The Decline of American Political Parties, 1952-1996
The Decline of American Political Parties, 1952-1996

Author: Martin P. Wattenberg

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2009-07-01

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 9780674044968

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The major theme of Chapter 12, new to this edition, is the missed opportunities for the parties in the 1996 elections. The year started with a highly visible confrontation over the budget that could have revitalized the party coalitions if the issues had been carried over to the election. However, the candidate-centered campaign of 1996 ultimately did little to resolve these issues or to reinvigorate partisanship in the electorate. In spite of the opportunities for getting new voters to the polls created by the Motor Voter Act, voter turnout in 1996 was the lowest since 1924. Turning out the vote is one of the most crucial functions of political parties, and their inability to mobalize more than half of the eligible electorate strongly indicates their future decline in importance to voters. Until citizens support the parties more by showing up to cast votes for their candidates, the decline of American political parties must be considered to be an ongoing phenomenon. --From the preface

The Vanishing Voter
The Vanishing Voter

Author: Thomas E. Patterson

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2009-09-09

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0307548678

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From the award-winning author of Out of Order—named the best political science book of the last decade by the American Political Science Association—comes this landmark book about why Americans don’t vote. Based on more than 80,000 interviews, The Vanishing Voter investigates why—despite a better educated citizenry, the end of racial barriers to voting, and simplified voter registration procedures—the percentage of voters has steadily decreased to the point that the United States now has nearly the lowest voting rate in the world. Patterson cites the blurring of differences between the political parties, the news media’s negative bias, and flaws in the election system to explain this disturbing trend while suggesting specific reforms intended to bring Americans back to the polls. Astute, far-reaching, and impeccably researched, The Vanishing Voter engages the very meaning of our relationship to our government.

The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups
The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups

Author: L. Sandy Maisel

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2012-01-12

Total Pages: 718

ISBN-13: 0199604479

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The Oxford Handbooks of American Politics are the essential guide to the study of American political life in the 21st Century. With engaging new contributions from the major figures in the field of political parties and interest groups this Handbook is a key point of reference for anyone working in American Politics today.

American Political Parties
American Political Parties

Author: Jeffrey E Cohen

Publisher: CQ Press

Published: 2001-01-01

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1483300293

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Powerful cross-currents of both decline and resurgence have been affecting American political parties over the past several decades. Is the era of decline that began in the late 1960s over and are the parties in a new era of rebuilding? In what direction are the parties headed and what does it mean for a healthy and well-functioning democracy? American Political Parties brings together a distinguished team of contributors to explore these questions. Students are exposed to original, "state-of-the-art" research on the parties that is written to be accessible and engaging. Presenting both historical and contemporary material on the changing U.S. parties, the book offers a balanced portrait and a wide variety of views concerning the continuing weaknesses of the parties and their concurrent signs of revitalization. Essays examine three important elements of parties—the parties in the mass public, the parties as electoral and political organizations, and the parties as governing groups. Two themes recur throughout—the first deals with party change (specifically realignment and dealignment) and the second with party responsibility in a democratic government. The concluding chapter places the contibutors' various findings and viewpoints in perspective. It offers several theories to help explain why the parties seem to be following their dual paths of development and considers the implications of this state of affairs for the future of American democracy.

The Decline of American Political Parties, 1952-1992
The Decline of American Political Parties, 1952-1992

Author: Martin P. Wattenberg

Publisher:

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13:

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This text on the travails of political parties in the United States has been updated to include an analysis of the 1992 presidential election campaign. This edition emphasizes the Ross Perot phenomenon, maintaining that his success indicates that all is not well in American politics.

The Myth of the Independent Voter
The Myth of the Independent Voter

Author: Bruce E. Keith

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 1992-06-17

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 0520077202

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Debunking conventional wisdom about voting patterns and allaying recent concerns about electoral stability and possible third party movements, the authors uncover faulty practices that have resulted in a skewed sense of the American voting population.

