POL 101: U.S. Government

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POL 101 U.S. Government
Presentation by Dr. Kevin Lasher
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History of US Political Parties

1. 1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists
2. 1828-1860 Democrats vs. Whigs
3. 1860-1896 Democrats Republicans
4. 1896-1932 Republicans gt Democrats
5. 1932-1980 Democrats gt Republicans
6. 1980 now Democrats Republicans (???)

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Political Parties

• Democratic-Republicans vs. Federalists

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Political Parties

• Two parties begin to develop within President
  Washingtons administration
• Both elitist parties, since vote was limited

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Political Parties

• Democratic-Republicans are for strong state
  government, agriculture, rural areas, against
  national bank, pro-France
• Federalists are for strong national government,
  manufacturing, cities, national bank, pro-England

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Political Parties

• Washington is informal Federalist, Adams is only
  true Federalist president
• Federalists began to weaken after elections of
  Jefferson and Madison
• Last Federalist presidential nominee in 1816

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Political Parties

• 1816-1824 is the era of good feelings where the
  Democratic-Republicans are dominant and we seem
  to be moving to one-party or no-party system
• Controversial election of 1824 ends this era

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Political Parties

• Democrats vs. Whigs, 1828-1860

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Political Parties

• Andrew Jacksons election in 1828 sees birth of
  modern Democratic Party
• Oldest political party in world
• Anti-Jacksons coalesce into Whig Party by 1832
• Anti-elitist, democratic (appeal to male voters)

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Political Parties

• Democrats for strong states, rural voters,
  against national bank
• Whigs for strong national government, cities and
  manufacturing, support national bank

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Political Parties

• Two Whig presidents elected (both die)
• Two parties are relatively balanced in Congress
• Two parties begin to splinter over issue of
  slavery in 1850s

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Political Parties

• Democrats Republicans, 1860-1896

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Political Parties

• Much party turmoil during 1850s and 1860s
• Eventually settle into Democrats and Republicans

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Political Parties

• Republicans are Protestants, industrialization,
  merchants/bankers, non-South, temporary
  reconstruction
• Democrats are Protestant and Catholic, solid
  South, agricultural

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Political Parties

• All Republican presidents except Cleveland in
  1884 and 1892
• Two parties relatively balanced in Congress in
  this period

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Political Parties

• Republicans gt Democrats, 1896-1932

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Political Parties

• Republicans are dominant party with all
  Republican presidents (except Wilson 1912-1920)
• Republicans control Congress for most of this
  period

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Political Parties

• Republicans are non-South, businessmen,
  Midwestern farmers, Protestants
• Democrats are Southerners, Protestants and
  Catholics
• 1929 crash and Great Depression ends this period

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Political Parties

• Democrats gt Republicans, 1932-1980 (?)

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Political Parties

• Growth of big government as response to
  economic pain of Great Depression
• New Deal programs to regulate US economy
• Era of solid Democratic majority

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Political Parties

• Democrats have super-coalition of Southerners,
  union workers, urban areas, farmers, Catholics
  and Jews, African-Americans
• Republicans are businessmen, isolationists,
  and anti-immigration

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Political Parties

• Democratic Presidents with exception of
  Eisenhower and Nixon
• Democrats control Congress through most of this
  period

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Political Parties

• Democratic coalition is breaking down in 1960s
  and 1970s
• Clear Democratic majority ends in 1980 with
  election of Ronald Reagan and period of
  retrenchment

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Political Parties

• Democrats Republicans, 1980-today

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Political Parties

• Republicans Reagan, Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43,
  Bush 43
• Democrats Clinton, Clinton, Obama, Obama
• Fairly close presidential elections
• Who will win in 2016?

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Political Parties

• Congress has been relatively balanced during this
  period, especially US Senate
• Recently, hyper-partisanship and political
  gridlock

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Political Parties

• Unlikely that either party will become clear
  majority in near future
• No third party on horizon
• Party de-alignment with still two main choices

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History of US Political Parties

1. 1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists
2. 1828-1860 Democrats vs. Whigs
3. 1860-1896 Democrats Republicans
4. 1896-1932 Republicans gt Democrats
5. 1932-1980 Democrats gt Republicans
6. 1980 now Democrats Republicans (???)

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Realigning Elections

• Realignment when one or two new political
  parties are born or there is a fundamental
  change in the relationship of the existing two
  parties
• 1828
• 1860
• 1896
• 1932

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Realigning Elections

• Political scientists noted that every 32-36
  years there is some kind of realignment in US
  political parties
• 1828
• 1860
• 1896
• 1932

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Realigning Elections

• When will the next realignment occur?

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Realigning Elections

• 1968 No realignment despite much turmoil
  in the country and election of Republican
  Richard Nixon

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Realigning Elections

• 1980 No total realignment despite election of
  Republican Ronald Reagan and election of
  Republican Senate
• Not true realignment, but was the end of
  the Democratic Partys solid majority status

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Realigning Elections

• Will 2016 finally bring a new realignment?
• Highly unlikely

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History of US Political Parties

1. 1790s-1828 Democ-Republicans vs. Federalists
2. 1828-1860 Democrats vs. Whigs
3. 1860-1896 Democrats Republicans
4. 1896-1932 Republicans gt Democrats
5. 1932-1980 Democrats gt Republicans
6. 1980 now Democrats Republicans (???)

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The End