Parties and elections in America : the electoral process / L. Sandy Maisel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Maisel, Louis Sandy, 1945-2024.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Elections--United States.

Elections.

United States.

Political campaigns--United States.

Political campaigns.

Political parties--United States.

Political parties.

Physical Description:

xv, 583 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

Edition:

Third edition.

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999.

Summary:

Parties and Elections in America is a basic text covering all aspects of the electoral process from historical roots to election year 2000. The new edition is completely revised and up to date, including data from the 1996 presidential election, the 1996 and 1998 congressional and statewide elections, and the early phase of the 2000 presidential election. Examples are drawn from races throughout the nation, tables and figures illustrate important points, and the reference list is one of the most comprehensive and current of such compilations in contemporary studies of American government. Photos and cartoons round out the highly visual presentation.

The book combines the perspective of political science and the latest research with an outlook from the real world of politics. Each chapter opens with a contemporary campaign vignette, concludes with "A Politician's View", and incorporates many examples of practitioner politics in between.

Contents:

1. Elections and Political Parties 1

I. An Examination of Elections in the United States 4

II. The Role of Elections in Democratic Theory 10

A. Modes of Elections 10

1. Direct Elections 10

2. Indirect Elections 11

B. Implications for Representation 11

1. Representatives' Perspectives 11

2. The Public's Perspective and the Role of Parties in Representation 11

III. Definitions of "Political Party" and "Party Systems" 13

IV. Politicians View the Party System 22

2. The Development of American Political Parties 29

I. From Faction to Party 31

II. The First American Parties 33

A. Funding and Assumption 33

B. Continuing New Divisions 34

C. Organizing to Gain Supporters 35

D. The Elections of 1796 and 1800 36

E. Contributions of the First Party System 37

F. The Collapse of the First Party System 38

III. The Second Party System 39

A. The Election of 1824 and Its Aftermath 39

B. Electoral Phases in the Second Party Period 40

C. Innovations of the Second Party Period 41

IV. The Collapse of the Second Party System 42

V. Third Party System: Industrialization over Politics 46

VI. The Critical Election of 1896 and Republican Domination 48

A. The Critical Election of 1896 48

B. The Classification of Presidential Elections 49

C. The Progressive Era: A Systemic Change 51

VII. The New Deal Coalition 52

A. Defining the New Deal Coalition 53

B. Changing Campaign Technology 54

C. The Shape of the Party System at the Century's End 56

VIII. Politicians View Political History 60

3. Party Organization 65

I. The Organizational Framework 66

II. Local and County Organizations 68

III. State Party Organizations 72

A. The Age of Strong State Party Organizations 72

B. The Structure of State Committees 74

C. The Role of the State Party Chair 75

D. The Ascendancy of the State Party Headquarters 77

IV. Party Organization at the National Level 80

A. The Structure of National Party Organizations 80

1. The National Committees 80

2. The "Hill Committees" 83

B. The Enhanced Role of the National Party Organizations 83

V. Politicians View Party Organization 87

4. Political Participation 91

I. Who Votes; Who Doesn't 93

A. Expansion of the Franchise 93

1. Property Requirements 94

2. Black Suffrage 94

3. Women's Suffrage 96

4. Lowering the Voting Age 99

5. Additional Regulations: Residency and Registration 100

B. Decline in Voter Participation 102

1. Voting by Blacks 105

2. Voting by Young Voters 106

3. Voting by Women 107

4. What Distinguishes Voters from Nonvoters? 108

C. Voters and Nonvoters Revisited 113

II. Participation in Politics in America 115

III. Politicians View Political Participants 119

5. Theories of Voting Behavior 125

I. Voters in Presidential Elections 126

A. Models of Voting Behavior: The American Voter 126

B. Critics of The American Voter Model 129

1. Criticism by V. O. Key Jr. and His Followers 130

2. Criticism from Successors in the Michigan School 134

C. Presidential Voting Reviewed 139

II. Voters in Congressional and Senatorial Elections 140

III. Voting Behavior Theory Revisited 146

