Political Culture and Public Policy Issues Interest Groups, Economy, Foreign Policy, and the Media

Journal #49 1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? 1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? a. The decision makers who represent me at all levels of government are knowledgeable enough to make good decisions on their own. a. The decision makers who represent me at all levels of government are knowledgeable enough to make good decisions on their own. b. Citizens should be allowed to petition their elected officials in any way they choose to make their positions known. b. Citizens should be allowed to petition their elected officials in any way they choose to make their positions known. 2. Lobbyist: Sounds positive or negative? What do you know already? 2. Lobbyist: Sounds positive or negative? What do you know already?

Special Interest Groups Organizations established to carry out specific goals Organizations established to carry out specific goals Types: Types: Economic/business Economic/business Professional Professional Labor Labor Public Interest (PIRG)/Government watchdog Public Interest (PIRG)/Government watchdog Ideological/Single issue (social, religious) Ideological/Single issue (social, religious)

Influential interest groups Business: Business: Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce Labor: Labor: AFL-CIO (union) AFL-CIO (union) Professional: Professional: American Medical Association American Medical Association American Federation of Teachers American Federation of Teachers Single Issue: American Association of Retired People (AARP), NOW, PETA Single Issue: American Association of Retired People (AARP), NOW, PETA

How they influence pubic policy Researching issues and developing public policy proposals (“think tanks”) Researching issues and developing public policy proposals (“think tanks”) Giving political support to elected officials (electioneering) Giving political support to elected officials (electioneering) Coordinating grassroots organizing at the local level (public opinion) Coordinating grassroots organizing at the local level (public opinion) Lobbying politicians to vote a certain way on bills Lobbying politicians to vote a certain way on bills

Lobbyists People who persuade officials to vote on their interest group’s behalf People who persuade officials to vote on their interest group’s behalf Meeting in the “lobbies” of the chambers Meeting in the “lobbies” of the chambers

Rules for lobbyists Registration Registration Must disclose expenses Must disclose expenses Gift ban Gift ban

Pros and Cons of Lobbies Influence of money Influence of money Narrow interests Narrow interests Provide specialized information Provide specialized information Keep Americans informed Keep Americans informed Kept in balance by competing interests (democratic pluralism) Kept in balance by competing interests (democratic pluralism)

“The revolving door” Former politicians who become lobbyists after leaving office Former politicians who become lobbyists after leaving office Why might this be a problem? Why might this be a problem?

Journal #50 What were the results of your opinion poll from yesterday? What were the results of your opinion poll from yesterday? Were the results surprising? Why or why not? Were the results surprising? Why or why not?

Presentations 1. Brief overview of your interest group 1. Brief overview of your interest group Pick 1-3 interesting facts/points to share Pick 1-3 interesting facts/points to share 2. Your lobbying strategies and main goal 2. Your lobbying strategies and main goal How much $ spent How much $ spent Why you chose the tools you did Why you chose the tools you did 3. Audience feedback 3. Audience feedback NOT on the interest group’s topic or cause! NOT on the interest group’s topic or cause! On the lobbying strategies used/slogans/etc. and their effectiveness On the lobbying strategies used/slogans/etc. and their effectiveness

Reflection Paragraph Which tools did you use most often? Did you use more direct lobbying of legislators or more grassroots mobilization? Why? How did you decide which tools to use? Which tools did you use most often? Did you use more direct lobbying of legislators or more grassroots mobilization? Why? How did you decide which tools to use? In your specific case, which tools do you think would be most effective in real life? In your specific case, which tools do you think would be most effective in real life?

Discussion Is lobbying a negative or positive part of the legislative process? Is lobbying a negative or positive part of the legislative process? How effective are lobbyists? How effective are lobbyists? What are the best ways for decision makers to acquire information? What are the best ways for decision makers to acquire information? Are the laws that currently govern lobbying effective? Are the laws that currently govern lobbying effective?

“It’s the economy, stupid” Personal budget Personal budget Government budget Government budget Taxes Taxes Stock Market Stock Market

The Federal Budget OMB (Office of Management and Budget) helps the president create a budget to submit to Congress each year OMB (Office of Management and Budget) helps the president create a budget to submit to Congress each year Balanced budget: Revenue = expenditures Balanced budget: Revenue = expenditures Surplus: Revenue exceeds expenditures Surplus: Revenue exceeds expenditures Deficit: Expenditures exceeds revenue Deficit: Expenditures exceeds revenue Deficits + interest = debt Deficits + interest = debt

How does the government spend its money?

