TED Articles for Final Exam
Morris Fiorina, The Decline of Collective Responsibility in American Politics - Answer-claims two ways
that strong parties have traditionally clarified politics
1. Allow citizens to assess responsibility easily. They are able to put their trust into their parties views
and policies.
2. Party members will back the president due to their personal incentives.
three areas that Fiorina sees a decline in political-party activity
1. Party organization
new politics different rules to open up presidential nomination process
Party is weaker, candidates they don't need to rely on party as much
1970s two series of reforms
Legal chances
2. Party in the electorate
More independents voting
Population at the time was younger, less ties to a party
Beginning of the media revolution
,3. Party in the government
increasing the degree of split in party
Hard to pin down responsibility with split gov, such as we have now
--- With fewer party organizations occuring , there has been a decrease in the incentives to turn out the
faithful and ensure their loyalty. Due to the factors and attitudes, it can reflect poorly on to the behavior
of voters. And with an increase of fragmentation of the party can make it more difficult on government
officeholders to work together and produce meaningful outcomes.
three consequences of the decline of collective responsibility
- Immobilism- things falling apart
- Single issue- politics rely on interest groups
- popular alienation from government
Nicol Rae, Be Careful What You Wish For: The Rise of Responsible Parties in American NationalPolitics -
Answer-polarization between political parties problematic because...
--- parties have become more attached to themselves and then try to defend their interests rather than
working with the other parties to solve problems. Essentially, the parties become very narrow minded
and it is difficult for them to work together.
argues that polarization has grown in Congress, the Presidency, and the electorate
--- The congressional party realignment has created the perfect environment for stronger party
leadership on Capitol Hill.
Creation of genuine national party identity
When an elected official comes into office, other officials see them not as an individual but as their party
label
, What are the three factors that have revived parties and partisanship in the United States in the past
quarter century?
1. Civil rights revolution, reason for congress polarization
2. The capture of party labels by coalition of single issue and ideological elite interests who see those
labels as instruments to achieve their ends
3. The development of political communications media that encourage rhetorical and political conflict
Klein, Should the United States Encourage Multi-party Politics? - Answer-argues that a third party would
make government partisanship and gridlock worse because
- A third party is a political weapon because it would force the system to confront issues that it might
otherwise ignore
They are, by Washington's standards, extremists (ex: support single-payer health care and tax cuts)
Both main political parties would have incentive to try to destroy the president
Diamond, Should the United States encourage Multi-party Politics? - Answer-What is the current
requirement for candidates to be able to participate in general election debates?
- Must average over 15% in five polls taken in September.
What is the alternative rule that Diamond and others suggest? Why
- He suggests using a method already proposed to the CPD in which the third party candidate (assuming
their party qualified for the ballot in enough states to win 270 electoral votes) who gathered the most
signatures as apart of the "ballot access process" would then be invited to the Presidential debates. Get
rid of gridlock and focus on policies.
Alexis de Tocqueville, Political Association in the United States - Answer-what is a necessary guarantee
against the tyranny of the majority...
- he argues that the Right of association. Associations are formed to work against, exclusively with moral
troubles.
Morris Fiorina, The Decline of Collective Responsibility in American Politics - Answer-claims two ways
that strong parties have traditionally clarified politics
1. Allow citizens to assess responsibility easily. They are able to put their trust into their parties views
and policies.
2. Party members will back the president due to their personal incentives.
three areas that Fiorina sees a decline in political-party activity
1. Party organization
new politics different rules to open up presidential nomination process
Party is weaker, candidates they don't need to rely on party as much
1970s two series of reforms
Legal chances
2. Party in the electorate
More independents voting
Population at the time was younger, less ties to a party
Beginning of the media revolution
,3. Party in the government
increasing the degree of split in party
Hard to pin down responsibility with split gov, such as we have now
--- With fewer party organizations occuring , there has been a decrease in the incentives to turn out the
faithful and ensure their loyalty. Due to the factors and attitudes, it can reflect poorly on to the behavior
of voters. And with an increase of fragmentation of the party can make it more difficult on government
officeholders to work together and produce meaningful outcomes.
three consequences of the decline of collective responsibility
- Immobilism- things falling apart
- Single issue- politics rely on interest groups
- popular alienation from government
Nicol Rae, Be Careful What You Wish For: The Rise of Responsible Parties in American NationalPolitics -
Answer-polarization between political parties problematic because...
--- parties have become more attached to themselves and then try to defend their interests rather than
working with the other parties to solve problems. Essentially, the parties become very narrow minded
and it is difficult for them to work together.
argues that polarization has grown in Congress, the Presidency, and the electorate
--- The congressional party realignment has created the perfect environment for stronger party
leadership on Capitol Hill.
Creation of genuine national party identity
When an elected official comes into office, other officials see them not as an individual but as their party
label
, What are the three factors that have revived parties and partisanship in the United States in the past
quarter century?
1. Civil rights revolution, reason for congress polarization
2. The capture of party labels by coalition of single issue and ideological elite interests who see those
labels as instruments to achieve their ends
3. The development of political communications media that encourage rhetorical and political conflict
Klein, Should the United States Encourage Multi-party Politics? - Answer-argues that a third party would
make government partisanship and gridlock worse because
- A third party is a political weapon because it would force the system to confront issues that it might
otherwise ignore
They are, by Washington's standards, extremists (ex: support single-payer health care and tax cuts)
Both main political parties would have incentive to try to destroy the president
Diamond, Should the United States encourage Multi-party Politics? - Answer-What is the current
requirement for candidates to be able to participate in general election debates?
- Must average over 15% in five polls taken in September.
What is the alternative rule that Diamond and others suggest? Why
- He suggests using a method already proposed to the CPD in which the third party candidate (assuming
their party qualified for the ballot in enough states to win 270 electoral votes) who gathered the most
signatures as apart of the "ballot access process" would then be invited to the Presidential debates. Get
rid of gridlock and focus on policies.
Alexis de Tocqueville, Political Association in the United States - Answer-what is a necessary guarantee
against the tyranny of the majority...
- he argues that the Right of association. Associations are formed to work against, exclusively with moral
troubles.
