Evolution of American political parties

Founding of our country:

In 1787 there were no political parties.  Delegates from the 13 independent states gathered to ratify the Constitution.  During that time the "parties" were delegates who generally agreed with one another.  Then we see the rise of the Federalists, who drafted and supported the adoption of the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who were more supportive of the Articles of Confederation and did not advocate for the Constitution as it was written because they believed the Constitution gave the federal government too much power.  But after the ratification, all those who wished to hold public office had to swear to uphold and protect the Constitution, which effectively killed the Anti-Federalists. 

First party system, 1792-1824

Many former Anti-Federalists joined the Anti-Administration Party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in 1790.  The Anti-Administration Party opposed the polices of then Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton.  For example, Hamilton argued for the creation of the Bank of the United States (BUS) and supported the notion that a sustained debt would be beneficial to the economy.  When the French Revolution broke out, Hamilton supported the British, much to Jefferson's vexation . The Anti-Administration Party ended in 1792 and became the Democratic-Republican Party.

Second party system, 1828-1854

The second party system was a period of rising voter interest.  Because of internal fighting within the Democratic-Republican party, they split into the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs in 1829.  The modern Democratic party came from the Jacksonian Democrats led by Andrew Jackson.  Because of the deaths of many of the senior leadership in the Whig party, they collapsed in 1850.  Minor parties included the Anti-Masonic Party, which was an important innovator from 1827 to 1834; the abolitionist Liberty Party in 1840; and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party in 1848 and 1852.

Third party system, 1855-1890

Those who still clung to the ideology of the Whigs created the Jeffersonian Republican Party (A.K.A. the Grand Old Party).  Meanwhile, the Jacksonian Democrats re-branded themselves as the Bourbon Democrats. The term was occasionally used in the 1860s and 1870s to refer to conservative Democrats ,from both North and South, who still held the ideas of Jefferson and Jackson, and in the 1870s to refer to the regimes set up in the South by Redeemers as a conservative reaction against Reconstruction.  The Bourbon Democrats experienced a scandal when President Andrew Johnson was impeached or violating the Tenure Act.  They recovered when President Johnson was acquitted.  They then started a barrage of anti-corruption laws, which helped them win the presidential election in 1884.

Fourth party system,1896-1932
The fourth party system is often called the "Progressive Era'' by American history books, was dominated by the Republican Party (GOP).  It was called the Progressive Era because of the vast amounts of social progress in the nation and the purification of government.  During the Fourth party system, most of the issues and personalities of the Third party system were swept away, though the voting blocs continued virtually unchanged.  Because of the length of time the GOP held office and the Great Depression, people grew tired of their polices, thus paving the way for the Progressives (the Democrats called themselves Progressives to piggyback off the success of the Progressive Era reforms) to assume power.  According to historian William Leuchtenburg:

The Progressives believed in the Hamiltonian concept of positive government, of a national government directing the destinies of the nation at home and abroad. They had little but contempt for the strict construction of the Constitution by conservative judges, who would restrict the power of the national government to act against social evils and to extend the blessings of democracy to less favored lands. The real enemy was particularism, state rights, limited government.

While the major players were still the GOP and Democrats, there were a host of minor parties including the ill-fated "Bull Moose" Progressive Party, the Prohibition Party, the Communist Party USA, and the Socialist Workers Party.

Fifth party system, 1933-Present day
The Fifth party system was ushered in with the formation of the New Deal Coalition, which is a supporter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "New Deal" domestic programs and has been expanded on by Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society program.  His vision led to Medicare, which was established on July 30, 1965.  The Fifth party system has been primarily dominated by the Democratic Party.  The GOP responded with the Reagan Coalition, which gained considerable support.  The Democrats suffered once more when President William "Bill" Clinton was impeached for perjury following the scandal with Paula Jones.  The two parties have traded the Senate back and forth with small majorities since 1980 until the Democrats held a super majority in 2009.  In the midterm election of 2010, the Republicans won a 63 seat majority, the largest seat change since 1948.  History was made on November 4th 2008, when Barrack Obama was elected as the first African American President.  A member of the Democratic Party, President Obama has raised the debt level to an astounding $17,000,000,000,000 of debt.  With more scandals then any other president, it is a wonder that he has not been impeached yet.   

The Fifth party system has had the most minor parties out of all the others.  We have the: 

• America First Party
• Libertarian Party
• Pirate Party 
• Reform Party of the United States of America
• Socialist Action Party
•  Socialist Alternative Party
•  United States Marijuana Party
•  Socialist Party USA,
•  Socialist Workers Party
•  United States Pacifist Party
• Unity Party of America
• Workers World Party
• Peace and Freedom Party
• Party for Socialism and Liberation
• Objectivist Party
• National Socialist Movement
• Modern Whig Party
• Justice Party
• Independent American Party
• Freedom Socialist Party
• Citizens Party of the United States
• Christian Liberty Party
• America's Party
• Americans Elect
• American Freedom Party
• American Conservative Party

While there are many parties, only the Republican, Libertarian, and Democratic Parties have a presence in Congress and the White House.  Recently in Philadelphia,  Robert ''Heshy'' Buckolz, a member of the Modern Whig Party, was elected as a judge of elections.  That is believed to mark the first time since the 19th century that a Whig has held elected office.

Secretary of State, Arizona

"It is very important that our young people understand how government works," the Honorable Ken Bennett, current Secretary of State of Arizona, stated emphatically during our interview.

My mission with this blog is to do precisely that: help us all understand how our government works, beginning with the position of Secretary of State in Arizona.  There are four main responsibilities of the Secretary of State: elections, business services, record keeping, and serving as Lieutenant Governor.

Elections:  The office of the Secretary of State works closely with each county to ensure that proper protocols are being followed.  The counties are the ones that actually conduct the elections.

Business Services:  The Business Services Division assists start up business,  registers partnerships, and issues trademarks and trade names.  Also, all notes from notaries in Arizona pertaining to business are filed at the Secretary of State's office.

Record Keeping:  "Whenever the the state government does something officially," Secretary Bennett said, "that usually gets filed at the Secretary of State's office."

Lieutenant Governor:  Arizona is one of only three states that does not have a Lieutenant Governor position.  The second-in-command position in our state government is the Secretary of State.  The Secretary of State assumes the position of Governor when the Governor is unable to discharge his or her duties or is out of state.