1. Public Opinion and Political Action
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Thirteenth AP* Edition
Edwards/Wattenberg/Lineberry
Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Action
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3. Central Question:
Can US political processes continue given the wide diversity of our society & wide range of opinions contained within it, without becoming full of conflict and dissension?

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Introduction
For American government to work effectively, the diversity of the American public and its opinions must be channeled through the political process.
Public Opinion
The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues
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Introduction
One way of looking at the American public is through demography.
The science of population changes
The most valuable tool for understanding demographic changes is the census.
Required every 10 years by the Constitution
Changes impact our culture and political system.
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The American People
The Immigrant Society
United States is a nation of immigrants.
Immigrants bring their aspirations and political beliefs
Melting pot vs . Salad bowl
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The American People
The American Melting Pot
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
Least healthy, least educated, and poorest
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10. Central Question:
Most have similar set of attitudes & ideas that lead to shared beliefs about important values in the American political system. These values define our political culture.
Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.

11. Questions About Our Political Culture
How do we know that the Americans share these beliefs?
If these values are important to us, how can we explain the existence of behaviors that are inconsistent with them?
Why has there been so much political conflict in our history if there is agreement among us on certain political values?

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The American People
The Regional Shift
Population shift centered in the West and South.
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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21. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
“the process through which an 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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22. 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; today’s generation is less likely to watch news and read newspapers
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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23. How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
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24. Measuring Public Opinion
Public opinion is measured through elections, but most frequently it is measured by public opinion polls..
Want to know how the public feels and how strongly they feel.
Saliency
Intensity
Stability
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25. 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 based on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
Try to be representative of the whole population
Sampling Error: the level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll
More people interviewed = more confident in results
1,500-2,000 respondents = +/- 3 percent

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29. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
How Polls Are Conducted
Researchers must use proper sampling techniques
Accurate representation, not the number of responses is the most important feature
Must also be critical of wording of questions
Most polling is done on the telephone with samples selected through random-digit dialing
Not everyone has a phone
Less willing to participate
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30. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
How Polls Are Conducted
Push polls: marketing technique designed to influence voters disguised as a poll
Tracking polls: repeated at intervals to measure change over time
Exit polls: taken after voters have exited the polling place
Used by media to predict election outcomes
Straw polls: nonbinding polls; frequently taken to see if there is enough support for something
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Polls
Proponents
Opponents
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Polls
Proponents
Opponents
Help politicians detect public preferences
Keep in touch with changing opinions on issues
Make politicians think more about following than leading
Track opinion not to make policy but how to craft public presentations and win support
Distort election process by creating a bandwagon effect.
Wording of question can provide desired outcome
Exit polls heavily criticized
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33. 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.
Good or bad?
Trust in government has gone up somewhat since September 11.
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Bellringer 2/22
Demographic changes in the US population could translate to political consequences through the process of
A. political socialization
B. political acculturation
C. reapportionment
D. political assimilation
E. none of the above
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39. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Political Ideology:
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose
Liberal: wide scope for central government
Conservative: less active scope of government that gives freer reign to the private sector
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
Predominance of conservative over liberal thinking
one the reasons for the relatively restrained scope of government.
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40. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
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41. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
In general, groups with political clout tend to be more conservative than groups whose members have often been shut out from political power.
Ideological variation by race
African Americans tend to be more liberal than Whites
Hispanics less conservative than Whites
Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men
Ideological variation by religion too
Ideology more determined by the degree to which religion is important on one’s life than by denomination.
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46. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
American Voter examined how people rely on ideology to guide their political thinking.
Ideologues: those who think in ideological terms (12 percent); connect opinions with policy positions
Group Benefits voters: view politics through groups they like or dislike (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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47. 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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48. 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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49. How Americans Participate in Politics
Class, Inequality, and Participation
Citizens of higher social economic status participate more in politics
People with higher incomes are more likely to donate money and participate in other ways.
When comparing African Americans and whites of equal income and education, African Americans are more likely to vote.
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50. How Americans Participate in Politics
Class, Inequality, and Participation
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54. 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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Cartoon Analysis
O: overview
P: parts
T: title
I: inferences
C: conclusion
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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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