Political Parties Flashcards
Party competition:
the battle of the parties for control of public offices
Political party:
a team of people seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in an election
3 headed political giant
electorate, organization, elected officials
Linkage institutions:
elections, parties, interest groups, and the media
tasks of linkage institutions
Pick candidates Run campaigns Give cues to voters Articulate policies Coordinate policymaking
Rational choice theory:
individuals act in their own best interests
Party image:
voters’ perceptions of what a party stands for
Party identification:
a person’s self-proclaimed preference for one party over another
Ticket splitting:
voting for one party for one office and another party for a different office
Parties are
decentralized and fragmented
Party machines:
relies heavily on material inducements such as patronage to win votes
Closed primaries:
only people registered within the party can vote in these primaries
Open primaries:
anyone can vote in these primaries
Blanket primaries:
voters are presented with a list from all parties and can pick any candidate to vote for
National convention:
meeting of delegates to choose ticket and set forth a platform
National committee:
keeps the party operating between elections
Chairperson:
responsible for day-to-day activities of the party
Coalition:
a group of people w/ a common interest on which every party depends
Party eras:
historical periods in which voters clung to the party in power
Critical elections:
new issues emerge, new coalitions form and replace old; transforms party system
Party realignment:
akin to a political revolution; typically occurs during or after a critical election
In Federalist Paper #10, James Madison warned against
factions like political parties
First political party
federalists
New Deal Coalition:
urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, poor, Southerners, African-Americans, intellectuals
Richard Nixon ran on what he called “Southern Strategy”:
focused on states’ rights, law and order, and the military
Party dealignment:
people moving away from both parties
Third parties:
parties that are not the Democratic or Republican party; rarely, if ever, win elections
Proportional representation:
awards legislative seats according to number of votes won in an election
Coalition government:
when two or more parties join together
Responsible party model:
Comprehensive program
Candidates are committed to the program
Programs are implemented
Party accepts responsibility
