July 13 2010

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

9:10 AM

Political parties continued

Niche party - issue-based (limited)
○ Single issue political party
○ Ceases to exist after issues are addressed
Catch-all party - multiple issues (Democrat, republican)
○ Abortion
○ Immigration
○ Marijuana
○ Healthcare
○ Capital punishment
○ Gay rights
○ Affirmative action
○ Social welfare
○ Problems
 Addressing too many issues cant really focus on issues
 Many similar issues, sometimes hard to discern republican from democrats
□ George Wallace, "not a dime's difference between republican and democrat
○ Sometimes will adopt(co-opt) the niche parties platform and the niche party will cease to
exist

Why are 3rd parties important?

a. Issue raising function
i. Bring issues to attention of larger parties
b. Increasing voter interest
c. Alternative voice
d. Check
i. Keep republican and democratic party involved and aware

Why only 2 parties?

• Only 2 major parties because of the single member election (institutional explanation, plurality
system)
1. Duverger's law
• 3rd parties platforms get adopted as they get more important and known, causing the 3rd party
to disintegrate
• Sincere v. strategic voting "wasted vote"
• Historical, we are creatures of habit, keep perpetuating

Government AP course Page 1

• Historical, we are creatures of habit, keep perpetuating

4 important 3rd parties in history of US

1. Bull Moose
i. 27.4% of popular vote in 1912
2. La Follet Progressive
i. 16.6% in 1924
3. American independent
i. 13.5% in 1968
4. United we Stand
i. 18.9% in 1992

Interest Groups
1. Do not seek power through elected office, rather they seek to influence individuals who
are put into the seat of power, while POLITICAL parties seek to put people into elected
office
2. Interest groups represent a few ideas, not a large platform
3. Interest groups are ideologically rigid(Set position), while political parties are flexible in
their ideological position
4. Mostly non-partisan

Definition:
Organized association that promotes its interests by attempting to influence gov't,
rather than nominating candidates and seeking responsibility for the management
of gov't
Interest Groups form because…….
Attentive public (critical mass, threshold)===> interest group

Interest groups form in response to an event or issue. Response to other interest groups.

Disturbance Theory (read PDF)

1. Respond to some stimuli, interest groups form

Entrepreneurship

How interest groups influence

1. Express concerns to those in power
2. Give money to help with an election campaign and time
3. Interests can influence law by threat, block voting
4. Speed up passage of legislation by helping legislators write the law, most legislation is

Government AP course Page 2

 3. Interests can influence law by threat, block voting
4. Speed up passage of legislation by helping legislators write the law, most legislation is
written and sent to members of congress

Lobbying
1. Distributive
a. Giving money to influence policy
b. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2000880,00.html
c. Golden Parachute/Revolving door
1) Utilize knowledge of non office holding politicians and networking them
2) From political life to corporate life

2. Informational
a.
What they do
1. Endorse candidates
2. Rate candidates by what they have done
3. Give money to candidates
4. Mobilize voters

Get Out The Vote (GOTV)

Government AP course Page 3