1. Public Opinion and Political Action
Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Action
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Introduction
Public Opinion
The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues
Demography
The science of population changes
Census
A valuable tool for understanding population changes
Required every 10 years by the Constitution
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The American People
The Immigrant Society
United States is a nation of immigrants.
Three waves of Immigration:
Northwestern Europeans (prior to late 19th Century)
Southern and eastern Europeans (late 19th and early 20th centuries)
Hispanics and Asians (late 20th century)
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The American People
The American Melting Pot
Melting Pot: the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation
Minority Majority: the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority
Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
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The American People
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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 citizenship of employee
Asian immigration has been driven by a new class of professional workers.
Native Americans: indigenous and disadvantaged
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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
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The American People
The Graying of America
Fastest growing age group is over 65
Potential drain on Social Security
Pay as you go system
In 1942, 42 workers per retiree
In 2040, 2 workers per retiree
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9. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
“the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”
Orientation grow firmer with age
The Process of Political Socialization
The Family
Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings
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10. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
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11. 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.
Political Learning Over a Lifetime
Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.
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12. How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
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13. 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
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14. 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
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15. 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
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16. 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.
Trust in government has gone up somewhat since September 11.
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17. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
Citizens Show Little Knowledge of Geography
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18. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
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19. 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
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20. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
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21. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
Ideologues: those who think in ideological terms (12 percent)
Group Benefits voters: view politics through party label (42 percent)
Nature of the Times: view of politics based on whether times are good or bad (24 percent)
No issue content: vote routinely for party or personality (22 percent)
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22. 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
Conventional Participation
Voting in elections
Working in campaigns or running for office
Contacting elected officials
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23. How Americans Participate in Politics
Protest as 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
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24. How Americans Participate in Politics
Class, Inequality, and Participation
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25. 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.
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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.
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