Public Opinion and Political Action Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy Edwards/Wattenberg 16th edition Chapter 6 Public Opinion and Political Action

Introduction Public Opinion Demography Census The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues Studying public opinion is NOT an easy task in America because there is very little that most Americans agree about Demography The science of population changes Census A valuable tool for understanding population changes Required every 10 years by the Constitution Most recent was in 2010 Many people don’t respond to the census Beyond representation, why is the census important?

The American People The Immigrant Society United States is a nation of immigrants. There are about 1 million new legal immigrants each year, and possibly 500,000 a year who come into the country illegally Three waves of Immigration: Northwestern Europeans (prior to late 19th Century) Southern and eastern Europeans (late 19th and early 20th centuries), they entered through Ellis Island Hispanics and Asians (late 20th century)

The American People The American Melting Pot Melting Pot: the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation Is this a valid view of America today? Minority Majority: the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority When will it happen? What are the causes?

The American People Figure 6.1

The American People The American Melting Pot (continued) African Americans face a legacy of racism. Hispanics are the largest minority group; faced with the problem of illegal immigration. Simpson-Mazzoli Act: requires employers document immigration status of employees to see if they’re eligible to work in the US Asian immigration has been driven by a new class of professional workers. Native Americans: indigenous and disadvantaged Melting Pot Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.

The American People The Regional Shift Population shift from east to west Reapportionment: the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census Remember, the overall number in the House stays at 435, but the number of reps per state can change with population shifts Reapportionment after the 2010 Census Figure 6.2

The American People The Graying of America Fastest growing age group is over 65. Why is that true? Problem: Potential drain on Social Security Pay as you go system In 1942, 42 workers per retiree In 2040, 2 workers per retiree

How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization “the process through which an individual acquires [their] particular political orientation” Orientation and participation grow firmer with age The Process of Political Socialization The Family Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings

How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization The Process of Political Socialization (continued) The Mass Media Chief source of information as children age Generation gap is viewing television news School Used by government to socialize young into political culture Better-educated citizens are more likely to vote and are more knowledgeable about politics and policy.

How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information How Polls Are Conducted Sample: a small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey to be representative of the whole Random Sampling: the key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample Sampling Error: the level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll Random-digit dialing: method used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey

Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information The Role of Polls in American Democracy Polls help politicians detect public preferences. But critics say polls make politicians think more about following than leading public Even though politicians do not track opinion to make policy Polls may distort election process

Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information The Role of Polls in American Democracy (continued) Exit Polls: used by the media to predict election day winners May discourage people from voting 2000 presidential election in Florida Question wording may affect survey results

Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information Americans don’t know much about politics. Americans may know their basic beliefs but not how that affects policies of the government. The Decline of Trust in Government Since 1964, trust in government has declined. What events caused that drop? Has trust in government spiked in recent years? Why? Has it remained high?

FIGURE 6.4 The Decline of trust in government, 1958–2012

What Americans Value: Political Ideologies Political Ideology: A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? Predominance of conservative over liberal thinking Currently about 38% conservative, 24% liberal, 38% moderate Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men Ideological variation by religion too. What effect does religion have on ideology?

Liberal vs. Conservative

How Americans Participate in Politics Political Participation: all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue What is the most common form of participation? Conventional Participation Voting in elections Working in campaigns or running for office Contacting elected officials

How Americans Participate in Politics Unconventional Participation Protest: a form of political participation designed to achieve policy changes through dramatic and unconventional tactics 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 Henry David Thoreau Mohandas Gandhi Martin Luther King, Jr.

How Americans Participate in Politics Class, Inequality, andParticipation Figure 6.5

Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government Many people have no opinion about scope of government. Public opinion is inconsistent, which may lead to policy gridlock. Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action Americans select leaders, but do they do so wisely? If people know little about candidates’ issues, how can they? People vote more for performance than policy.

Summary American society is ethnically diverse and changing. Knowing public opinion is important to a democracy, just as polling has costs and benefits. Americans know little about politics. Political participation is generally low.