The Apartisan American
The Apartisan American

Author: Russell J. Dalton

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2012-02-22

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 148330468X

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Party identification is often considered the most important concept in modern electoral research—yet Americans′ party ties have eroded. Today, independents comprise the largest portion of voters, outnumbering either Democrats or Republicans. This provocative book sheds new light on the dealignment trend with the emergence of an independent voter Dalton is calling the Apartisan American. Utilizing 60 years of electoral surveys, Dalton′s friendly and concise narrative shows students just who these apartisans are and how they′re introducing new volatility into electoral politics, changing the calculus of electoral decision making, and altering the behavior of political parties. Dalton also shows the same dealignment trend happening in other established democracies. Understanding these apartisans is key to understanding the 2012 election as well as party and electoral politics into the future.

The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History. (Two volume set)
The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History. (Two volume set)

Author: Michael Kazin

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2009-11-09

Total Pages: 1046

ISBN-13: 1400833566

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A comprehensive and authoritative encyclopedia of U.S. political history An essential resource for anyone interested in U.S. history and politics, this two-volume encyclopedia covers the major forces that have shaped American politics from the founding to today. Broad in scope, the book addresses both the traditional topics of political history—such as eras, institutions, political parties, presidents, and founding documents—and the wider subjects of current scholarship, including military, electoral, and economic events, as well as social movements, popular culture, religion, education, race, gender, and more. Each article, specially commissioned for this book, goes beyond basic facts to provide readers with crucial context, expert analysis, and informed perspectives on the evolution of American politics. Written by more than 170 leading historians and social scientists, The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History gives students, scholars, and researchers authoritative introductions to the subject's most important topics and a first step to further research. Features nearly 190 entries, organized alphabetically and written by a distinguished team of scholars, including Dean Baker, Lewis L. Gould, Alexander Keyssar, James T. Kloppenberg, Patricia Nelson Limerick, Lisa McGirr, Mark A. Noll, Jack N. Rakove, Nick Salvatore, Stephen Skowronek, Jeremi Suri, and Julian E. Zelizer Describes key political periods and eras, from the founding to the present day Traces the history of political institutions, parties, and founding documents Explains ideas, philosophies, and movements that shaped American politics Presents the political history and influence of geographic regions Describes the roles of ethnic, racial, and religious groups in the political process Explores the influence of mass culture, from political cartoons to the Internet Examines recurring issues that shape political campaigns and policy, from class, gender, and race to crime, education, taxation, voting, welfare, and much more Includes bibliographies, cross-references, appendixes, a comprehensive index, and more than 50 illustrations and maps

American Presidential Elections
American Presidential Elections

Author: Harvey L. Schantz

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 1996-04-25

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780791428641

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Milton Cummings, Everett Ladd, David Mayhew, Gerald Pomper, and Harvey Schantz analyze presidential elections over the sweep of American history and examine their impact on political parties, public policy, and society.

Why Parties?
Why Parties?

Author: John H. Aldrich

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2012-07-24

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0226012751

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Since its first appearance fifteen years ago, Why Parties? has become essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the nature of American political parties. In the interim, the party system has undergone some radical changes. In this landmark book, now rewritten for the new millennium, John H. Aldrich goes beyond the clamor of arguments over whether American political parties are in resurgence or decline and undertakes a wholesale reexamination of the foundations of the American party system. Surveying critical episodes in the development of American political parties—from their formation in the 1790s to the Civil War—Aldrich shows how they serve to combat three fundamental problems of democracy: how to regulate the number of people seeking public office, how to mobilize voters, and how to achieve and maintain the majorities needed to accomplish goals once in office. Aldrich brings this innovative account up to the present by looking at the profound changes in the character of political parties since World War II, especially in light of ongoing contemporary transformations, including the rise of the Republican Party in the South, and what those changes accomplish, such as the Obama Health Care plan. Finally, Why Parties? A Second Look offers a fuller consideration of party systems in general, especially the two-party system in the United States, and explains why this system is necessary for effective democracy.