From aa71d604cd687856a2f3917b472d3324d55d6477 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Holden Rohrer Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2020 22:08:44 -0500 Subject: the last two lectures of INTA Wow, that class was great. Rich is a fantastic teacher. --- rich/34_parties | 75 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-- 1 file changed, 73 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) (limited to 'rich/34_parties') diff --git a/rich/34_parties b/rich/34_parties index 15fa071..ba3fd19 100644 --- a/rich/34_parties +++ b/rich/34_parties @@ -44,11 +44,82 @@ Are parties still doing this effectively? All parties can be broken down into three components: 1) Electorate - Core groups (base) + - Essentially a guaranteed vote, so turnout is the main focus in + these demographics + - Campaigning to the other party's core groups is mostly + unnecessary - Independents + - Ex: women voters + - Campaigning on women's issues can sway 4--9 pts in this group. + - "Why elections are won or lost" - Loose affiliates (usually candidate-specific) + - Difficult to campaign to or motivate these groups + - Strategizing on these groups is hard + - Ex: anti-Trump voters, Barack Obama voters. -2) Organization - - +2) Party Organization + - Not organized hierarchically: national gov differs significantly + from local gov and voters and the party orgs + - It's more confederate: people organize loosely and give power to + the party limitedly + - National tends to be voters' focus (healthcare, nat. defense), but + local, like potholes, schools have diff. policies than nat. Dems. + - Party Presence is not a constant or constant polices + - The party has the "umbrella" and its constituent parts are + trying to fit into policy as they can, but not everything gets + through. + - Ex: high-income + low-education in Republican party 3) Party in government; crosses over with organization + - Majority does not ensure power, especially not absolute power. + - Supermajorities with united gov (pres, house, senate) is the only + thing that gives one party the power. + - Ticket splitting: vote for Biden but David Perdue. + - Because of weaker parties +Two Major Parties +- Unlike most countries, broad bases with poor assurances for the + parties +- The Democratic Party + - Minorities + - Labor + - Women +- The Republican Party + - High Income + - College graduates (changing?) + - Business + - Religion? (depends) + - Religiosity, evangelicals like Reps +Why has the system endured? + - US Exceptionalism and Institutions + - For only 28 years did the US not have a two-party system + 1. Duality (US exceptionalism) + - Pro-choice or pro-life + - Pro-gun or pro-gun control + 2. Political socialization + - "Two is all you need" + - Issues are presented as two choices rather than nuanced + problems + 3. Political culture + - Three distinct political cultures + - The cultures lean in one direction or another. + - Can be handled by two parties + 4. State and Federal Laws + - Written by the two parties + - Handle more than 2 parties poorly + 5. Winner-take-all electoral system + - Duverger's law: how many winners? One -> two parties + - District design, and even local elections have one winner per + district +Role of minor parties in the US? + - Most countries' minor parties caucus with other parties. + - They do *ocassionally* have an impact + - 1992 Perot - 19% of popular vote but 0 electoral votes. Cost HW + Bush the election. 1996 8.5% + - Clinton was elected, setting the stage for Obama + - Don't need a large % to make a difference. See 2016 + - Historically important 3rd parties + - Communist (Dem) + - Green (Dem) + - Bull-Moose Progressives (Rep) + - Reform Party (mix of both) -- cgit