IV. Politicians View Political Behavior Theory 150

6. Organized Groups in the Political Process 157

I. Organized Groups in American Politics 160

A. Political and Nonpolitical Associations 160

B. Politically Active Groups 162

1. Economic or Noneconomic Interests 162

2. Multipurpose or Single-Purpose Groups 164

3. Federal or National Groups 165

II. Electoral Activities of Organized Groups 166

A. Working within the Party 167

B. Group Ratings 169

C. Political Action Committees 172

III. Interest Groups' Influence on Their Members 178

IV. Politicians View Interest Groups 181

7. State and Local Nominations 187

I. Political Context and Politicians' Decisions to Run 189

II. Common Views of the Nominating Process 191

III. Development of the Direct Primary System 192

A. Primaries as a Response to One-Party Domination 193

B. Primaries as an Item on the Progressive Agenda 193

IV. Varieties of Primaries 194

A. Who May Run 195

1. Party Membership and Petition Requirements 195

2. The Role of Parties 196

3. Louisiana: An Exception 198

4. Cross-Filing: Another Exception to Party Allegiance 198

B. Who May Vote 199

1. Closed, Open, and Blanket Primaries 199

2. Theoretical Arguments Regarding Primary Voter Eligibility 201

3. Pragmatic Considerations Regarding Primary Voter Eligibility 202

4. Strategic Consequences of Different Primary Rules 202

5. Crossover Voting 203

C. Who Wins 204

1. Plurality Rule 204

2. Variations from Plurality Rule: Runoff Primaries 205

V. The Politics of Nominations 210

A. Uncontested Nominations 210

B. Contested Nominations 211

1. Incumbent Advantage 211

2. Contests without Incumbents 212

VI. Politicians View the Nominating Process 214

8. State and Local Elections 219

I. The Conventional Wisdom: Old versus New Politics 221

II. The New Politics: Campaigning in a Media Age 222

A. The Role of Political Parties 224

B. The Role of Organized Groups 227

C. Media Politics 228

D. The Candidate's Organization 231

E. The Structure of a Modern Campaign 233

1. Public Opinion Polling 234

2. Media Consultants 235

3. Fund-Raisers 236

4. Scheduling and Advance Work 237

5. Press Relations 238

6. Liaison to Party Organization and Organized Groups 239

7. Field Organizations 240

III. Old-Style Politics: A More Prominent Role for Parties 241

A. Reexamination of the Role of Political Parties 243

B. Local Campaigns in the Absence of Party 244

IV. Do Campaigns Determine Who Win Elections? 244

A. Lack of Competition in American Elections 245

B. Incumbent Advantage in U.S. House and State Legislative Races 245

C. Competition in U.S.

Senate and Gubernatorial Races 247

D. Credible Competition in American Elections 248

V. Third Parties in State and Local Elections 252

VI. Politicians View the General Election 256

9. Presidential Nominations 265

I. The Post-1968 Reforms 266

A. The McGovern-Fraser Commission 267

B. The 1972 Nomination 269

C. Continuing Reform of the Process 271

1. The Mikulski Commission 271

2. The 1976 Nomination: Strategies under the New Rules 271

3. The Winograd Commission 272

4. The 1980 Nomination and the Hunt Commission 274

5. The Fairness Commission and the 1988 Nominating Process 276

D. The Reform Movement: An Assessment 278

II. Nominations under the Current System: 1992 and 1996 280

A. The 1992 Nominations 280

B. The 1996 Nominations 282

C. Toward 2000 284

III. Strategic Considerations in the Contests for Nominations 285

A. The Political Calendar 286

1. Front-loading the System 286

2. Super Tuesday 287

3. Filing Deadlines 288

4. Strategic Implications of the Political Calendar 288

B. The Rules of the Game 289

1. Proportional Representation versus Winner-Take-All Systems 289

2. Superdelegates versus Influential Party Leaders 291

C. Strategic Use of Campaign Resources 292

1. Office 292

2. Money 292

3. The Media 299

D. Evaluating Nominating Campaigns 305

IV. The Conventions 306

A. Credentials Challenges 307

B. Rules Disputes 308

C. Party Platforms 310

D. Vice Presidential Nominations 312

E. An Evaluation of the Conventions 314

V. Politicians View the Nominating Process 315

10. Presidential Elections 319

I. From the Convention to the General Election 320

II. Organizing for the General Election 322

A. Structuring the Campaign Organization 322

1. The Campaign Headquarters 322

2. The National Committee 323

3. The Mobile Headquarters 326

4. Division and Integration of Authority and Responsibility 326

B. Functions of a Presidential Campaign Organization 328

1. Grassroots Politics 328

2. Staffing the Candidate's Plane 330

3. Staffing the Campaign Headquarters 331

