1 / 37

Public Opinion and Political Action

Public Opinion and Political Action. Chapter 6. Introduction. Some Basics: Demography The science of population changes. Gender Occupation Race Religion SES - social class. America’s Demographics: Who are we and how do we know?. Census

Download Presentation

Public Opinion and Political Action

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Public Opinion and Political Action Chapter 6

  2. Introduction • Some Basics: • Demography • The science of population changes. • Gender • Occupation • Race • Religion • SES - social class

  3. America’s Demographics: Who are we and how do we know? • Census • A valuable tool for understanding population changes- required every 10 years. • 2010 Census (1:35): • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf1f2MhKLmg • Immigrant Society and the Melting Pot ideal • First wave -- NW Europeans • 2nd wave - Eastern Europeans • 3rd Wave - Hispanics + Asians • Minority/majority is influencing the great melting pot. • By 2050 - Whites will be only 52% of society • At one time Blacks were the largest “reluctant” minority. Now w/ affirmative action, they are moving up.

  4. The American People Figure 6.1

  5. The American PeoplePolitical Culture: An overall set of values widely shared within a society. • Simpson/MazzoliAct requires employers to document the citizenship of employees or face fines. • Asian influx has brought an educated elite into America. . .the typical downtrodden immigrant now is highly educated • Even with gambling, Native Americans maintain a dismal ranking in acquiring the American dream. Which party will benefit from the minority/majority?

  6. The American People: The Regional Shift • Demographics has also changed with the MOBILE society • Frost Belt to Sun Belt: SW, SE and Texas dramatic population increases (20% growth rates) while North has 5% growth • Reapportionment • The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives (435) every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census. • Redistricting is done by state legislatures.

  7. The Graying of America • GRAY POWER • Baby boomers graying rapidly (fastest growing group) + • They wish to collect their $5 trillion in Social Security benefits! Potential drain by 2020 • Their SIGS possess clout – i.e. AARP • One advantage that no other group has- we are all going to get older

  8. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization • Political Socialization: the process through which an individual acquires his or her political orientation • The Process of Political Socialization • How it is developed? • Who establishes our political values?

  9. HOW is political socialization developed? • Weight of tradition + customs • Impact of events • Changes in the way of political elites • Families • School • Relationships (as the paradigms shift)

  10. WHO establishes our political value system. . .Who sets the agenda? • Single Interest Groups (SIGS) • Political institutions • Media “The New Parent” • Family • Social Economic Stratification (SES) as one grows older.

  11. Family. • Strongest. • Time & emotional commitment • Political leanings of children often mirror their parent’s leanings • Fairly equal influence of mother and father. • When parents differ, child tends to associate w/beliefs of parent with whom he/she more closely identifies.

  12. Family Influence http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110407121337.htm

  13. Mass Media • TV displaces parents as chief source of info. • Generation gap in TV news viewing and newspaper reading

  14. Schools • Impart basic values • civic duty, patriotism. • Used by government to socialize the young into the culture and government • High school government classes apparently do not change political orientation of students. • College students tend to be more liberal than general population. • College students at most prestigious schools tend to be the most liberal. • College students in social sciences more liberal than those in natural/physical sciences.

  15. Other Sources of Influence • Religion • Protestant, Catholic, Jewish • Race • White, Black, Hispanic (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban) • Income • Gender

  16. The Gender Gap • Women vote for the Democratic candidates at higher rates than Republican candidates.

  17. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • 5 ways to measure public opinion • Elections (useful but not 100% accurate) • Interest Groups (Useful to use) • Media (Only the vocal are heard) • Straw Poll (Very unreliable) • Scientific Polling (Most reliable if 5 steps are followed- developed by Gallop) • Nate Silver’s method- a poll of polls- is the MOST accurate scientific polling method

