Nickkk 0 #1 July 19, 2006 I cant find an answer to this question: What is the evidence that the importance of political parties may be declining? I need a succint and factual response and need to hand this assignment in before i leave for WFFC. The other 3 questions were no problem, but i cant find any info to answer this. What do you do when someone throws a big planet at you? Throw your pilot chute in defense! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warpedskydiver 0 #2 July 19, 2006 Do your own schoolwork. Geez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SarahC07 0 #3 July 19, 2006 Rip me to shreds. But I have a guess? You may look at the NES (National Election Survey) from 2000. There are all kinds of variables on that thing. Also... here is the guessing part... I think the political parties in the states are becoming more polarized. Parties (or candidates) are faced with controversial issues like abortion and are forced to take a stance. The polarizing of parties makes the group in the middle (those that aren't strictly Republican or Democrat) larger. Perhaps more people are joining this group in the middle; the group that votes based on issues and not on party identification? Does that make any sense at all? It's all just a guess. I say start googling like a mad man! Good Luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lefty 0 #4 July 19, 2006 Well, I don't have any facts...but I will give you my opinion which is even better. Since we live in a single-member district plurality electoral system (or "first past the post" majority), similar ideologies across the spectrum must compromise their beliefs to form into one of two large groups capable of actually winning an election and not dividing the vote. These groups are called Republicans and Democrats in our society. However, both parties are proving themselves to be more or less the same, in that they both believe in big government just in different forms. People who, for instance, do not like the idea of big government may find it distasteful to be classified into one of these two parties ideologically speaking. Since the definition between the two parties are blurred, people will start labeling themselves and others more by their ideology than by their "party" (which has no meaning anymore). Anyway, that's how I would answer that question as a political science major (at Texas A&M though...so minus 10 points for me).Provoking a reaction isn't the same thing as saying something meaningful. -Calvin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #5 July 19, 2006 Quote What is the evidence that the importance of political parties may be declining? It's an unfortunate wording - very leading question. Unfortunate because the evidence is weak. How many members of Congress lie outside the Dem/GOP? And how partisan has voting been for the past 15 years? People may not declare as much, but voting behavior hasn't changed much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #6 July 19, 2006 Quote I cant find an answer to this question: What is the evidence that the importance of political parties may be declining? 1 US representative and 1 US senator totaling .3% of the legislative branch are neither Republican nor Democrat. Obviously, that means the political parties' influence is declining. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #7 July 20, 2006 If you have any room for cynicism you can insert my favorite names for the parties in power. Republicrats and Demoblicans. There's really not that much difference between the two parties. Both are beholden to the real party in power, the corporate lobby. Quote I cant find an answer to this question: What is the evidence that the importance of political parties may be declining? I need a succint and factual response and need to hand this assignment in before i leave for WFFC. The other 3 questions were no problem, but i cant find any info to answer this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