C. Directing the Campaign Organization 336

1. The Inner Core 336

2. Expanding the Core 339

3. Co-opting the Losers 340

D. Setting a Campaign Strategy 341

III. Strategies for the General Election 342

A. Geographic Determinations 342

B. Coalition Strategies 345

C. Issue Strategies 347

1. Campaign Themes 347

2. Character as a Campaign Issue 349

3. The Issues Raised during a Campaign 351

D. The Strategic Use of Incumbency 352

IV. Tactics for the General Election 355

A. Tactical Considerations of Where to Go 355

B. Tactical Considerations of Media Use 356

C. Tactical Considerations of Which Issues to Discuss 357

D. The Tactics of Presidential Debates 358

V. Third-Party Candidates in Presidential Elections 360

VI. Politicians View the Campaigns 366

11. Campaign Finance 371

I. The Climate for Reform 375

II. Campaign Finance Reforms of the 1970s 376

A. Historical Background 376

B. Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 377

C. The 1974 Amendments to the FECA 378

D. Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976) 378

E. The 1976 FECA Amendments 379

F. Current Status of Key Issues 380

III. The Costs of Democracy 381

A. Federal Elections 381

B. State and Local Elections 384

IV. Sources of Campaign Funds 386

A. Sources of Campaign Contributions 386

B. Individual Contributions 392

C. Political Action Committees 396

1. The Influence of PACs on Electoral Outcomes 398

2. The Influence of PACs on Legislative Outcomes 400

3. The Ideological Imbalance of Present and Future PACs 401

4. The Lack of Accountability for PAC Decision Making 402

5. PAC Influence: A Summary 404

D. Political Parties 405

E. Soft Money: The Newest Loophole to Be Closed 406

F. The Debate over Public Financing 407

V. Politicians View Campaign Financing 410

12. The Media and the Electoral Process 417

I. The Media in the Contemporary Context 418

II. Free Media: Journalists' Presentations of Candidates and Campaigns 420

A. The Varieties of Free Media 420

B. The Role of the Free Media 423

1. Informed Consent of the Governed 423

2. Window on the Candidates 424

3. Referee between Candidates 425

C. The Actual Role That the Media Play 425

1. The Great Mentioner 426

2. Image Creator 426

3. Expectation Setter 427

4. Issue Identifier 428

5. Field Narrower 428

6. Campaign Critic 429

7. Documentor of Elections 430

D. An Assessment of the Role of Free Media 431

1. Why Do the Media Play the Roles They Do? 431

2. How Should We Evaluate That Role? 432

III. Paid Media: The Candidate Provides the Message 433

A. Types of Paid Media 433

B. Controversies Caused by the Use of Paid Media 435

1. Negative Advertising 435

2. Issue Advocacy Advertisements 437

C. Impact of Paid Media on Election Campaigns 439

1. Intended Consequences of Paid Media Campaigns 439

2. Unintended Consequences of Paid Media Campaigns 440

IV. Politicians View the Media 440

13. The Party in Government 445

I. The Concept of Party in Government 447

II. Party as the Organizing Element of the U.S. Congress 450

A. Organization of the House of Representatives 451

1. Republican Organization under Gingrich 451

2. The Democrats in the Minority 459

B. Party Leadership in the Senate 464

1. The Senate Republicans 465

2. The Senate Democrats 466

3. The Muted Role of Party Leaders 469

III. The Impact of Party on Congressional Behavior 470

IV. The President as a Leader of Party in Government 474

A. The President as Leader of His Party in Congress 474

1. The Presidential Role in Setting the Parties' Agendas 474

2. Presidential Means of Working with Congress 476

3. The President as Party Leader in Congress: A Summary 477

B. The Role of Party in the President's Administration 478

V. Politicians View the Party in Government 479

14. Conclusions: The Role of Political Parties at the Dawn of the Twenty-first Century 483

I. The Role of Elections 484

A. The Context of Federalism 484

1. Presidential Elections 485

2. Congressional Elections 486

3. State and Local Elections 488

4. Nonpartisan Politics 488

B. Voters and Elections 489

1. Television as a Source of Political Information 490

2. Television as a Source for Information about State and Local Issues 491

C. An Evaluation of the Electoral Process as a Means of Choosing Those Who Govern 492

II. The Role of Political Parties 493

A. The Parties in the Modern Election 493

B. Parties' Appeal to the Electorate 495

C. The Tone of Twenty-first Century Politics 497.

Notes:

Previously published: New York : McGraw-Hill, c1993.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0847685497

OCLC:

41137742