The United Sates first political parties developed in the 1790s (senate.gov) while political factions appeared right after the federal government was established (senate.gov). Examples of political factions are "pro-administration" supporters and "anti-administration" supporters. The "pro-administration" supporters would later evolve into the Jeffersonian-Republican party, which is not to be confused with the modern Republican party(senate.gov).
Since the 1790s the parties have change, evolved and emerged into new ideologies and views from their origins. People find new values that match their morals and beliefs and choose a party that most likely represents them. If a party does not represent all their beliefs and enough people feel the same way, an alteration of the party may emerge that will and sometimes these parties are very similar and other times they are very different. Take the examples above about the Jeffersonian-Republican party and the GOP today. They are not the same parties and were established in different centuries (senate.gov). Values and beliefs of a party may stray from the original party's, just the same as opposing parties polarize more and more each elections.
Since the recent presidential election in 2016, the polarization of political parties has become more noticeable across the nation. People are sticking to their beliefs further and further and also clinging to a 'hatred' for the opposing views. While the public shows polarization, the politicians of each party show it in every speech, campaign, pop up, and rally. As the most current presidential election of 2020 approaches, the division of parties in congress is a question of growing concern. Political parties cause quite the uproar over certain topics and sometimes it feels like nothing gets done while congressmen argue and debate redundantly.
So, why do members of congress even want to belong to and support the political parties? Fundraising, campaign resources, collective action problems, and the brand are all possible reasons members may want to support or belong to a party (Hitt Lecture Oct. 7 2019). All of these help members in their attempt to achieve their overall goal: reelection. If they're reelected they help create or keep their party the majority in the house. If a party holds the majority in the house, they hold all the leadership positions, such as the Speaker of the House (us history.org). Even when the majority holds leadership positions, debates and votes of the entire congress are needed in order to pass bills and work towards and agenda. All positions in the Congress have a role and politics help keep that role going. Parties actually exist to solve collective actions problems (Hitt lecture Oct. 7 2019).
A collective action problem is "any failure of a group of individuals to achieve an outcome everyone one likes at least as well as the outcome that results from everyone acting in her own self-interest," (spot.colorado.edu). A general example is the example of a public good that is non-rivalrous and also non-excludable. Another example, is the example of women wearing high heels. Although they're expensive, uncomfortable, and not for athletic activities, high heels make women's legs look longer and the outfit more professionally attractive (Khanacademy.org). However, if every single women wore high heels, the high heels lose their value to women and so, wearing high heels only benefits the few.
How does this collective action problem relate to current news? It relates specifically to the impeachment inquiry of President Trump by Nancy Pelosi. The democrats hold the majority of the house, with 197 republicans, 235 democrats, one independent and two vacant seats (pressgallery.house.gov). One one hand, impeaching the president of the opposing party would benefit the party inquiring the impeachment. The next in line would be held to hire standards and pushed to stay in line. On the other hand, impeaching the president might impact the party's success in the next presidential election. This is a collective action problem in which the group is failing to find the best solution to their inquiry: drop it or go through with it. Below is an image of approval of the impeachment by members of congress.
(figure 1)
Works Cited:
Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter. (2019). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.ushistory.org/gov/6b.asp.
McGuire, V. (n.d.). The Collective Action problem. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://spot.colorado.edu/~mcguire/collact.html.
Party Division. (2019, January 3). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm.
Samuelsohn, D., Cheny, K., & Jin, B. (2019, October 2). Who supports impeachment? Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/house-reps-who-would-vote-for-trump-impeachment-our-latest-list/. (figure 1)
Since the 1790s the parties have change, evolved and emerged into new ideologies and views from their origins. People find new values that match their morals and beliefs and choose a party that most likely represents them. If a party does not represent all their beliefs and enough people feel the same way, an alteration of the party may emerge that will and sometimes these parties are very similar and other times they are very different. Take the examples above about the Jeffersonian-Republican party and the GOP today. They are not the same parties and were established in different centuries (senate.gov). Values and beliefs of a party may stray from the original party's, just the same as opposing parties polarize more and more each elections.