  18. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • 5 Steps in Scientific Polling • Define the universe • Entire population the poll will measure (women, men, children, whites, blacks, etc.) • Construct the Sample (See next slide) • Develop valid and unbiased questions • Must be very specific and non-leading • Control how the poll is conducted • Phone (usually best way to get honest answers), e-mail, face-to-face (careful that the interviewer doesn’t influence the answers • Analyze and report the findings (See the two slides after the next on sampling)

  19. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • How Sample Sizes Can Be Constructed -Random Sampling: The key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers; operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample -Representative Sample: Draws from all groups -Sample size 1500 -Sampling Error: The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll, +/-3% (will be accurate 95% of the time if the 5 steps are followed)

  20. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • Analyzing the Results: How Polls Influence Government (The Good Part) • Help candidates and politicians figure out public preferences. • Inform the public about issues. • Exit Polls- used by the media to predict election day winners so we don’t have to wait! • Polls reflect the policy agenda—problems the people inside and outside of government believe must be addressed. • Politicians use polls to help get themselves reelected and do what their constituents want

  21. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • Analyzing the Results: How Polls Don’t Influence Government (The Bad Part) • Politicians don’t want to be seen as indecisive (only votes for what the polls say, not for what he/she knows or believes in) • If the opinion poll goes against what the party wants, politicians won’t vote for what the public wants for fear of losing support of party leadership • Or politicians won’t vote for what the public wants to GAIN support of party leadership (he/she did want the leadership wanted, not public)

  22. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information • Analyzing the Results: What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information (The Bad Part) • 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 • Now only about 25% of the public trust the government most of the time or always.

  23. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies • Political Ideology: • A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose.

  24. Demographics and Ideology • The Republican Party Coalition • Rural voters/farmers • White males • Business owners • Conservative Christians • College Educated

  25. Demographics and Ideology • Democratic Coalition • Urban dwellers • Union members • Hispanics and African Americans • High School Diploma • Advanced Degree

  26. Demographics and Voter Turnout • The following increase the chance that someone will vote: • Higher income • Older • Well educated • White (sort of) • Northerner • Union member • Government employee

  27. Liberalism • Classical liberalism of 18th century -- limited role of government. Govt. seen as chief threat to liberty. “That govt. is best which governs least.” • Modern liberalism of 20th century -- expanded role of government. Corporations seen as chief threat ---> need for a strong central govt. to “smooth out the rough edges of capitalism.” • Strong influence of liberalism, 1930's - 1970's.

  28. Discrediting of liberalism in 1980's and 1990's: a feeling that liberalism had 'gone too far.' Need to get back to more individualism and less reliance on big govt. • “Neoliberals.” • Less likely to rely upon govt as solution to problems. • Govt. certainly has some role to play, but not as big a role as desired by New Deal liberals. • Rise of Democratic Leadership Council, w/members like Bill Clinton and Paul Tsongas.

  29. Conservatism • Essentially classical liberalism. • Resurgence in late 70's and 80's: Reagan/Bush, Repub. control of Senate 1980-86. • Emphasis today on the private sector to solve problems. • "Neoconservatives” and the New Right: impact upon social, economic, and foreign policy.

  30. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies. A few examples: • Liberals: • More domestic spending • Pro-choice • Favor affirmative action • Favor progressive taxation • Pro gay marriage • Conservatives: • More military spending • Pro-life • Oppose affirmative action • Keep taxes low • Support traditional marriage

  31. The Other Ideologues • Environmentalism – Grassroots democracy, social justice, non-violence. In a post-materialistic world, many seek to replenish the environment before it wears out. The post-materialistic world. . . • Socialism – Public ownership of means of production and exchange. A left wing perspective. Market economy w/ gov’t involvement. . .Most European democracies use this approach. High taxes but “Nat’l” benefits. • Libertarianism – Individual liberty + sharply limited gov’t; isolationist; repeal all morality laws. “Get Gov’t out of your lives”. A Nevada favorite

  32. 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

  33. 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.

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

More Related