POL 101: U.S Government 4A

Political Parties - A group organized to win political office through elections and dedicated to promoting Their ideas about public policy - Three main functions of political parties - Explain issues to the public - Keep elected officials accountable and responsive to the public - Galvanize political interest - Educate voters, bring them to the polls - Important terminology - Partisan – Viewing an issue strictly from the position of your party affiliation - Bipartisan – Cooperation between two political parties that normally ideologically Oppose each other. Partisanship - Partisanship has increased greatly in the last 60 years - It has become increasingly rare and difficult for republicans and democrats to work Together The Two-Party System - A political system in which there are two relatively competitive parties who compete to win Elections - In the U.S there has been a two-party system since the 1830s - Democrats or Republicans have won the presidency since 1860 - The two-party system is not a requirement of the constitution, but rather a result of the

U.S winner take all election system. - Many other democratic countries have multi-party systems - Main reasons for two-party system - Winner take all system - Single member voting districts Winner Take All System - System in which whatever candidate wins the most votes wins that election - Single member voting districts – we vote one member per district to congress - Whoever wins most votes in district election wins - Not based on proportion of vote Proportional Representation - System in which legislative seats are distributed based upon the number of votes received In an election Pros and Cons of Proportional System - Pros - Traditionally marginalized groups receive representation - Third parties get a chance to influence legislation - Voters do not have to settle for one of two major parties - Cons - It can lead to the creation too many parties, which can make it hard for the legislature to Get things done. - Conditions are hard to build

- Radical groups can gain seats Republican Party - Generally, members have a conservative ideology - Small government - Low taxes - Little government regulation of business - Less government spending on social programs - Emphasis on family values - Main support base - Christians - Southern whites - Rocky mountain west whites - Large corporations - Rural voters - Fiscal conservatives - Social conservatives - High income earners Democratic Party - Liberal ideology - Redistribution of wealth to achieve more equitable society - More money to social programs - Increased regulation of business

- Emphasis on minority rights and protection - Support base - Latinos - African Americans - Jews - Secular members of the populations - Union members - Social liberals - Northeast - West Coast Minor Parties - To receive federal funding for an election you must receive 5% of the votes cast In a general election - Small parties find this very difficult and are usually not included on the ballot in any Given state. - Not reimbursed until after election Libertarian Party - Perhaps the biggest third party - Proponents of small government - Little interference of the government in business - Peoples personal lives should not be mixed with the government