Chapter 7 Public Opinion

Learning Objectives What is “public opinion” and how do we measure it? What role did the Framers of the Constitution think public opinion should play in making public policy? What is “political socialization” and how does it work? What is “political ideology” and how does it matter for what elites and the mass public believe? How much does public opinion in America vary by age and other characteristics? People self-label as “liberal,” “moderate,” or “conservative,” but are there more refined ways of describing and classifying citizens’ political views? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Introduction WHO GOVERNS? TO WHAT ENDS? How does public opinion in America today vary by race, gender, and other differences? What is political ideology, and how does it affect political behavior and influence public policy? TO WHAT ENDS? What role did the Framers of the Constitution think public opinion should play in American democracy? When, if ever, should public policies mirror majority opinion? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Public Opinion and Democracy The Framers created a government to achieve certain goals: “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessing of Liberty.” Preamble to the Constitution Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. The Framers of the Constitution did not try to create a government that would do from day to day “what the people want.”

Public Opinion and Democracy Constitutional goals achieved through: Representative government Federalism Separation of powers Bill of Rights Independent judiciary Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Public Opinion and Democracy Public opinion: how people think or feel about particular things Not easy to discern Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

What Is Public Opinion? How Polling Works Requires comprehensible questions, worded fairly Random sample Sampling error Exit polls Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. For the most part, the Framers of the Constitution thought that public opinion should play only a limited and indirect role in making public policy.

What Is Public Opinion? How Opinions Differ Opinion saliency Opinion stability Opinion-policy congruency Elite opinion vs. mass opinion Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Elites are people who have a disproportionate amount of some valued resource (money, education, prestige, political power, etc.)

Political Socialization The Family Important source of socialization Genetic background Age Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Young Adults on Politics and Politicians Table 7.1 Source: Institute of Politics, The 17th Biannual Youth Survey on Politics and Public Service , John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Spring 2010.

Opinion Gaps Between Young Adults and Senior Citizens in 2012 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.2 Source: Pew Research Center, "Partisan Polarization Surges in Bush, Obama Years: Trends In American Values, 1987–2012," June 2012, with one point (*) from a separate Pew Research Center report, June 2011.

Political Socialization Religion Influences social issues Influences within generation Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Opinions by Four Christian Groups on Four Issues (2009–2010) Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.3 Source: Adapted from Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, American Views on Religion, Politics, & Public Policy, 2010, pp. 37, 41, and 46, and “Faith-Based Programs Still Popular, Less Visible,” November 16, 2009, p. 2.

Religious Affiliation and Younger Millennials (18–25) Registered to Vote Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.5 Source: Robert P. Jones et al, Diverse, Disillusioned, and Divided: Millennial Values and Voter Engagement in the 2012 Election (Washington, D.C.: Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University, surveys conducted in March 2012 and September 2012, report issued October 4, 2012).

Political Socialization The Gender Gap Since 1980, women voting at higher rates Women more likely to: Vote Democratic Favor activist government Consider social welfare issues important Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Gender Gaps in Presidential Voting, 1992-2012 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.6 Source: Gallup Organization, Gender Gap in 2012 is Largest in Gallup Survey’s History , November 9, 2012.

Cleavages in Public Opinion Social Class Race and Ethnicity Region Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. There are also cleavages in public opinion related to education, income, and occupation.

Latino Opinion, 2012 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.7 Source: Adapted from Latino Decisions, Immigration Poll, March 5, 2012; also see Latino Decisions, “The Untapped Potential of the Latino Electorate,” January 15, 2013.

Political Ideology Political ideology: a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue Self identification Broad category (liberal, conservative) Prediction of views Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Most Americans do not think about politics in an ideological manner.

Political Ideology Mass Ideologies: A Typology Where do you fit? http://typology.people-press.org/typology Liberal and Conservative Elites Activists Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Ideology Typology: Nine Types Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Table 7.8 Source: Adapted from Beyond Red v. Blue: The Political Typology , Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, May 4, 2011.

Political Elites, Public Opinion, and Public Policy Elites do Raise and frame issues State norms Define thinking on foreign affairs Elites do not Define economic problems Influence thinking on crime/drug problems Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. However, there are many elites and many different elite opinions.

Proud To Be An American Click picture to play video Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Click picture to play video

Proud To Be An American Taking a closer look: Do the individuals shown in the video agree on what it means to be “a real American”? What are our mutual political values? Today, are most Americans proud of their country? Why or why not? Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.