Transcript Slide 1
BMI Alternative = BAI
http://www.intmath.com/functions-and graphs/bmi-bai-comparison.php
Ch 6
Public Opinion And Political Action
(From a variety of “non-Edwardian” sources)
Political Socialization The way people acquire their political values.
Family members.
.
Media, especially television.
Outside events.
Shortcomings of Polling Must consider margin of error.
May make errors in selecting the sample.
Polls limit respondents’ options.
People may not have enough information to answer.
Measures of intensity may be imprecise.
Effects of Public Opinion May influence the course of public policy.
Some critics argue this weakens democracy.
Creation of bandwagon and underdog effects.
Figure 11.1- First-Year Student Ideology
Figure 11.2- Religious Self-Identification
Figure 11.3- Views on Hurricane Katrina
Figure 11.4- The Gallup Poll
Figure 11.5- Opinion on Gas Taxes
Figure 11.6- Random Digit Dialing
Figure 11.7- Daily Tracking Poll
Figure 11.8- Public Opinion on Iraq
Table 11.1- Gender Differences
Table 11.2- Political Knowledge
AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE THEME A UNIQUE AMERICAN QUALITIES
TOCQUEVILLE’S DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA NO ARISTOCRACY WESTWARD MOVEMENT NATION OF SMALL
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4/27/2020 Alexis de Tocqueville TRAVEL IN THE U.S.
IN 1832 DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA PUBLISHED VOL 1 1835 AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE PUBLISHED VOL 2 1840 20
IMPORTANT CULTURAL ELEMENTS
LIBERTY EQUALITY DEMOCRACY CIVIC DUTY INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
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WHY DOES AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WORK ?
CONSENSUS VIEW (LOUIS HARTZ) AMERICANS SHARE THE SAME BASIC VALUES CONFLICT VIEW (VERNON PARRINGTON) DIFFERENT MAJOR VIEWS (LIB. Vs CONS.)
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ECONOMIC BELIEFS
SUPPORT OF FREE ENTERPRISE (CAPITALISM) …WITH GOV’T REGULATION (SOCIALISM) EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
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WHAT SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?
WHO SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?
3.5 GPA
WILMA ??
25 ACT SCORE
5 AP COURSES
10 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (4 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (3 FOR 4 YEARS, 2 FOR 3 YEARS)
3.1 GPA
ADALAI ??
22 ACT SCORE
0 AP COURSES
2 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (2 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (5 FOR 4 YEARS)
3.5
25 5 10 2 5
WILMA ADALAI
GPA ACT SCORE AP COURSES HONOR COURSES SPORTS CLUBS 3.1
22 0 2 2 5
WILMA ADALAI
W / SCHOOL 3.5/3.8
25/29 A / SCHOOL GPA ACT SCORE 3.1/1.5
22/12 5/15 10/40 2/12 5/35 AP COURSES HONOR COURSES SPORTS CLUBS 0/0 2/2 2/3* 5/5 * No extra-curricular activities for 2 years (Levy Failed)
TEXAS STATE SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (2005)
TOP 10 % OF CLASS
FREE TUITION
TO STATE SCHOOLS
2008 = 3 BILLS TO CHANGE LAW
UNFAIR TO STUDENTS IN “GOOD” SCHOOLS
CHANGING SCHOOLS DURING SENIOR YEAR
MORE INFORMATION THAN CLASS RANK NEEDED
OGT INFO…
BEST INDICATOR OF DISTRICT SUCCESS 1- COMMUNITY INCOME 2- % WITH COLLEGE DEGREES
SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS
PURITAN HERITAGE FOLLOW LAWS, WORK HARD LACK OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS MOST SEEN AS MIDDLE CLASS
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THE CULTURE WAR
ORTHODOX GOD’S MORALITY FIXED MOST IMPORTANT PROGRESSIVE GUIDELINES CHANGE ACCORDING TO SITUATION PERSONAL FREEDOM MOST IMPORTANT
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“ THE CREDIBILITY GAP ”
MISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT INCREASING SINCE THE 1960’S INTERNAL EFFICACY SAME SINCE THE 1950’S EXTERNAL EFFICACY DECLINING SINCE THE 1960’S
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TAKE OUT A PIECE OF PAPER & WRITE THE NATION & THE MATCHING NUMBER
Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy Fourteenth Edition Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Action
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
The American People
The Immigrant Society
United States is a nation of immigrants.
Three waves of immigration:
Northwestern Europeans (prior to late 19 th Century)
Southern and eastern Europeans (late 19 th 20 th centuries) and early
Hispanics and Asians (late 20 th century)
The American People
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.
“Melting Pot” or “Tossed Salad”
A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
SHOULD WE BE A “MELTING POT”?
OR A
SALAD BOWL?
The American People
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
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
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
Political Socialization: “the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation” Orientation grows firmer with age The Process of Political Socialization
The Family
: Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
The Process of Political Socialization
The Mass Media
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.
How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization Political Learning Over a Lifetime Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.
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
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy Polls help politicians detect public preferences.
Do polls make politicians followers ?
Various studies Politicians do not track opinion to make policy Question wording may affect survey results
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information The Role of Polls in American Democracy Polls may distort election process Exit Polls
used by the media to predict election day winners May discourage people from voting 2000 presidential election in Florida
Start Thursday
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 went up after September 11.
Then has declined.
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
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 38% conservative 24% liberal 38% moderate Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men Ideological variation by religion too
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
Ideologues: think in ideological terms Group Benefits voters: view politics through party or group label Nature of the Times: view of politics based on whether times are good or bad No issue content: vote routinely for party or personality
Voters' Thought Processes No Issue Content 22% Nature of the Times 24% Ideologue 12% Group Benefits 42%
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
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
Class and Participation
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.
Summary
American society is ethnically diverse and changing.
Knowing public opinion is important to a democracy, polling has costs and benefits.
Americans know little about politics.
Political participation is generally low.