POLI SCI 220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Party System
8 Mar 2018
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Fdr: yes, 2 real parties (liberal, conservatives) Nixon: no, divide on liberal/conservative bad because it could cause violent swings in administrations. This has been avoided because both parties have room for broad spectrum of opinions. Let citizens know who to hold accountable. Parties are more cohesive now than they used to be. Voters are dissatisfied with options, gridlock in congress. Party system superimposed onto a constitutional system of separation of powers which did not forsee parties! Strong traces of new deal alignment but important shifts since 1960s/70s. Persistence of traditional partisan divisions on a range of issues. In a republic, representatives are to govern on behalf of their constituents. Among constituents, trusting that their representatives are representing them is not enough. Problems for republic and how elections solve them. Threat of being voted out spurs productivity. Do things that were not anticipated among the citizenry they represent. If they do this, they look insincere which threatens their position.
