1. American Government and Organization
PS1301
Monday, 1 March

2. Academy Awards
Each nominating ballot has five numbered slots for each category.
Although each member only gets one vote, they are entitled to choose up to five potential nominees, in order. In case their favorite nominee is eliminated, their vote counts toward their second choice.
Any potential nominee that is supported by 20% of the vote will get 1 out of 5 nominations (that is proportional representation)
People who do not cross the 20 percent threshold are discarded.
Once the five nominees are chosen, the winner is selected by plurality rules. There is no need for a majority.

3. Knowledge Quiz: People
Who is Dick Cheney?
Who is your representative?
What office does Dennis Hastert hold?
Who is William Rehnquist?

4. Knowledge of Political parties
Which party is more liberal?
Do you happen to know which party had the most members in the House of
Representatives in Washington before the election (this/last) month?
Do you happen to know which party had the most members in the U.S. Senate before the election (this/last) month?

5. Knowledge of Civics
Who has the final responsibility to decide if a law is constitutional or not...is it the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, or don't you know?
What are the first ten Amendments to the Constitution called?
What majority is needed to override a presidential veto?
How long is a senator’s term in office?

6. Knowledge of Policy Which party favors spending more money on defense?
Which party favors spending more federal spending?

7. Public’s Knowledge about Politics

8. The Public’s Political Knowledge
89 percent identified Al Gore as the vice president (1998)
75 percent know which party had a majority in the House of Representatives (1996)
67 percent knew the Supreme Court decides if laws are constitutional (1992)
60 percent could identify Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House (1998)
46 percent know that the first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights (1989)
25 percent know that the term of U.S. Senators is six years
11 percent know that William Rehnquist was chief justice of the United States (2000)

9. Explaining Knowledge Opportunity Capacity Interest
Education combines all three elements of learning

10. Does Lack of Information Matter?
Uninformed populace can be manipulated
By Media, Experts, Politicians, Bureaucrats
Associated with antidemocratic views
Low levels of participation
Politicians lead astray
Voting incorrectly

11. Cause for Optimism?
People can make decisions without being fully informed
Concept of “limited rationality”
Random “errors” cancel each other out. Stability in aggregate public opinion

12. Trends in Public Opinion
On many issues, opinion is relatively stable.
Response to crises, cycles

13. Stability in Opinion on Health Care

14. Stability in Spending Preferences

15. Stability in Foreign Policy Activism

16. Example of Opinion Shift Following Crisis

17. Defense Spending Responds to Crisis

18. Example of Opinion Change in Response to Historical Trends

19. Issue Publics
People who follow a particular issue closely and who are well informed about it and have strong opinions on it are attentive publics
Public opinion is not a single entity
What items in the news have drawn a lot of attention nationally or in our community? What public’s have been affected? Have different publics held different opinions about these issues? How has that difference affected the direction of public opinion?