Democracy and Political information

On a scrap of paper, answer the following questions. (Put a question mark if you don’t know the answer….) 1. What is a primary election? 2. How long is the term in office for a member of the House of Representatives? 3. Who is John Roberts? 4. Who is Harry Reid? 5. Which political party is more conservative? 6. Name two countries that border Iraq. 7. What countries did the U.S. fight against in World War II?

What’s so great about democracy (letting the people rule)?

Does democracy require an informed citizenry? Why?

Why does democracy require an informed citizenry? Representative government requires capable officials –Information helps voters select capable officials Officials in democracy should be held accountable to the public –Information helps voters critically evaluate rep. performance

What constitutes an informed citizenry? High standard –Actual high levels of knowledge Low standard –Heuristics, shortcuts, elite guidance

What kinds of information are required in order to be informed even under the lower standard? Some Knowledge of:  Rules of the Game  Substance of Politics  People and Parties

What do Americans know about politics? Some, mostly about institutions Not deep or consistent knowledge of people, processes, or policy

Institutions and rules The good news: the United States is a democracy (88%) presidents serve 4 years (93%) the first amendment protects freedom of speech (75%) can name at least one cabinet position (72%) know that popular votes don’t elect the president (69%)

Institutions and Rules The bad news The length of a House term or a Senate term (30%, 25%) The substance of the Roe v. Wade decision (30%) Can name Two 1st amendment rights, or 5th amendment rights (20%, 2%) Can Name two or three branches of government (27%, 19%)

Important people in politics 99% can name the US president 25% can name both of their US Senators 29% can correctly name their representative in the House

Facts related to politics 18% know the percent of the population below the poverty line 31% can describe affirmative action 35% can say where most immigrants are coming from 19% can locate Colombia on a map 39% can locate Massachusetts on a map 15% can say what the New Deal was 20% could name a memorable political slogan

What do PS 125 students know? (Data from previous semesters)

What factors in campaigns make it more difficult for people to be informed?

Factors that make it more difficult for people to be informed? Parties divided over both social and economic issues Parties cater to single-issue groups Negative campaigns Media focuses on the horse race Lots of elections, complicated primaries

What is Lippman’s argument?

What if there is no such thing as an informed public? “Today’s theories assume that either the voters are inherently competent to direct the course of affairs or that they are making progress toward such an ideal. I think it is a false ideal. I do not mean an undesirable ideal. I mean an unattainable ideal, bad only in the sense that it is bad for a fat man to try to be a ballet dancer.”--Lippmann

We must assume that the members of a public will not anticipate a problem much before its crisis has become obvious, nor stay with the problem long after its crisis is past. They will not know the antecedent events, will not have seen the issue as it developed, will not have thought out or willed a program, and will not be able to predict the consequences of acting on that program. We must assume that a public is inexpert in its curiosity, intermittent, that it discerns only gross distinctions, is slow to be aroused and quickly diverted; that since it acts by aligning itself, it personalizes whatever it considers, and is interested only when events have been melodramatized as a conflict. (Lippmann)

Do you agree with Lippmann that we have to assume people don’t know anything?

Does the public’s lack of attention matter?

Public Opinion before the War in Iraq 70% support the war in March % think the war will increase domestic terrorism 55% think the war will be long 62% think the war will hurt economy 44% think there will be many casualties

Why support the war? 68% of Americans believed there was a direct connection between the War in Iraq and Osama bin Laden / War on Terror (Feb. 5, 2003)

Why don’t we know more? The Free Rider Problem: Having an informed citizenry is a collective good, but individuals must bear the costs of self-education. Weak definition of citizenship? –“emphasize negative freedom and protection of the individual against interference from government and society. Duties are relegated to the background because they constitute obligations that restrict freedom”—D-C & K

What should we do?