What is a Political Party

1
What is a Political Party

• A group of people with broad common interests who
  organize to win elections , control government
  influence policies

2
Theocracy

• A government dominated by religion
• Muslim clergy Controls the Islamic Republican
  Party

3
1 Party Systems

• Communist
• Come to power by Force
• Cuba
• North Korea
• Vietnam
• China

• Non-Communist
• Iran
• Mexico
• Problems lack of differences choices

4
Multi-party

• United States
• Two major parties
• Republican-elephant emblem
• Democrat Donkey emblem
• Third Party
• Independent

• France 5 party
• Italy 10 parties
• Problem with so manyHard getting enough support
  to control Govt
• Coalition Govt groups share power
• (usually unstable)

5
Third Party 3 Categories

• Single Issue 1 main issue
• Social, Economic or Moral Issue
• Ideological focus on overall change in society
  rather than an issue.
• Splinter Party splits from one of the major
  parties (Progressive Teddy Roosevelt or Reform
  Ross Perot)

6
Impact

• Often takes votes from one party.
• Many times helping the other party win
• Intentional??
• Unintentional???
• Election of 1992
• George Bush / Bill Clinton / Ross Perot

7
Party Organization

• National, State, Local Offices staffed with
  paid leaders and volunteers.
• Precinct local unit
• Ward several precinct that are in the same area
  to make up a district

8
Campaigning

• Limitations are put on contributions by one group
  or person why????
• Corporations
• Labor Unions
• National Banks

• Patronage
• Favors given to reward loyalty to members.
• Government jobs, contracts, appointments
• What are the ethical issues with this?

9
Questions

1. Do you think unlimited campaign spending can lead
   to political corruption?
2. Is the threat to free speech a valid argument for
   not limiting campaign spending?
3. Are the wealthy favored in the campaign process?

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HistoricallyHow are candidates nominated?

• Caucus
• Nominating convention
• Primary Election
• Petition

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Caucuses

• Private meetings of party leaders
• Start at neighborhoods
• County
• Congressional District
• State Level
• 19 States use Caucuses today

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Nominating Convention

• Official meeting of a party to choose candidates
  for office.
• Representatives are sent to next level
• Local to
• County to
• State to
• National Nominating Convention
• Delegates are chosen to go
• Problem - Bosses

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Bosses

• Powerful Party Leaders
• 1900s led to primary election due to public
  reaction to bosses.

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Primary Elections Most Common

• Direct Primary election to select when party
  members run in general election
• Closed Primary only members of a particular
  party can vote
• Open primary all voters participate
• Governed by state laws in normal polling places.

15
Primary Elections

• Winners generally do not have to have a majority
  to win.
• Plurality more votes than opponent to win.

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Petition

• Filed Petition with a specified number of voters,
  who have signed to have their candidate placed on
  the ballot.

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Presidential Nominations

• National Convention
• 50 States
• Guam
• Puerto Rico
• Virgin Islands
• District Of Columbia
• Task to select a ticket.
• Candidates for President Vice President

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History of Convention

• 1800-1824 leaders met secretly
• By 1916 - ½ states chose convention delegates
• By 1970s women, minorities, young people
  included as convention delegates.
• By 1996 44 states included

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Today's Primaries

• Parties often change rules States often operate
  differently.
• Democrats primary in Michigan Florida this year
  did not countwhy?

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3 Generalizations

• A delegate selection process or presidential
  preference poll.
• Either
• Primary winner takes all or
• Delegates based on number of popular votes
  received in primary.
• Delegated selected on basis of popular votes.
• Originally---It was winner take all

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So.what does my party use?

• Democrats
• Use proportional representation.
• Delegates based on popular vote

• Republicans
• Use both
• Winner Takes all and
• Proportional Representation

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Primaries.Criticisms

1. Take too long time wise.
2. Play up personalities vs. positions
3. Fewer vote in primaries Possibly not the real
   picture.
4. Early winners capture the media
   spotlightsometimes bring in extra

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National Conventions

• Democratic Next Week
• Republican 2 Weeks
• State Votes used to be same as electoral votes
  now complicated formula.
• 1000s of delegates, spectators, protestors and
  media

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4 Committees

1. Rules / Order of Business
2. Credentials
3. Approve delegates from each state
4. Permanent Organization
5. Selects chairperson
6. Platform committee
7. Writes platforms

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Platforms

• Statement of principles, beliefs positions.
• How to deal with issues.
• Planks- individual parts of platforms that often
  have members disagree.

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Finally

• Delegate Voting
• Roll call of states until majority has been
  reached.
• Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates are
  officially named
• Acceptance Speech - Adjournments