Political Parties in the US
- The electorate is divided by ideology, demographics, and "Rep-Ind-Dem"
    - Polarized more, especially in the past four years
The gov reflects this
- "Divided Government": different parties control House, Senate, Pres.
    - possibly governors' differences
    - Streamlining of government isn't voted for.

What is a political party, in general?
- A group of activists who organize to win elections, operate the
  government, and determine public policy
- Controlling the government requires a broad band of beliefs
    - Can't be narrowly focused like a special interest group

All political parties:
1) Recruit Candidates
2) Organizing and running elections
- Funding
3) Presenting alternative policies
Only major parties (Dem and Rep, in US):
4) Operate Government
5) Organize Opposition
- Sometimes minor parties get governance in states

Are parties still doing this effectively?
- Morris Fiorina sees a "decline in all duties and accountability." Why?
    - Party Organization used to shape almost all political behavior
        - Now, the Dem establishment (ex.) doesn't control their nominee
        - Public spending limits mean campaigns don't need to rely on
          parties
    - Party in the Electorate
        - Candidates essentially run independent campaigns
        - They break from party platforms to serve local districts
            - Or focus differently, like fiscal conservatism vs family
              values.
    - Party in Government
        - Increased party fragmentation
        - Personal and local influence
        - Recently, politicians vote on party lines, but not too long
          ago, bipartisanship was a real option
    - The rise of Single Issue Groups
        - Parties are more beholden to Interests

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) 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)