Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

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Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

• A. In earlier chapters, we discussed the
  two main political parties that are
• most prevalent in the United States.
• B. A political party is defined as a
  group of office holders, candidates and
• voters who identify with a group
  label and seek to elect individuals who
• run under that label.
• C. In conjunction with political
  parties we have interest groups-which have
• many names affiliated with it.
  They are organizations that seek to influence
  government and represent a body of people or
  organization that share a common interest or
  goal.
• D. Look back to our previous discussions
  about centralized versus non-
• centralized government. History
  tells us that political parties were a
• means to an end. Meaning, it was a
  way to consolidate issues not a long
• term strategy in the development of
  the political structure we have today.

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Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

• E. Stemming from 1860, the influence of
  a party system began to trickle into state and
  local
• governments. Immigration from
  Europe helped to fuel the party system.
• F. The result of aggressive loyalty of
  one party over another led to the creation of
• political machines. Political
  machines are characterized by a body or
  individuals
• that use influence, favors and power
  to gain control and membership. Parties were
  used
• to create loyalty to those that
  needed services and used as a way to win over
  those
• without any political identity.
• G. After the 1920s, politics changed.
  We went from a loose structure of promoting
• candidates and buying voter loyalty
  to stricter methods of electing candidates.
• 1. direct primary system of
  elections which is voting from a pool of
  qualified candidates and electing candidates via
  ballot. This gave the election process a much
  broader base of nomination versus having those
  with power nominate the candidates through
  conventions.
• 2. civil service laws
• 3. issue oriented politics
  resulted as people began to focus on the issues
  represented
• versus the reliance upon
  party loyalty which, oftentimes, results in
  ticket split (which is voting
• for candidates of different
  parties in the same election).
• 4. candidate-centered
  politics voters based their vote directly on
  the candidates rather than
• party affiliation.

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Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

• H. Political Realignment-is a shift in
  party alignment which alter the status quo.
  There have been significant
• party realignments as a result of
  the aftermath of presidential elections (see
  examples of this on page
• 322).
• I. Secular Realignment-is a shift in
  party alignment as a result of a change in
  demographics or regional
• shifts.
• J. Political parties main functions are
• 1. Mobilize support and gather power
  (coalitions)
• 2. Create stability and moderation
• 3. Provide unity, linkages and
  accountability
• 4. Provides for the opportunity to
  create an electorate through party fundraising,
  recruitment, outreach
• to potential constituents
• 5. Mobilizing Congress to organize
  policies and advance legislation
• 6. Utilize voter participation and
  encourage those to vote
• 7. Produce a national party
  platform the ideas and set out the philosophy
  the party will
• undertake and usually unveil at
  party conventions. (Sets the tone)
• 8. Allows for the mobilization and
  emergence of the development of minority parties.

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Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

• M. The function of Interest groups are
  to
• 1. Create social capital which
  is the relationship between citizens that come
  together to unite for a
• a common purpose.
• 2. Crete a vehicle for the
  underrepresented and, in turn, attempt to make
  government accessible to all.
• N. Interest groups form as a result of
  a contingency of people that believe in a certain
  attitude or have
• shared interests. Interest
  groups can be differentiated by political parties
  in that interest groups do not
• DIRECTLY run candidates for
  office.
• (Disturbance Theory D. Truman
  is the theory that interest groups form as a
  means to counteract the
• efforts of other groups.)
• O. Furthermore, interest groups must be
  able to offer something attractive to persuade
  members to join.
• Interest groups require funding to
  advance policy objectives. There are varying
  members within an
• interest group that go from
  devoted members to those that just pay dues and
  call themselves members
• of a particular group.
  (Collective good, free riders)
• P. Varying interest groups- Public
  Interest groups, Common cause interest groups,
  and those that form out

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Chapter 11 Political Parties and Interest Groups

• R. Other functions of lobbyists are
• 1. Recruit candidates and endorse
  candidates
• 2. Provide media and other
  resources to get out the issue
• 3. Rate candidates and office
  holders and distribute this information to
  constituents
• 4. Interest groups form Political
  Action Committees (PACs) which are groups that
  raise money to contribute to political elections
• PACSs obtain contributions that
  go towards campaigns that have a proven track
  record or provide commitment to support a
  particular issue.