polarisation and party unity

Question 1

evidence for polarisation

Answer 1

1. Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote was 51 yes - 50 Republicans, 1 Democrat - Manchin. 49 no - 48 dems, 1 Republican Lisa Murkowski
2. Coney Barrett - 52 - 48(including Lisa Murkowski)

Question 2

what shared basic values do the parties have in common

Answer 2

1. Adherence to the constitution - Acknowledgement of founding father’s ideals
2. Believe in capitalist free market economy - Businesses create growth without too much government intervention
3. Believe in the American Drea, p The land of opportunity, all Americans can work their way up to prosperity

Question 3

Reasons for polarisation

Answer 3

1. No party leader
2. Gerrymandering - Eric Cantor, Republican leader in Congress, was defeated by a tea party challenger in 2014
3. Partisan media
4. Pressure group influence
5. Parties are big tent parties

Question 4

basic organisational structure of a political party

Answer 4

Federal Structure - National Committee - DNC RNC
State party branches

Question 5

do the parties national committee have control over the party

Answer 5

no

Question 6

how can the DNC and RNC gain control

Answer 6

Elections - primaries and federal level election campaigns

Question 7

reasons for weak party unity - party leader

Answer 7

There is no single party leader. Parties select election candidates – there is no formal ‘leader’
This makes it harder for parties to control representatives, Senators and Representatives are much more independent than UK MPs
Evidence- Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, or Chuck Schumer as party leader?

Question 8

reasons for weak party unity - manifesto

Answer 8

No national binding manifesto
US parties publish a ‘party platform’. However, that is a very broad, vague document, with catchy slogans rather than policy promises.
Unlike in the UK, there is no binding manifesto all candidates have signed up for. Instead, candidates run their own, personal campaigns, with their own, personal views and policy proposals
Evidence
Blue Dog Democrats such as Joe Manchin clearly distanced themselves from Obama.
Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have gone against the Republican party platform by supporting abortion and gay marriage

Question 9

reasons for lack of party unity - selection process

Answer 9

Candidates are selected through primaries
The party leadership (RNC/DNC) has no control over who is selected as candidates for elections. That means they can not select candidates likely to be loyal to a single party
line and elected politicians tend to be more independent, and willing to go against their party.
Evidence - Trump was elected Republican presidential candidates in 2016, very much against the wishes of the party establishment
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won the 2018 primaries for HoR by beating an establishment Democrat

Question 10

reasons for weak party unity - funding

Answer 10

Candidates are individually funded
Most funding goes directly to the candidate, not the party. That gives the candidates more individual freedom.
Evidence - Joe Biden received $1 billion in campaign donations directly + outside groups
supporting him (‘SuperPACs’) another $600 million

Question 11

counter arguments - party leader

Answer 11

President can be dominant
Republican National Party Convention 2020 dominated by Trump family

Question 12

counter arguments - manifesto

Answer 12

Sometimes parties try to use a more binding
coherent programme, such as the conservative
‘Contract with America’ signed by 300 Republican candidates in 1994

Question 13

counter-arguments - selection process

Answer 13

Parties have tried to regain control of the primary process
Democrats introduced ‘super delegates’ in 1984 - used in Clinton V Obama
RNC penalising 5 states that attempted to front-load their primaries

Question 14

counter argument - funding

Answer 14

Parties have a campaign budget too
The DNC had a total campaign budget (for all
elections) in 2020 of $500 million)

Question 15

reasons for increased party unity

Answer 15

polarisation