P SC 1113 1st Edition Lecture 9Parties and IndependentsOutline of Last LectureI. The Upcoming ExamII. Berry’s Four StrategiesIII. The Roadblock of Collective ActionIV. What do Liberals Believe?V. What do Conservatives BelieveVI.IdeologiesOutline of Current LectureI. PartiesCurrent LectureI. PartiesA. How many of us are either a democrat or a republican?1. For those of us that are one or the other, how do you know? Where did this strong feeling come from?B. Party identification1. An attachment to a political party2. Term originated with “Michigan School” (Campbell, Converse, Miller, Stokes)i. Showed that people have attachments to parties and they vote with a party even when candidates and issues changeii. Research done across 1950s: ask people about their party attachment at regular intervalsiii. The most stable of attitudes, they found3. Where does it come from?i. Socializationii. Group Identificationiii. “Running tally” of recent outcomes4. Why does it change?i. The tally might changeii. A single issue might topple itThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.iii. Leaders of the party might cause you to rethink5. What are the effects of it?i. Serves as a screen for information (causing selective exposure? Changing relationships with those around us?)ii. Strong predictor of issue positionsiii. Serves as strong cue in voting (CCMS “funnel of causality” argument)6. Perspective on Partiesi. Public increasingly sees differences between the 2 major partiesii. 50 years ago: public saw difference in social welfare issues but not others7. Independentsi. Number is increasingii. 4 20th century Independent “successes”a. 1912: Theodore Rooseveltb. 1924: Robert Lafollettec. 1968: George Wallaced. 1992: Ross Perotiii. Why did they “succeed”?a. Name recognitionb. Coherent message/movementc. Money to spendiv. Roadblocks to third Party Successa. Public attachment and record of voting for 1 of 2 partiesb. Voters must see third party as a credible alternative (and not just a spoiler)c. Ballot access laws drain time and moneyd. New party is a start-up (needs candidate, organization, media, and tons of money)e. Co-optation of their ideas by existing partiesf. What would the message be (beyond the existing parties’ woes)?v. What do independents believe?a. They’re not homogenous(1)They’re a mix of different perspectivesb. ANES asks some questions every election: Are you a republican, democrat, or independent? If you said democrat or republican, are you a strong or weak democrat/republican? If you said independent, do you think you’re closer to the republican or democratic party?(1)This means they wont declare a party but they’re not true independents. They still vote democrat or republican.(2)7 points: strong democrat, weak democrat, leaning democrat, independent, leaning republican, weak republican, strong republican(3)Most “independents” are leaners(4)Only 11% say they do not lean and are independentvi. Two types of independentsa. Dalton’s apartisans: some are educated and have interest(1)More political knowledge, constantly gathering information, active on issuesb. Dalton’s apoliticals: some aren’t as educated, have little interest(1) Opting out
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