Party in Government II

Governing Team Day - a little-remembered foreshadowing of what was to come

Reflect on the Rosenfeld book:  Newt on Governing Team Day, Congressional Record, September 8, 1980, 24683

A wide range of political scientists including James McGregor Burns, Frederick Sonntag, Manning Dauer, Jack Saloma and others, have urged steps to strengthen the party system. There is a growing consensus that a weak party system leads to irresponsibility, to single issue politics and to domination by special interests. Furthermore, there is a growing belief that personality politics focused on individual candidates heightens irresponsibility and the lack of accountability

Rep. Dan Lungren (next page):

Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman has pointed out to us the significance that we hope to establish with respect to our activities on September 15. Whatever the failings that the parliamentary systems of European democracies may have, they are superior to our more loosely knit representative system in one respect: That respect the gentleman has referred to as accountability.

When a British worker goes to cast his vote for his representatives in the House of Commons, there is little doubt in his mind as to which party to hold accountable for the current state of affairs in his country. But here in our country, where legislators are responsible for myriad constituent services; where regional, State, and ethnic identities are strong; where members of the legislative branch are not structurally tied to the Chief Executive of their own party, the accountability for the current state of affairs tends to be blurred in the minds of the citizenry.

Lee's take on strategic postures (p. 61):

                                                Majority                                      Minority

            Pres Party                    Legislating                                 Supporting president, sustaining

                                                                                                    vetoes                                                

           

            Out Party                    Legislating & Messaging            Mostly messaging (p. 106)

                                                                                                                             

                                               "Create veto moments" p. 65

                                                           Forcing votes p. 86

The strategy of confrontation (start video at 2:00, 6:50, and 17:00)

Leadership elections -- Gingrich wins for whip in 1989

Gingrich also leads GOPAC:  which provides training materials and a platform for Newt

But to gain the Hill, they had to lose the White House.  Over time, the president's party tends to lose seats



The Contract with America -- limited public knowledge

The Big Shift:

• House
• Senate
• Southern goverrnorships

Clinton and Triangulation