1. Why Public Opinion Doesn’t Equal Public Policy
Public opinion—the distribution of individual attitudes toward a particular issue, candidate, or political institution.
Framers did NOT create a government to do what the people wanted on a day-to-day basis…look at the Preamble
It is not always easy to decipher what the public thinks
The more people are active people are, the more weight their opinions carry—most people value politics LOW

2. Origins of Political Attitudes: “Agents of Socialization”
Political socialization: the process through which an individual acquires his/her own political orientations
Family—majority of young people identify with their parents’ political party, but this influence has declined with rise of independents
Religion—Protestants conservative; Jews and Catholics liberal on economic issues, Jews also liberal on social issues—emphasize social justice
Jews/Catholics once poor immigrants, sided with Democrats.
Christian Coalition—mobilizes grassroots Republicans, place importance on personal responsibility
Gender—males more conservative, females will support female candidates…party alliances have switched as party stances switched

3. The Role of Schooling: Why are More Educated People Liberal??
Individual traits may account for liberalism (family, intelligence, temperament)
Students more exposed to politics from more sources (liberal cultural elite)
College teaches liberalism (professors decidedly liberal…demand intellectual and hence, civil liberties)
Effect extends long after college
But wealth sometimes tempers these effects

4. Public Opinion Differences
The devil is in the demographics.
U.S. has long been a melting pot
Social Class: V.O. Key : professionals more conservative on social policy, internationalist views (50s), now less so
Race: Seymour Lipset: Whites opposed to affirmative action, blacks oppose death penalty, races agree on banning abortion on demand, ban on drugs. Asians (esp. Japanese) vote like whites, Hispanics differ
Region: South more accommodating to business, less friendly to fiscal redistribution

5. New Phenomenons: “Gray Tigers”-senior citizens very powerful
Sunbelt increasing in power over “Rustbelt”
Reapportionment accelerates this
Growing influence of Hispanic population

6. Political Ideology
Def’n: A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who ought to rule, what principles rulers should obey, and what policies rulers ought to pursue
People regularly have “inconsistent” opinions (ex: wanting to spend more on both national defense and welfare)
Elites have MASSIVE influence in framing the debate—they may not tell you how to think, but they make you think certain issues are important

7. Changing Meaning of Liberalism
Old (Classical Liberalism or European Liberalism): Favors personal and economic liberty. Would have supported free market and opposed government regulation of trade
New: Favors active national government, social welfare, assisting organized labor in bargaining, civil rights, affirmative action
Changed extensively by FDR: Activist government

8. Changing Meaning of Conservatism
Old: Opposed excesses of French Revolution and its emphasis on personal freedom, wanted to restore power of the State, the Church, and the aristocracy
Now: Favor foreign intervention, less government, free market, states’ rights

9. Analyzing Consistency
Pure Liberals (17%)—liberal economically and socially, want to tax rich heavily, regulate business, fiscally redistribute, cure economic causes of crime, guarantee abortion rights, protect rights of the accused and 1st amendment freedoms
Pure Conservatives (28%)—conservative economically and socially, want to cut back welfare state, allow free market to operate, low taxes, lock up criminals, curb deviant behavior
Libertarians (21%)—conservative economically, liberal socially
Populists (24%)—liberal economically, conservative on social issues

10. Is there a “New Class?”
Def’n: Those who are advantaged by the power, resources, and growth of GOVERNMENT (not business)
2 explanations of well-off liberals: 1) Directly benefit from government 2) Liberal ideology infusing postgraduate education
Traditional MC also split in 2:
Republican MC: 4 years college, suburban, church-affiliated, probusiness, socially conservative. “Silent majority”
Democrat MC: Postgraduate, urban, critical of business, liberal socially

11. Party Membership
Democrats: African-Americans, Jews, union members, educated people, many Catholics (changing)
GOP: White males, Protestants, business community, higher-income groups, suburbanites, some Catholics because of Republican view on abortion (“Knights of Columbus” Catholics)

12. Public Opinion Polling
Rarely a single public opinion; diversity produces many opinions
Polling developed during 1930s (Gallup)
Polls rely on a SAMPLE of the population or UNIVERSE.
people can provide a very good overview of what the universe thinks
Key to accuracy: random sampling
Sampling error will always exist; minimize in several ways (larger sample)
Most polls use sophisticated computer software, random digit dialing
Problems: Nonresponse rate increasing, bad techniques (1936 poll predicts Landon victory)

13. The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Supporters: It’s a tool for democracy that keeps leaders responsive
Critics: Makes politicians too concerned with following rather than leading
Benjamin Ginsberg: polls actually weaken democracy because it takes into account passive voices
Polls may create a bandwagon effect
Exit poll most criticized poll
Bias in questions, wording of questions can skew results

14. Results of Polling
Average American has low level of knowledge. Name current leaders test (VP, Cabinet, CJ SCOTUS)