Term
| Define "Political Party". |
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Definition
| A group that seeks to elect candidates to political office by supplying them with a label ("Party I.D.") by which they are known to the electorate. |
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Term
| What are the arenas of politics in which parties have an existence? |
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Definition
- Labels in the minds of the voters.
-Organization recuiting and campaining for candidates.
-Set of leaders trying to organize and control the legislative and executive branches.
(If you mentioned judicial, then you're wrong because the judicial branch doesn't "run for elections") |
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Term
| What can be said about US parties in all three of the arenas? |
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Definition
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Term
European parties can be considered "Disciplined Gatekeepers". Why is that?
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Definition
Because the process in which candidates go through is more thoughtful, dedicated, and requires you to go through a nomination process.
(in America, Joe the Plumber can just decide to run for office). |
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Term
There are four "phases" in history where realignments have happened. What are they?
(Not looking for specifics!) |
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Definition
-Founding-1820's
-Jackson-Civil War
-Civil War-"Sectionalism"
-The Era of Reform |
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Term
What are some important things about the Founding-1820's era?
(Things like which were the two major parties, what was/were the issue(s), who made up both sides (in terms of types of people)) |
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Definition
It was:
-Federalists (G. Wash and J. Adams) vs. "Jacksonian Republicans"
-The issues were: interpretation of the Constitution, Power level of gov't.
-The Republicans won.
-Both sides were just small groups of nobles. |
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Term
Describe the specifics of the "Jackson-Civil War" realignment.
(Things like which were the two major parties, what was/were the issue(s), who made up both sides (in terms of types of people)) |
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Definition
-Democrats vs. Whigs
-Formation of the GOP Republican Party.
-Political Participation skyrockets.
-By 1852, Presidential candidates chosen to run by popular vote.
-Parties built from bottom --> up.
-Abandonned Caucuses. |
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Term
Describe the specifics of the Civil War-"Sectionalism" era.
(Things like which were the two major parties, what was/were the issue(s), who made up both sides (in terms of types of people)) |
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Definition
-Jacksonian system unable to survive slavery and sectionalism.
-New Republicans were dominant because of Union pride (North v. South Union, not work Union).
-Bryan's alienation of northen Democrats deepened Sectionalsim.
-Most states dominated by just one party. |
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Term
Describe the details of the "Era of Reform"
(Things like which were the two major parties, what was/were the issue(s), who made up both sides (in terms of types of people)) |
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Definition
-Progressives came to power.
-They pushed to curtail the parties' power and influence.
-Primary elections were favored, and were non-partisan on a state/local level.
-No party-business alliances.
-Strict voter registration laws.
-Civil service reforms reduced patronage. |
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Term
How is a realignment defined?
What are the two kinds?
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Definition
-A critical period when a sharp, lasting shift occurs in the coaltition supporting one or both parties.
The two kinds are when:
-A major party is forced into extinction.
-Two parties continue, but loyalty shifts from one to another. |
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Term
| Have there been any realignments since 1932? If so, what are the details on those? |
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Definition
-There have been NO realignments since 1932.
-The closest one to a realignment was in 1980, but it wasn't actually one.
-Reagan won, but because of what he stood for, not becasue he simply wasn't Jimmy Carter.
-The reason why it wasn't one is because Congress was left in the hands of the Dems.
--Also, in the span between 1994 and 2004, the South voted more Republican than the nation as a whole. |
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Term
| Lately, eveidence suggests that parties are declining, not realigning. Is this true? If so, how? |
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Definition
-It is true.
-It is declinging because fewer people are identifying with a party every year.
-This was unheard of back in the 19th century.
-It became more common when office-bloc ballots were introduced.
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Term
What is another name for an Office-bloc ballot?
What is its defining feature?
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Definition
-Also called a "Massachusets Ballot"
-Its main feature is how it lists people. It lists them by the position they are running for, not their party. |
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Term
| What does the National Party structure look like today? |
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Definition
(Highest) National Convention |
National Comittee
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Congressional Campaign Comittee
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National Chair |
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Term
| What format does our political party system follow? What makes it so unique? What are some of its defining features? |
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Definition
-It is a Two-Party system.
-It is special because it is rare among nations.
-It is evenly balanced nationally, but not locally.
-Electoral system: Winner-take-all, plurality system. That is what limits the # of parties.
-Opinions of voters: Two broad coalitions work, although there may be some bitterness at times. |
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Term
| What are some types of "minor parties" |
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Definition
-Ideological parties (based on one issue)
-Economic protest parties (self-explanatory)
-Factional parties (influence public policy heavily) |
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