How does the government get its money? Taxes: Taxes: Income Income Sales Sales Property Property Social security Social security Corporate Corporate Excise tax/sin tax Excise tax/sin tax Estate/gift tax (indirect tax) Estate/gift tax (indirect tax) Import tax (tariff) Import tax (tariff)

Tax Brackets Progressive Progressive Income taxes Income taxes Regressive Regressive Sales tax Sales tax

How else does the government get its money? 1. Social Security Trust Fund: Holds total of $2.67 trillion debt which is 19% of the total debt. 1. Social Security Trust Fund: Holds total of $2.67 trillion debt which is 19% of the total debt. 2. The Federal Reserve: Holds total of $1.63 trillion, 11.3% of the total debt. 2. The Federal Reserve: Holds total of $1.63 trillion, 11.3% of the total debt. 3. China: Holds $1.6 trillion, 8% of total debt. 3. China: Holds $1.6 trillion, 8% of total debt. 4. US Households: Holds $959.4 billion of Treasury bonds, which is 6.6% of the total US debt. 4. US Households: Holds $959.4 billion of Treasury bonds, which is 6.6% of the total US debt. 5. Japan: Holds 6.4% of total US debt. 5. Japan: Holds 6.4% of total US debt.

Debt holders

The Stock Market You will be creating your own business You will be creating your own business To start your business, you will need capital ($) To start your business, you will need capital ($) Instead of borrowing, you can sell parts of your company to investors, who make profit (dividends) Instead of borrowing, you can sell parts of your company to investors, who make profit (dividends) Shares (parts) of ownership in a company = stock Shares (parts) of ownership in a company = stock Goal for businesses: Have your share price go up Goal for businesses: Have your share price go up Goal for shareholders: Buy low, sell high! Goal for shareholders: Buy low, sell high!

Mock Stock Market Roles Stockbrokers: Stockbrokers: All start with $40 All start with $40 Goal is to make the most money at the end of the game (cash plus the end value/price of your stocks) Goal is to make the most money at the end of the game (cash plus the end value/price of your stocks) Companies: Companies: All start with 50 shares of stock All start with 50 shares of stock Goal is to sell the most stock Goal is to sell the most stock You will need to have a good business plan, specific details on how the company is run, and good marketing skills You will need to have a good business plan, specific details on how the company is run, and good marketing skills

Mock Stock Market Rules I am the market and I will be handling all of the money and deciding all stock prices! I am the market and I will be handling all of the money and deciding all stock prices! We will have rounds of trading. During rounds you will: We will have rounds of trading. During rounds you will: Buy stocks (if you are a stockbroker) Buy stocks (if you are a stockbroker) Try to convince buyers to buy your stock (if you are a company) Try to convince buyers to buy your stock (if you are a company) At the end of each round, you will: At the end of each round, you will: Sell or hold onto your stocks (stockbrokers) Sell or hold onto your stocks (stockbrokers) Work on making your company better (companies) Work on making your company better (companies) I will change the prices per share of stock for each company based on how well they are performing I will change the prices per share of stock for each company based on how well they are performing Higher = company doing well (more potential profit) Higher = company doing well (more potential profit) Lower = company not doing as well (more potential loss) Lower = company not doing as well (more potential loss)

Modern Media What should be the role/job of the media in a democracy? What should be the role/job of the media in a democracy? Do you think that the media is doing their job? Why or why not? Do you think that the media is doing their job? Why or why not? What are positive aspects of the media today? Negative characteristics? What are positive aspects of the media today? Negative characteristics?

Trends in Media Coverage TV: 24 hr. coverage (CNN), increasingly ideological TV: 24 hr. coverage (CNN), increasingly ideological Talk radio: Mostly conservative Talk radio: Mostly conservative Internet Internet Intense competition Intense competition Dirty laundry Dirty laundry Sensationalism Sensationalism Media conglomerates: Disney/ABC/ESPN; TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting, Viacom (CBS, MTV, VHI) Media conglomerates: Disney/ABC/ESPN; TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting, Viacom (CBS, MTV, VHI)

Media Bias “Liberal” media? “Liberal” media? Fox News vs. MSNBC Fox News vs. MSNBC Examples? Examples?