Political Party’s- 2 Party System

Question 1

What is two party system?

Answer 1

2 major party’s regularly win at least 80% of the popular vote up a general election
Win at least 90% of seats in legislative and, alternative control executive branch of government

Question 2

Evidence to say there is a 2 party system- popular vote?

Answer 2

Between 1992-2016 7 presidents elections
Dems and Reps accounted for more than 80% of popular vote
4-7 exceeded 95%

Question 3

Evidence to say there is a 2 party system- Seats in legislature?

Answer 3

2016 only 2 members of senate had not been elected as dem or rep
Bernie Sander Angus King

Question 4

Evidence to say there is a 2 party system- Control of executive?

Answer 4

In White House every president since 1853 either dem or rep, 42 straight presidential election won by 2 major parties over more than a century and half

Question 5

Evidence to say there is a 2 party system- State govt?

Answer 5

Jan 2017, 49/50 state governors were either dem or rep except Bill Walker of Alaska but didn’t win as a rep in 2010 and in 2014 merged with Byron Mallon as a dem

Question 6

Reasons to say there is a 2 party system- Electoral system?

Answer 6

1st FPTP makes life difficult for national 3rd party’s
3rd parties support is widespread but shallow
Puck up a fraction of the vote but in almost every state but due to winner takes all they relieve no reward

Question 7

Reasons to say there is a 2 party system- Broad party ideologies?

Answer 7

When 2 major parties encompass such a wide spread ideological spectrum there is not much room left for any other parties to attract substantial support

Question 8

Reasons to say there is a 2 party system- primary elections?

Answer 8

Help major parties more responsive to electorate
Minimise need for protest voting as they go to 3rd party
(Protest voting is voting for a smaller party after the main party does something that doesn’t align with beliefs)

Question 9

What are the different types of third parties?

Answer 9

National v Regional and state based
Permenant v Temport
Issue based v IdeologicK

Question 10

Best known national party?

Answer 10

Libertarian party and Green
LP- Gary Johnson was on ballot in all 50 states in 2016
GP- Jill Stein on ballot in 44 states and was a wright in in 3

Question 11

Best known Regional party?

Answer 11

Strom Thurmond state right party in 1948
George Wallace American Independant Party 1968

Question 12

Example of permenant party?

Answer 12

The Green Party and Liberal

Question 13

Temporary party’s?

Answer 13

The reform
The American independant party

Question 14

Example of issue based parties?

Answer 14

The Green Party
Prohibition party

Question 15

Example of ideological based parties?

Answer 15

Socialist party and Liberation party

Question 16

Impacts of 3rd party?

Answer 16

Don’t win sizeable majority’s so can be classed as Important and Unimportant

Question 17

Example of 3rd party being unimportant?

Answer 17

2012 combined vote was 2% and 6% in 2016

Question 18

Example of 3rd party being important?

Answer 18

3/9 presidential elections 1968 1992 and 2000 had a 3rd party affected outcome
2000- Nades got 2.7% for green costing Gore Florida. Bush gaining 537 vs Nader 100,000
New Hampshire Bush 7000 vs Nader 22,000.
Exit polls said that if Nader wasn’t on the ballot 1/2 said vote for Gore and other half said they wouldn’t vote at all

Question 19

Is third parties increasing in house and senate?

Answer 19

S- 45% in 2016 vs 6.6% in 2010
House 2008-2016 never exceeding 36%

Question 20

What are some 3rd party difficulties?

Answer 20

Electoral system
Ballot access’s laws
Lack of recourses
Lack of media coverage
Cooperation

Question 21

Third party difficulties- electoral systems?

Answer 21

FPTP so uses winner takes all system, all elections use this so disadvantaged. Regional can do well for example 1968 George Wallace won 45 electoral collage vote winning 13% of vote compared to 1992 Ross Perot no electoral collage collage vote but 19% of vote

Question 22

Third party difficulties- ballot access?

Answer 22

3rd parties disadvantages by state ballot access’s laws, these regulate how 3rd party candidates can qualify to get name on ballot. Some like Tennessee are straight forward requiring 25 signatures on petititon compared to NYC and are more demanding, 3rd candidates must get certain number of signatures in every country state

Question 23

Third party difficulties- Lack of recourses?

Answer 23

Reluctance to give money to party’s that lose to catch 22 status
Reason being why 3rd party can’t compete with 2 main parties expenditure on organization, staff, media or get out to vote operation

Question 24

Third party difficulties- Lack of media coverage?

Answer 24

3rd party’s have lack of media coverage as news don’t think they are worthy. Parties can’t afford the loss of making and airing TV commercials, can’t attend debates e.g. Jill Stein excluded

Question 25

Third party difficulties- co-operation?

Answer 25

If 3rd party’s do well in pre election polls and win numbers of votes. Cooperation good for minority and majority parties e.g. Ross Perot in 1992 when democratic Bill Clinton and republicans adapted policys with flagship policies and fed budget deficit. By 2000 fed budget was in surplus

Question 26

Aims of 3rd parties?

Answer 26

-Affect policies: Perot
-Affect outcome of elections: Nader 2000
-Not fair to day all failures, although they do fail in electoral, the outcome in state national assembly well as the policy agendas of one or both of 2 majority parties