political parties Flashcards
liberal
seeks to change political, economic and social status quo in favour of well-being, rights and liberties of the individual especially those who are disadvantaged eg dems
conservative
seeks to defend the political status quo, therefore tends to oppose changes in the institutions and structures of society eg reps
as a result of the loss of the solid south
- widen differences between parties and lessen differences within
- cause both parties to be more ideologically cohesive
- increase partisanship in congress
usa as a 50 50 nation
2000 elections
- both parties 49% pop vote
- Senate 50-50
red america
- male
- white
- protestant
- wealthy
- rural
- southern or Midwestern
- conservative
blue america
- female
- rainbow coalition
- catholic
- less wealthy
- urban
- northeastern
- liberal
contributions to increased partisan ship
- shift of solid south
- end of cold war consensus in foreign policy
- polarising presidencies of Clinton,Bush and Obama
- effect of ‘new media’
current partisanship in senate
Senate: dem 44 - 54 rep
usa as a two-party system
- every presidents since 1856 either dem or rep
- in every pres election since 1916, combined dem and rep votes exceeded 80% of total votes cast
- 2013 every member of parliament was a member of either dem or rep except 2
- 2013 full H/R either dem or rep
why its a two party system
- FPTP electoral system
* all embracing nature of the two parties which allows little room for third parties
other analysis of us being a two party system
- 50 party system - each state has own system
- some sates have a one party system
- because of decline in importance of parties some say no party system
Massachusetts 2016 electoral college votes
republican 0
theories of party decline
- parties lost control of pres candidate selection to primaries
- tv, opinion polls and ‘new media’ bypassed parties as a means that candidates can communicate to public
- campaigns are more candidate and issue centred
- emergence of movements such as the tea party movement therefore diff access points
theories of party renewal
- theories of party decline are exaggerated - eg membership of congress is partisan
- parties fought to regain control of candidate selection through the introduction of super delegates
- moves towards the ‘nationalising’ of campaigns - national parties stronger in laying down specific dates of pres elections
- increased levels of partisanship in congress
current partisanship in H/R
H/R: dem 187 - 246 rep
current partisanship shown by pop vote
pop vote: dem 48.5% - 46.4% rep
current partisanship shown by ECV
ECV: dem 232- 306 rep
last third party candidate to gain any electoral college votes
George Wallace with 46 in 1968
obstacles to third parties
- electoral system
- federal campaign finance laws
- state ballot access laws
- lack of resources
- lack of media coverage
- lack of well-know, well-qualified candidates
- regarded as too ideological
- tactics of the two major parties
third parties and electoral system
*FPTP
third parties and federal campaign finance laws
- qualifying for matching-funds puts them at a disadvantage
- major parties qualifying by raising at least $5000 in contributions of $250 or less in at least 20 states
- third parties qualify by getting 5% of popular vote
- this is hard but enables them to qualify in net round of elections
- Ross Perot couldn’t qualify in 1992 for matching funds but his reform party qualified in 1996 and 2000 as they won 5% of the popular vote
third parties and state ballot access laws
*third parties have to get a petition signed by a certain no. of people to get name on state ballot
*egTenessee 25 signatures
*as of May 2017 3 minor parties got on ballots in more than 10 states : Libertarian: 37
Green Party: 22
Constitution Party: 13
third parties and lack of resources
people are reluctant to give parties money when they’re seen as sure losers
third parties and lack of media coverage
can’t really afford advertising