Since the recent presidential election in 2016, the polarization of political parties has become more noticeable across the nation. People are sticking to their beliefs further and further and also clinging to a 'hatred' for the opposing views. While the public shows polarization, the politicians of each party show it in every speech, campaign, pop up, and rally. As the most current presidential election of 2020 approaches, the division of parties in congress is a question of growing concern. Political parties cause quite the uproar over certain topics and sometimes it feels like nothing gets done while congressmen argue and debate redundantly.
So, why do members of congress even want to belong to and support the political parties? Fundraising, campaign resources, collective action problems, and the brand are all possible reasons members may want to support or belong to a party (Hitt Lecture Oct. 7 2019). All of these help members in their attempt to achieve their overall goal: reelection. If they're reelected they help create or keep their party the majority in the house. If a party holds the majority in the house, they hold all the leadership positions, such as the Speaker of the House (us history.org). Even when the majority holds leadership positions, debates and votes of the entire congress are needed in order to pass bills and work towards and agenda. All positions in the Congress have a role and politics help keep that role going. Parties actually exist to solve collective actions problems (Hitt lecture Oct. 7 2019).
A collective action problem is "any failure of a group of individuals to achieve an outcome everyone one likes at least as well as the outcome that results from everyone acting in her own self-interest," (spot.colorado.edu). A general example is the example of a public good that is non-rivalrous and also non-excludable. Another example, is the example of women wearing high heels. Although they're expensive, uncomfortable, and not for athletic activities, high heels make women's legs look longer and the outfit more professionally attractive (Khanacademy.org). However, if every single women wore high heels, the high heels lose their value to women and so, wearing high heels only benefits the few.
How does this collective action problem relate to current news? It relates specifically to the impeachment inquiry of President Trump by Nancy Pelosi. The democrats hold the majority of the house, with 197 republicans, 235 democrats, one independent and two vacant seats (pressgallery.house.gov). One one hand, impeaching the president of the opposing party would benefit the party inquiring the impeachment. The next in line would be held to hire standards and pushed to stay in line. On the other hand, impeaching the president might impact the party's success in the next presidential election. This is a collective action problem in which the group is failing to find the best solution to their inquiry: drop it or go through with it. Below is an image of approval of the impeachment by members of congress.
(figure 1)
Works Cited:
Anomaly, J. (n.d.). Political: Collective Action Problems. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/wi-phi/wiphi-value-theory/wiphi-political/v/collective-action-problems.
Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter. (2019). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.ushistory.org/gov/6b.asp.
McGuire, V. (n.d.). The Collective Action problem. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://spot.colorado.edu/~mcguire/collact.html.
Anomaly, J. (n.d.). Political: Collective Action Problems. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/wi-phi/wiphi-value-theory/wiphi-political/v/collective-action-problems.Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter. (2019). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.ushistory.org/gov/6b.asp.
McGuire, V. (n.d.). The Collective Action problem. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://spot.colorado.edu/~mcguire/collact.html.
Party Division. (2019, January 3). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm.
Samuelsohn, D., Cheny, K., & Jin, B. (2019, October 2). Who supports impeachment? Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/house-reps-who-would-vote-for-trump-impeachment-our-latest-list/. (figure 1)
Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter. (2019). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.ushistory.org/gov/6b.asp.
McGuire, V. (n.d.). The Collective Action problem. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://spot.colorado.edu/~mcguire/collact.html.
Party Division. (2019, January 3). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm.
Anomaly, J. (n.d.). Political: Collective Action Problems. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/wi-phi/wiphi-value-theory/wiphi-political/v/collective-action-problems.
Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter. (2019). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.ushistory.org/gov/6b.asp.
McGuire, V. (n.d.). The Collective Action problem. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://spot.colorado.edu/~mcguire/collact.html.
Party Division. (2019, January 3). Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm.
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