Chapter+12+Political+Parties+-+Definitions,+Text+Notes,+Class+Notes+&+Connecting+Theory+to+Reality

=Ch. 12 Political Parties - Definitions, Text Notes, Class Notes & Connecting Theory to Reality=

= = =Definitions (Please try to define the terms in your own words & try to insert or link a picture with each definition.)= [|Political Party]: A group of voters and candidates or those already in office who seek to get those in their group label in political power. __Direct Primary__: Party candidates are chosen through voting ballots instead of a party nomination convention. __Ticket-Split__: To vote for candidates from different parties for various offices in the same election. __Governmental Party__: the office holders and candidates who run under a political party banner __Organizational Party__: the workers and activists who staff the party's formal organization __party in the electorate__: the voters who consider themselves allied or associated with the party __Caucus-__a closed meeting of people from one political party, especially a local meeting to select delegates or candidates __patronage__-Some type of support, (money, encouragement, etc.), for a particular party or candidate. Also the distribution of jobs and favors on a political basis __Machine (party machine)__- an organized group of people that controls a political group and give certain rewards to its supporters. Very popular in the big cities. __divided government__- A situation where one party controls the White House and the other party controls one or both of the Houses __issue-oriented politics__- politics that do not focus on loyalties (candidate, party, etc.) but solely on the issues under discussion. __national convention__- during the election year, a party meets to nominate a president and vice president for the election ticket and discuss their platform that they will adopt __National party platform__- promoted by the party, the statement that tells the public the general goals and stance of the party on issues Third partyism- the tendency of third parties to rise in a two party dominated political world. party dealignment - changing your political identification from one party to another.** national committee- the central organization for the party. it is headed by the party chairman, and it organizes the party convention in every presidential election year and supports the presidential nominee. party in the electorate- potential voters who identify with a party. the base and most important part of the party. party realignment- a shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections. many voters will change parties, and the youngest voters may permanently adopt the views of the new dominant party. usually gradual, but sometimes major events or changes in policy can cause this to be sudden. =Text Notes & Class Notes= -What were group affiliations?: geographic region, gender, race and ethnicity, age, social and economic factors, religion, marital status, and ideology - What is the dualist theory? It's the idea of a traditional two-party system. -Third Partyism: *What is the main purpose of a third party? To bring awareness to one major issue. Political parties consist of three separate but related entities: The governmental party (office holders & candidates who run under the party's banner), the organizational party (the workers and activists who staff the party's formal organization), and the party in the electorate (the voters who consider themselves allied or associated with the party). -Third Parties can sometimes rise when their special issues rise (ex: Green Party). - Institutional Obstacles? Electoral College.
 * __Civil Service Laws__**- Reforms that came about during the Progressive Movement. These laws prohibit political parties from staffing thier offices with fellow supporters, appointments are now made based on merit and highly competitive exams.
 * __Ticket Split-__** means to vote for different candidates of separate parties for various positions in office during the same election. This way of voting is encouraged by issue politics.
 * __Coalition-__**is a group of common interests or organizations that join together in order to help get political officials elected.
 * Proportional Representation-** A system of voting used in European Countries, that awards legislative seats according to the percentage of voters for a specific party.
 * Party Identification-** An informal way to express your acquired political views.Usually one votes for his or her supporting party. [[image:file:moz-screenshot.jpg]][[image:file:moz-screenshot-1.jpg]]Even if they don't agree with some of the candidate's views. They vote for the party's candidate, for the sake of voting for the party.
 * Think Tank-** A panel of policy-oriented researchers and academics who are sources of policy ideas.
 * Direct Primary**- an election in which voters from each party vote on a presidential candidate who will represent that party in the presidential race.
 * two party system - two major political parties dominate over the rest.
 * -**What functions do political parties perform?:the help get people out to vote and are activists... also they support individual view points so changes can be made, there are officers in political positions so they can get their platform in action and get their own people elected, help raise money, recruit candidates, and finally conduct polls. In addition they unite people from different groups or backgrounds under one "umbrella"
 * What are the problems associated with third parties? Their issues are normally stolen by the candidates from the major 2 parties, so support for the party will go down because their issues are finally being recognized.
 * Why else aren't third parties very successful? A. Most states don't use proportional representation (where each party gets representation based on the percentages of their support; instead, it's winner-takes-all). B. They don't get much funding. C. Get little media coverage compared to the big parties.
 * How do third parties gain attention? They will gain support if they have a popular/ charismatic leader. (Ex- Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull- Moose Party) Third parties also gain attention when they are focused on important issues that the major parties are not focusing on at the time. This brings the issues to attention of the public and in the end is stolen from them by the majority.

text notes The Evolution of American Party democracy - How did the early parties fade? ~number of voters increased, so voting priorities changed ~the smaller parties gave way to democrats and republicans - Democrats and republicans: the golden age? ~ 1874-1912, both parties were very stable and strong. parties were very active in the community, and helped those in immediate need in exchange for voting loyalty. This meant high voter turn out at elections. - How do the parties endure? ~people still identify with parties ~ the parties generally try to include as many people as they can ~ party ideals are becoming more defined, so you know where your beliefs fall. - The modern era vs. the golden age: is the party over? ~ no, but people are less involved in politics, and the parties are less involved in the community.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE AMERICAN PARTIES What is the electioneering function? - parties funnel eager individuals into politics -recruited into the 2 major parties What was a force for stability and moderation? - parties represent continuity: unyielding desire to win= acts to moderate public opinion - ideological center

CLASS NOTES: Third Party Politics: What are the institutional obstacles to their success and what are some solutions?
 * Electoral College
 * "winner takes all"

TEXT NOTES: Political Party Organization in America: From Base to Pinnacle NATIONAL LEVEL:

The quadrennial national convention

--The party's national chairpersons, the party's national committee-- STATE:

State central committees and state conventions

Congressional District Committees

LOCAL:

City and County Committees

Precinct and ward committees

Party activists and volunteers

Party identifiers and voters

What are National Conventions? > -Each party holds a national convention. > -It is the party chairman's responsibility to plan the national conventions. > -Here, rules and an official platform are adopted > -These guidelines for the party for the coming years.
 * National conventions are where the presidential and vice presidential candidate are nominated.
 * The convention also serves as the "ultimate governing body for the party"
 * Party Identification: party label, individual affinity
 * Sources of Party Identification: parents, marriage, friends and surroundings
 * Group Affiliations: geographic region, gender, race, ethnicity, age, social and economic factors, religion, marital status, ideology


 * The Modern Transformation of Party Organizations:**
 * the recent political parties have moved from labor-intensive, person-to-person operations toward the use of modern technologies and communication strategies.
 * As these technologies and communications advance, so will the operations of the political parties.
 * The capabilities of the party organizations vary from place to place as well.

=Connecting Theory to Reality= What Political Party will reign over the next Presidental Election? //Many people are probably going to lean to towards electing a Democrat for our next presidency, because of the way George Bush has handled the War in Iraq. Even a majority of Republicans that voted for him, now want him out of office. So during Bush's presidency the Republican Party may have lost voters, which will directly affect how the Parties voting turn out will be in the 2008 Presidental Election.//

Will the Responsible Parties Model still exist and be followed in a newer technological age of elections? //With the explosion of internet activity lately will elections now be about trashing other candidates online? Could the internet be the secret weapon America needs to attract younger and more voters? We can only hope that the internet has a positive effect on elections helping to boost interest, spread information(true information), and raise money for candidates.//