2.1 The Pre-Revolutionary Period and the Roots of the American Political Tradition. 2.2 The Articles of Confederation. 2.3 The Development of the Constitution. 2.4 The Ratification of the Constitution. 2.5 Constitutional Change.
The winner-take-all system also applies in the Electoral College. In all but two states (Maine and Nebraska), the total of the state’s electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the plurality of the popular vote in that state.
If no candidate wins a majority in the first round of voting, a run-off election is held among the top contenders. Some states conduct their primary elections within the two major political parties in this way. A second way to increase the number of parties in the U.S. system is to abandon the winner-take-all approach.
This has been the fate of all U.S. third parties—the Populist Party, the Progressives, the Dixiecrats, the Reform Party , and others. In a proportional electoral system, however, parties advertise who is on their candidate list and voters pick a party.
Plurality voting, commonly referred to as first-past-the-post, is based on the principle that the individual candidate with the most votes wins, whether or not he or she gains a majority (51 percent or greater) of the total votes cast.
Winner-take-all systems of electing candidates to office, which exist in several countries other than the United States, require that the winner receive either the majority of votes or a plurality of the votes. U.S. elections are based on plurality voting.
Political parties exist for the purpose of winning elections in order to influence public policy. This requires them to build coalitions across a wide range of voters who share similar preferences. Since most U.S. voters identify as moderates, 24 the historical tendency has been for the two parties to compete for “the middle” while also trying to mobilize their more loyal bases. If voters’ preferences remained stable for long periods of time, and if both parties did a good job of competing for their votes, we could expect Republicans and Democrats to be reasonably competitive in any given election. Election outcomes would probably be based on the way voters compared the parties on the most important events of the day rather than on electoral strategy.
Group therapy sessions are led by one or more psychologists with specialized training, who teach group members proven strategies for managing specific problems. If you're involved in an anger-management group, for instance, your psychologist will describe scientifically tested strategies for controlling anger.
Benefits of group therapy. Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Psychologists say, in fact, that group members are almost always surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be. Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board.
If you're considering psychotherapy, several options are available. One of those options is group therapy . Depending on the nature of your problem, group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing your concerns and making positive changes in your life.
Group therapy involves one or more psychologists who lead a group of roughly five to 15 patients. Typically, groups meet for an hour or two each week. Some people attend individual therapy in addition to groups, while others participate in groups only.
People have different personalities and backgrounds, and they look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.
Participating in both types of psychotherapy can boost your chances of making valuable, lasting changes. If you've been involved in individual psychotherapy and your progress has stalled, joining a group may jump-start your personal growth.
Open groups are those in which new members can join at any time. Closed groups are those in which all members begin the group at the same time. They may all take part in a 12-week session together, for instance. There are pros and cons of each type.