Chapter 11- Political Party
Summary
11.1- Roots of the Two-Party System:
Political parties have been a presence in American politics since the nation's infancy. The Federalists and the Democratic-Republicnas were the first two parties to emerge in the late 1700s. In 1832, the Democratic Party held the first national presidential nomination convention, and the Whig Party formed around opposition to President Andrew Jackson. The Democratic and Whig Parties strengthened for several years until the issue of slavery led to the Whig Party's gradual disolution and replacement by the Repbulican Party. From 1860 to this day, the same two political parties, Democratic and Republican, have dominated elections in the United States.
11.2- The Organization of American Political Parties:
The national party organization sits at the top of the party system. A chairperson leads the national party, and every four years the national committee of each party organizes a national convention to nominate a candidate for the presidency. The state and local parties are the heart of party activism, as virtually all government regulation of political parties falls to the states. The state governing body, generally called the state central or executive committee, supervises the collection of local party organizations.
11.3- Activities of American Political Parties:
For over 200 years, the two-party system has served as the mechanism by which American society organizes and resolves social to society, including running candidates for office, proposing and formulating policy, organizing government, and furthering unity, linkage, and accountability.
11.4- Party Identification:
Most American voters have a personal affinity for a political party, which summarizes their political views and preferences and is expressed by a tendency to vote for the candidates of that party. This party identification begins with political socialization; parents are the single greatest influence on a person's political leanings. However, difference group affiliations, including geographic region, gender, race and ethnicity age, social and economic factors, religion, and marital status, also affect individuals' loyalties to political parties, and these may change over the course of a lifetime.
11.5- Minor Parties in the American Two-Party System:
Minor parties have often significantly affected American politics. Ideas of minor parties that become popular with the electorate are often co-opted by one of the two major parties eager to secure supporters. Minor parties make progress when the two major parties fail to incorporate new ideas or aliented groups of if they do not nominate attractive candidates for office. However, many of the institutional features of American politics, including the winner-take-all system and the Electoral College, encourage the grouping of interests into as few parties as possible.
11.6- Toward Reform: Red States and Blue States:
In recent years, scholars have debated the presence and orgins of growing polarization between the two political parties. Though the cause of these growing divisions can in part be attributed to the 24-hour news cycle, clear, clear differences also exist between the parties' positions both in government and in the most active segments of the electorate. The divide between the two parties can make it difficult to create policy in American political institutions.
11.1- Roots of the Two-Party System:
Political parties have been a presence in American politics since the nation's infancy. The Federalists and the Democratic-Republicnas were the first two parties to emerge in the late 1700s. In 1832, the Democratic Party held the first national presidential nomination convention, and the Whig Party formed around opposition to President Andrew Jackson. The Democratic and Whig Parties strengthened for several years until the issue of slavery led to the Whig Party's gradual disolution and replacement by the Repbulican Party. From 1860 to this day, the same two political parties, Democratic and Republican, have dominated elections in the United States.
11.2- The Organization of American Political Parties:
The national party organization sits at the top of the party system. A chairperson leads the national party, and every four years the national committee of each party organizes a national convention to nominate a candidate for the presidency. The state and local parties are the heart of party activism, as virtually all government regulation of political parties falls to the states. The state governing body, generally called the state central or executive committee, supervises the collection of local party organizations.
11.3- Activities of American Political Parties:
For over 200 years, the two-party system has served as the mechanism by which American society organizes and resolves social to society, including running candidates for office, proposing and formulating policy, organizing government, and furthering unity, linkage, and accountability.
11.4- Party Identification:
Most American voters have a personal affinity for a political party, which summarizes their political views and preferences and is expressed by a tendency to vote for the candidates of that party. This party identification begins with political socialization; parents are the single greatest influence on a person's political leanings. However, difference group affiliations, including geographic region, gender, race and ethnicity age, social and economic factors, religion, and marital status, also affect individuals' loyalties to political parties, and these may change over the course of a lifetime.
11.5- Minor Parties in the American Two-Party System:
Minor parties have often significantly affected American politics. Ideas of minor parties that become popular with the electorate are often co-opted by one of the two major parties eager to secure supporters. Minor parties make progress when the two major parties fail to incorporate new ideas or aliented groups of if they do not nominate attractive candidates for office. However, many of the institutional features of American politics, including the winner-take-all system and the Electoral College, encourage the grouping of interests into as few parties as possible.
11.6- Toward Reform: Red States and Blue States:
In recent years, scholars have debated the presence and orgins of growing polarization between the two political parties. Though the cause of these growing divisions can in part be attributed to the 24-hour news cycle, clear, clear differences also exist between the parties' positions both in government and in the most active segments of the electorate. The divide between the two parties can make it difficult to create policy in American political institutions.
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