UNIT III- Political Beliefs

Evaluate the following quote “…it is entirely the fault of the man himself if he cannot succeed” How do you think Americans answer this question?

Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society. For example, there is agreement among many ethnic groups about the value of equality. Public Opinion is the distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues

Political Socialization “the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation” Orientation grows firmer with age The Process of Political Socialization Family Mass Media School Political Learning

Sources of Political Culture The American Revolution was fought primarily over Liberty. The Constitution reflected an effort to reconcile personal liberty with the needs of social control. The adversarial spirit of American political culture reflects a preoccupation with rights but a long-standing distrust of authority. Why? Experiences with British Human nature

Support of the Government Since the 1950’s, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of Americans who say they trust the government to do the right thing. WHY?

Why the decline? “Divided Government” “policy gridlock” Frustration with the government process Heightened partisan atmosphere. Confirmation process has been slowed, stopped, or circumvented. “Bowling Alone”

Consequences of the Decline in Support? People are more likely to protest government’s policies There is a significant decline in voting An increased dependence on third-party identifiers who feel alienated from the two major political parties. More non-conventional participation

Political Efficacy in the United States Definition: citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political events Political efficacy has two parts Internal efficacy- Confidence in one’s ability to understand and influence events External efficacy- Belief that system will respond to citizens Not shaped by particular events Declined steadily since the 1960s Americans seem to believe that government is becoming too big to respond to individual preferences Comparison: efficacy is still much higher among Americans than among Europeans

Political Behaviors

Political Participation “all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue” Linkage institutions are the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. Examples: media, interest groups, political parties

Forms of Participation Conventional methods: voting, working on a campaign, contacting elected officials Protest Grass roots campaigns encourage citizens to get out and vote. Civil disobedience: a form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences. Joining an interest group or political party Donate money to a campaign Community Service- young people’s participation in civic activities has reached all-time highs for those 30 and below.

Electoral/Non-electoral Political Participation Among Anglo Whites, African Americans, and Latinos

Table 8.6: Participation Beyond Voting in Fourteen Democracies Insert table 8.6 (formerly 6.6 in 9e)

Voter Turnout Key Questions: What is an average turnout in a Presidential election? In a “mid term” election? Off year? Primary? Closed primary? Key Trend: Federal government taken more control of the voter process since Constitution written through registration requirements and suffrage laws. GOOD RULE OF THUMB: “Voting is a matter of habit. The more frequently a person has voted in the past, the most likely they will in the current election.” What are the implications of this statement?

Voter Participation in Presidential Elections, 1860-2004

Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t People Vote?

Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t People Vote? Voter Registration Single Day, Tuesday Voting Apathy Expansion of suffrage Greater youthfulness of population and presence of growing number of minorities eligible to vote. Political parties are not as effective as once were in mobilizing voters to get to polls Other issues: Citizenship Disfranchisement of certain groups (felons, the mentally incompetent) Residency Need to show identification Generally have to vote in person Closed primaries *Surprisingly, there is no correlation between distrust of political leaders and not voting.*

What causes people to vote? Party Identification (#1 factor in determining who votes) Candidates Policy High political efficacy Those who see policy differences among voters are more likely to vote. When major differences exist, the most likely voters will turn out because they feel like they can steer policies by their choices.

Who is more likely to vote? Age- older voter, more likely to vote, but drops off after getting too old. Education: More education = more likely to vote. Most important factor Religious High income Race – African American, Hispanic, and Asian (most unrepresented groups of American voters) Gender: Female = more likely to vote Marital Status: Married = more likely to vote Union Membership: Union member = more likely to vote Traits are cumulative– possessing several adds up