

 

2012: Obama was now the incumbent

 

 

 

Political Parties

1. Why do we have political parties? 
 

    - Ask James Madison - Why did he help create America's first political party?

    - to make American government work by building coalitions of
               
                (1) legislators and other public officials (party in government),

                (2) voters who would vote for candidates for public office (party in the electorate) .

                (2) a party organization 

               

 

 

  

 

2. Why Do Only Two Parties Dominate American Politics?

   The Democrats and Republicans have dominated
       American politics since the 1850s -

      "Third" Parties rarely win electoral votes
 

1) History: We've Always Had Two

     Since the 1850s, the Democratic and Republican Parties have
     dominated American Politics

   

2) Party Identification: People Tend To Stick With One Party or the Other

 

3) Americans agree on basic values 

 

4)   Single Member, Plurality Elections Make It Difficult for 3rd Parties

       These rules make it hard for "Third" Parties to sustain electoral success

3. Are the Parties Different?

 

      In some ways, yes 

        - platforms

        - coalitions

   

       In some ways, no

            - candidates backgrounds

            - division over social issues

            - agreement on basic American values

            - both parties raise huge sums of money

 

4. Why did the Parties Become so Polarized ?

 

        The parties are changing  because of cross-pressures

       

The conservative South has transformed from a strong Democratic region to a strong Republican region,
making the Republican Party more conservative

Liberal areas of New England and the West have left the Republican Party, making the Democratic Party more liberal

       

        The Republican Party - less moderate, increasingly conservative

 

        The Democratic Party - less moderate, increasingly liberal

 

        The Tea Party - a conservative faction

                Has made the Republican Party more conservative

 

5. American Political Parties are very polarized today

 

            Party in the electorate

 

 

            Party in government

 

 

 

5. WHO CARES about the political parties?

To Become President, Or Governor, Or A Legislator,

    You Still Have To Win Elections

    -- But Without Strong Parties To Help,

       Your Tactics For Winning Have To Include
 
 

1). The "Candidate-Centered" Campaign

You Have To Rely On Yourself To Win Elections
 
 

2). If You Go It Alone And Rely On Yourself,

You Have To Advertise Yourself To Potential Voters

(That's Because They Won't Rely On Party Labels

As Much)

 

You have to run your own campaign and find a lot of donors

 

And many donors will only give you big money if you are very ideological and very partisan – like they are

 

And if you are rewarded for being very ideological and partisan, you may be punished if you compromise 

 

BUT ...  the Constitution requires compromise to make government work)