1. Public Opinion and Political Action
Chapter 6

2. Bell Ringer 1/6/15
What is the first thing you would change if you were President of the United States?

3. Political culture and student opinion: a survey1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

4. Bell Ringer 1/12/15
Everyone is exposed to certain opinions and ideas about the government. Where do you think YOU learned your political values from? Who shaped you to believe the things about government and social policies that you do today?

5. Bell Ringer 1/14/15
Do you think that political socialization in schools is effective? Why or why not?
Is there a better way than using the symbols we do?

6. Bell ringer 1/20/15
Polls are an important way to gauge viewpoints of the American people. For your bell ringer today you will conduct your own poll. You can choose whichever type of poll you would like and who you would like to conduct the poll on. Be prepared to share the results with the class.

7. 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.

8. Public Opinion Rarely is there a unanimous public opinion
Too diverse of a population
308,745, 538+ people in the United States

9. Demography
The Census is a measure of demographic changes in the American people
Completed every 10 years
Only 74% of Americans filled out the 2010 Census
Cost $14 billion

11. The American People African Americans face legacy of racism
26% of A.A. live below poverty line (2010 census)
Asian immigration has been driven by a new class of professional workers.
Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
Regardless of background, citizens want similar values and protection from our government

12. Immigrant Society
There are roughly 500,000 illegal immigrants in the United States
12% of the nation’s population
“Open Door Policy”
Hispanics are the largest minority group, faced with the problem of illegal immigration
Simpson-Mazzoli Act: employers document citizenship of employees

14. The American People
Figure 6.1

15. The American People The Regional Shift
Reapportionment: The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census.
Figure 6.2

16. The Regional Shift
Over the last 50 years, much of U.S. population growth has been centered in the West & South
From the Rust belt (PA, OH, MI) to the Sunbelt (CA, FL, TX)
Reapportionment: the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census
Process brings gains and losses of congressional representation as the states’ population balance changes.
New York has lost about 1/3 of its representation over the past 50 years.

18. The American People The Graying of America
Fastest growing group is over 65
Potential drain on Social Security by 2020
“Gray Power”

19. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
“…the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”
The Process of Political Socialization
The Family
Time & emotional commitment
Political leanings of children often mirror their parent’s leanings

20. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

21. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
The Process of Political Socialization
The Mass Media
Generation gap in TV news viewing
School / Education
Used by government to socialize the young into the political culture
Education produces better jobs and a more positive view of government
Political Learning Over a Lifetime

22. The family
Exposure to time and emotional commitment- if your parents are interested in politics the more likely you will be
Often mirror parents
Genetics has an impact on politics

23. Mass media “the new parent”
Children spend more time in front of the television than with parents
Young adults are less likely to watch news– showing the discrepancy in youth voters because they are not getting political knowledge anywhere

24. school Socializing nationalism
Teach children positive features of our government
Better educated citizens are more likely to vote

25. How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

26. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
How Polls Are Conducted
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: calls placed to random Americans

27. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls help politicians figure out public preferences.
Does it make politicians think more about following the polls?
Exit Polls- used by the media to predict election day winners.
Question wording makes a difference.

28. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
Gallup Polls, Rasmussen Reports, Pew Research Center
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
Bandwagon effect—support a candidate only because they see that others are doing so.

29. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information
Americans have a lower level of political knowledge than other countries.
Americans may know their basic beliefs but not how that affects policies of the government.
Increased levels of education over the past 40 years have not raised public knowledge about politics.
Possible reason: Public cynicism and mistrust of government.
Since 1964, trust in government has declined.
Trust in government has gone up somewhat since September 11.

30. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Decline of Trust in Government, (Figure 6.4)

31. 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?
Views change over time
Currently about 42% conservative, 25% liberal, 34% moderate

33. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

34. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

36. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
Ideologues: think in ideological terms- 12% of the population
Group Benefits: rely on party labels- 42% of the population
Nature of the Times: current times are good or bad- 24% of the population
No issue content: based on personalities- 22% of the population

37. 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 / running for office
Contacting elected officials

38. 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.

39. How Americans Participate in Politics
Class, Inequality, and Participation
Figure 6.5

40. Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action
Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government
Many people have no opinion.
Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action
We select our leaders, not policies.
We protest for specific policies, not against the government.

41. 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.