• President's relationship w/ party organization
  
  • Spoils system and civil service
    Impact of:
    • Pendleton Act of 1883
    • Executive Reorganization Act of 1938
    • Presidential Transitions Act of 1960
    • Campaign finance laws
  • Evolution of relationship in 20th century
    

• Party structure in Congress
  
  • Current party leadership
• Changes in role of party
  
  • Revolt against Speaker
    
    • committee government 1920s-1970s
      
  • 1970s Reforms: Decentralization of power
    
  • 1980s: Strengthening of Speaker
    
• Changes in party composition
  
  • Party unity
  • "Conservative coalition"

• Parties in State Legislatures
  • Structure and role of party leadership positions
  • Similarities and differences with congressional parties
  • Role of legislative caucuses
  • Utah's legislative party leadership
  
  
• Parties as linkage institutions
  
  • Governors and parties
    
  • State Legislatures and parties
    
    • Differences between Republican and Democratic parties
      

1. Describe the structure and function of the party system in Congress. Discuss how and why the role of the party leadership changed over the past few decades.
   
   
2. Describe the relationship that exists between the presidents and their party. Citing historical examples, explain how this relationship changed over the years and why.
   
   
3. Discuss the role of party in organizing the operation of state legislatures.  What are the similarities and differences that one finds between state legislative parties and congressional parties, and what variations do you find across states regarding the role that parties play the state legislature?