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Political Parties in the USA - Coggle Diagram
Political Parties in the USA
Origins & Founders' Views
Founding Fathers distrusted parties
Saw them as factions
Constitution design
Separation of powers
Staggered elections
Irony
System encouraged parties to form
Organise elections
Select candidates
Coordinate policies
Two-Party System
Electoral system effect
Winner-takes-all districts
Only one candidate per seat wins
Leads to
Broad coalitions BEFORE elections
Exclusion of smaller parties
Dominant parties (since 1856)
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Ideologies
Republicans
Conservative
Limited federal government
Lower taxes
States' rights
Less regulation
Democrats
Active federal government
Social welfare programs
Support for labour unions
Progressive social policies
Civil rights
LGBT equality
Historical & Regional Shifts
Post-Civil War
South = Democratic stronghold
North/West = Republican leaning
New Deal era (1932-1968)
Broad Democratic coalition
Unites Southern conservatives
plus Northern/Midwestern liberals
Late 20th century shift
Southern whites move to Republicans
Party realignment
Today
Democrats
Urban areas
Coastal states
Republicans
Rural areas
South
West
Party Organisation
Federal system influence
National level
State level
Local level
Weak central control
State/local independence
Less unified than Europe
Campaigns
Candidates manage own campaigns
Individual policy positions matter
Third Parties
Existence
Always present
Rarely win elections
Why they fail electorally
Two-party system dominance
Voter loyalty
Influence
Introduce new ideas
Women's suffrage
Direct election of senators
Environmental reforms