1.Morris Fiorina defines responsible parties as being able to entrust a complete leadership of the country and foster a cohesive party. Fiorina finds that parties today are more responsible than they have been in the past, like in the 1970s. However, parties are now again declining in trust and responsibility, due to increasing split votes. Responsible parties also hold all credit or blame for actions that occur while in power. I believe a responsible party is a party that can reach beyond partisanship and compromise with all citizens, leading to a trustworthy and representative leadership.
2.Fiorina thinks that the parties today are unable to govern effectively because of the higher margin for error in today’s society and lack of a unified government. Parties are increasingly divided, and without compromises, losing means losing everything and winning can mean total control. Elected officials also often focus on reelection over current governing, losing focus on creating real change. I believe parties are ineffective today due to this lack of compromise and increasing hostility between party members. Even when two politicians may have similar views, if they are on opposite sides of the aisle they try to isolate themselves from the other. If parties lost some of the psychological attachment to their label and worked together regardless of party identification for a common goal, then our party system could govern more effectively.
3.Masket believes parties do not die because of durability created by our system’s design. The party-in-government system provides coordination, durable coalitions, organizes political intuitions, and induces stability in institutions by having majority/minority parties. He also states that the psychological attachment voters have with their designated party stays with them for a long time and can be passed down. This leads to a near impossible environment for a third party to get elected, so it is hard to legitimatize anything other than Democrats and Republicans. I believe our party system has remained for so long because anyone who has the power to change it simply will not and that voters are loyal to their party more than their ideals.