This document provides an overview of political parties and interest groups. It defines political parties as coalitions that recruit, nominate, and elect candidates to control government and implement their policies. It also discusses the variation within and between parties. Interest groups are defined as organizations that try to influence policy on issues that their members share a common interest in. The document outlines different types of interest groups and strategies they use like direct and indirect lobbying to influence government. It also lists some examples of types of interest groups organized around attributes like age, race, gender, and issues like the environment, consumer rights, and reproductive rights.

1. POL 240-01
Fall 2015

4. There are many state and local party
organizations across the U.S.

6. “A body of men united,
for promoting by their
joint endeavors the
national interest, upon
some particular
principle in which they
are all agreed”
Edmund Burke

7.  Inter and Intra-PartyVariation
 Political Party vs. Political Ideology
 Conservative Democrats, Liberal Republicans
 Politicians’ Choices
▪ Vote or caucus with another party
▪ Defect party and join another

8.  A broad coalition of individuals who:
 (1) Recruit, nominate, and elect candidates for office
 (2) Under a given label
 (3)To control the government
 (4) In accordance with their ideas and policies.

10. V.O Key, Jr.

12.  Party-in-the-Electorate
 Ordinary citizens; loyalty & identification w/ party
 What is a Likert scale?
Strong
Lib
Weak
Lib
Lean
Lib
Mod
Lean
Cons
Weak
Cons
Strong
Cons

13.  Party Organization
 Party Officials, Committees,Volunteers, Staff
 Party-in-Government
 Officeholders and Candidates
 Local, State, National Levels
 Examples: Governor, State Legislators, Mayors

15.  Intermediary Between Citizens and Govt.
 Bring PublicTogether
 Nominate Candidates for Office
 National, State, and Local Levels
 Contest Elections
 Mobilize Electorate; EncourageVoting

17.  Organize Government
 Provide Accountability
 Importance of Party ID
 Prospective and RetrospectiveVoting
▪ Sincere and StrategicVoting
 Manage Conflict
 Reconciling Group Demands

19.  Regional support for the parties change
 Social groups supporting the parties change
 New groups of citizens are mobilized and
become part of electorate
 Realignments are typically caused by new
issues that divide citizens

22. Hamilton began the
Federalist Party.
Federalists favored a
strong national govt.
Jefferson headed the
Democratic-Republican
Party. These individuals
preferred states’ rights.

24.  Presidential electors now popularly elected
 Property qualifications for voting dropped
 Voter turnout increased dramatically

25. The Whigs formed in opposition to
Jackson’s presidency and policies.

26. Racial issues in the 1850s
divided the North and South.

29. Rise of Political
Machines, including
Tweed’sTammany Hall.
The
Australian
or Secret
Ballot was
adopted to
counteract
party
machines.

31.  Death of Populist Movement
 Beginning of Republican Dominance
From L to R:
Presidents
Warren G.
Harding,
Calvin
Coolidge,
and Herbert
Hoover.

33. FDR’s decisive victory over Hoover led to the “New Deal,”
which included social welfare programs.
The “New Deal Coalition” was instrumental in FDR’s victory.

35.  Changes Regarding Ideology and Party ID
 African-Americans: Republican  Democrat
 White Southerners: Democrat  Republican
 Rise of candidate-centered system
 Rise ofThird-Party Candidates
 Defined by partisanship and gridlock

47.  Interest groups are groups of citizens who:
 (1) Share common interest
 (2)Try to influence policy
 What are some types of interest groups?
 Proactive Interest Groups
 Reactive Interest Groups
 Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Groups

49.  Representation
 Participation
 Education
 Agenda Building
 Provision of Program Alternatives
 Program Monitoring

51.  Common Problem orThreat
 Resource Advantage
 Effective Leadership

53.  Material Benefits
 Tangible rewards that members can actually use
 Solidary Benefits
 Derived from interaction and bonding with others
 Expressive Benefits
 Internal rewards; Being a part of worthy cause

56. AGE RACE AND ETHNICITY

57. GENDER SEXUAL ORIENTATION

59. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSUMER

60. RELIGIOUS SECOND AMENDMENT

61. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS OTHER GROUPS

62. DIRECT LOBBYING
 “Inside Lobbying”
 Interaction with
decision makers in
government
INDIRECT LOBBYING
 “Outside Lobbying”
 Mobilizes general
public to contact govt.
officials on given issue