US Political parties Flashcards
Key ideologies in US politics
parties had to be more broad due to the country’s size i.e New deal coalition (made by Dem president Roosevelt)–} represented many groups like blue collar workers, minority groups and the poor
-Eisenhower(WW2 general) was approached by both parties to run for them–} showed non-ideological nature
-more polarised now–} 67% of republicans thought the 2020 election was rigged + Ted Cruz challenged legitimacy of ECVs
Democratic party values + ideologies
-large govt programmes to improve poverty
-more tax on the wealthy to fund social welfare i.e 2020 tax policy= ‘take action to reverse the Trump Administration’s tax cuts…make sure wealthy pay their fair share’
-civil rights for minorities i.e supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which proposes banning chokeholds and reforming qualified immunity for law enforcement
-Humane and sensible reforms to the immigration system should be introduced i.e Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy–} temporary authorisation to certain undocumented immigrants
Republican party ideologies + values
-preference for limited govt in economic decisions + regulation
-lower taxes for all classes + believe in ‘trickle down’ economics(benefiting the wealthy eventually benefits wider community)
-pro life position on abortion + want to overturn Roe v Wade
-upholding the right of gun ownership i.e have strong ties to the National Rifle Association(NRA)
-tighter immigration laws i.e pushing for enhanced border wall in Mexico
-less well disposed towards international organisations i.e NATO and WHO–} they believe it poorly serves US interests
Leadership in the main parties
-no specific leader–} reflects separation of powers(President has a high level of authority in the party and sets the tone for the political agenda)
-both have party leaders i.e Mitch McConnell is the Senate republican leader(blocked Merrick Garland nomination when he was majority) + Chuck Schumer is the Senate democrat leader–} can set legislative agenda for senate and coordinate with president as majority i.e passed the American recue plan(financial aid for state govts, individuals + businesses)
-lack of set party discipline leads to more inter party opposition i.e Trump couldn’t pass healthcare reforms for 2 years despite republican majorities
State based parties
-state parties have a degree of autonomy and independence i.e local Dems run on the ticket of the Minnesotan Democratic-Farmer-Labour party, reflecting a 1944 party merger on the basis on socialism and working class interests
-local parties have a minimal role in candidate selection and rarely endorse primary candidates
-DNC & RNC are national party organisations–} organise national nominating convention + draw up national platform
-‘Four Hill committees’ coordinate campaigns + direct donations i.e in 2020 senate elections, NRSC ran a billboard campaign in several states using the same format but changing name of democrat candidates + spent around 30 mill in tv ads
Associated groups
-like pressure groups but more party political
-Democrat Socialists of America–} (independent of official Dem party structures and over 92,000 members) works to secure victory of progressive candidates i.e endorsed Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018 + featured in ‘knock down the house’
Example of how party structures have influence
-controversial republican house member Steve King lost his Iowa primary in June 2020–} Mitch McConnell said that King’s racist comments showed he was ‘unfit’ for elected position
-was removed from house committee assignments like agriculture
-lost several endorsements from conservative, evangelical leaders in Iowa
Geographical changes to US parties
-south has become more reliably Republican + East/West coasts are more Democrat
-1976 election was the last time a Democrat president won comprehensively in the South
-Clinton only won 6 southern states in 1992 election despite being former governor of Arkansas
-Jimmy Carter was the last Dem to win TX in 1976 and Bush was the last republican to win CA in 1988
Geographical: 1976 presidential election
-Ford(Republican) vs Carter(Democrat)
-during aftermath of the Watergate scandal which saw Nixon resign–} pardoned by Ford during presidency
-Jimmy Carter(Dem from Georgia) won majority of deep south states i.e Alabama + Texas
Geographical: 2016 presidential election
-by the first decade of the 21st century, the solid south had flipped to republicans
-Hillary Clinton only won 2 deep southern states in 2016 election(Virginia + Florida)
Ideological changes to US parties
-Democrats have become more liberal—} Lyndon B Johnson signing off on Civil rights act 1964 (understood they “lost the south of a generation”
-South became republican dominated= Southern strategy drove out black republicans
-Republicans become more conservative = strong law + order platform after urban riots i.e 1967 Detroit riot against police brutality led to 43 deaths + over 400 buildings destroyed, in opposition to ‘busing’ (schools were required to become more racially diverse)
-more conservative southern democrats swapped parties in Strom Thurmond switched in 1964 due to opposition of civil rights act and as a republican senator he opposed the voting rights act 1965(eliminating racial discrimination) and served on the armed services committee
Demographic changes to US parties
-republican voters are more likely to be white, from rural areas and less likely to be educated to degree level
-democrat voters are more likely to have higher levels of education, more likely to be in urban areas from diverse background
-campaigns play into voter profile i.e 2020 biden campaign ads highlighted climate change action promoting policies like the paris agreement(limiting global warming)
-play into opposition weaknesses i.e Biden had an ad in 2020 called “Trumps plan: cut medicare”—} cuts in programs that seniors rely on for medical care
changes to cohesiveness in US parties
-parties are less bipartisan in voting i.e no republican voted for Obamacare in either house and no democrat voted for trump tax cuts in either house
-when Johnson passed civil rights act 1964 it was supported by 81% republicans in comparison to just 69% democrats
-7/17 republicans on the house judiciary committee broke party ranks to vote to impeach Nixon after Watergate whereas not one out of 195 republican lawmakers voted for Trump’s impeachment in 2019(used 400 million in military aid to try and convince Ukraine govt to investigate the Bidens)
Political polarisation in the US
-Substantive polarisation(ideological gap between members of 2 parties and how much they disagree with each other) i.e ACA 2010 aligned with democrat value of affordable healthcare by expanding insurance coverage whereas republicans saw it as a threat to individual choice—} passed with no republican support
-Affective polarisation(extent to which parties dislike each other + have a social gap) i.e in 1960, only 4% Dems and 5% Reps would have been upset with child marrying opposing party but by 2020, 38% of Dems and Reps said they would be upset
-gridlock—} in 1974, less than 30% of legislative agenda was gridlocked but it raised to 70% by 2012
-public disagreements i.e insurrectionist attack in capitol in 2021 and poll in 2021 found that 60% of republicans believed the claim that the election was stolen due to voter fraud
US parties are very united/polarised
-many key congressional votes reflect party unity i.e House republicans stuck with party vote an average of 91% and Democrats 89%, no republicans voted for the American rescue plan act in either house and only 1 democrat voted against in senate(financial relief in COVID like unemployment benefits and child tax credit)
-parties are increasing cohesive on policy issues i.e Dems lead congressional pro choice caucus(drafts reproductive rights legislation and oppose restrictions) and have supported the appointment of pro choice justices like Sonia Sotomayor(open about supporting roe v wade)
-emphasis on united party platform i.e Newt Gingrich’s Contract with America(legislative agenda in 1994 HOR elections) with pledges like bring 10 reform bills to the floor + ‘The Squad’ (informal left wing group of Dems that began after 2018 elections)
