THE BASICS OF POLITICAL PARTIES: STATIONS ASSIGNMENT

Station #1: The Functions of American Political Parties

Complete the chart by writing your own definition for each of the functions of the political parties listed and indicating at least one specific example of political parties performing that function currently. The group should work together to come up with answers, but each member is responsible for writing down his/her own answers.

Function / Definition / Example
Nominate candidates
Inform the public
Clarify political issues
Operate the government
Provide opposition to the government in office
Provide a sense of unity within the country

Station #2: Free-Response Question

Answer the free-response question below. Discuss the answers before constructing a response. The group should work together to come up with answers, but each member is responsible for writing down his/her own answers. Use the guidelines to make sure you’ve answered how you should!

The question is below:

Over the last several decades, the composition of the Democratic and Republican parties has changed in important ways. A major partisan shift has occurred in the South, but other demographic have also been identified. Changes in party composition are reflected at different rates in presidential elections than Congressional elections.

(a)Identify one specific trend evident in the figure above.

(b)Choose two of the following and use each to explain why southern voters from 1948 to 2000 were electing Democratic candidates to Congress more frequently than choosing Democratic candidates for the presidency.

  • Incumbency advantage
  • Gerrymandering
  • Differences between state and national parties

(c)Several other changes in party composition have emerged in the past few decades. Select three of the following groups and for each explain how parties have changed in composition with respect to that group.

  • Catholics
  • Labor union members
  • Women
  • Social conservatives

Station #3: Divided Government

Read the article. Answer the questions below. The group should work together to come up with answers, but each member is responsible for writing down his/her own answers. Make sure you read the article on the website.

  1. What is divided government?
  1. Why does divided government occur?
  1. How often has divided government occurred since 1969?
  1. How, according to the author, do the presidencies of Nixon, Ford, and Clinton illustrate the weaknesses of divided government?
  1. Why is divided government “even more problematic in an era of increased partisanship”?
  1. How did the passage of Obama’s healthcare reform in 2009-2010 illustrate the weakness of united government?
  1. In contrast, what was the strength of Reagan’s 1986 tax reform and Clinton’s 1996 welfare reform?
  1. How does divided government improve Congressional oversight of the executive branch?

Station #4: Minute Government: Why have political parties weakened?

Watch the video on the tablet together and complete the fill-in-the blanks questions below. Afterwards, discuss the answers with your group members. . The group should work together to come up with answers, but each member is responsible for writing down his/her own answers.

Reason #1: Party Voters

One of the reasons given is that typical party voters contribute to the weakness of the party for the following reasons:

  • He joined just be ______.
  • He doesn’t have any ______or ______.
  • Doesn’t have to do anything in ______.
  • Really doesn’t consider himself a “______” Democrat. In fact, he actually sometimes tells people he’s an ______when asked.
  • He doesn’t like ______by the party. He likes it when the party is sort of in the ______.
  • Sometimes he votes for ______he likes.
  • He actually likes it when his representative “______” the party and votes ______.

Reason #2: Party Candidates

A second reason given for party weakness is the behavior of the candidates in elections, such as the following:

  • He knows only the ______can nominate him and not the ______, so he seeks out voter approval and not party approval.
  • He raises his own ______.
  • He hires ______, rather than ask the party for campaign help.
  • He rarely campaigns by saying, “I’m going to be a good ______.” Instead he says, “I’m going to go to Washington and ______.”
  • He doesn’t campaign on ______so not to alienate possible voters.
  • He doesn’t get in trouble with the ______when he votes in Congress against the wishes of leadership.
  • He knows that the ______is better for communication than party.

Station #5: Is 2008 a Realigning Election?

Read the article entitled, “Is 2008 a Realigning Election? Numbers Offer Some Clues” and answer the questions below after discussing them with your group. . The group should work together to come up with answers, but each member is responsible for writing down his/her own answers.

  1. What is a realigning election?
  1. Why might it appear on the surface that the 2006 Congressional and 2008 Presidential elections are realigning elections in favor of the Democrats?
  1. In what policy area did the Republican Party consistently have an advantage in elections and polling, prior to 2006?
  1. How have demographic changes in the United States changed elections to favor Democrats?
  1. Why does the author say that the win for the Democrats in 2008 might be a result of Obama and McCain rather than the party’s success?
  1. What is the author’s central thesis?
  1. Given that we have seen elections in 2010, 2012, and 2014, how might the author update the article?
  1. Do you agree with the author’s argument here? Why or why not?