1. U.S. and Texas Politics and Constitution Political Ideologies and Polarization March 12, 2015
j. Bryan cole
POLS 1336

2. Questions to Explore Today
What is an ideology? What about political polarization?
Is our nation politically polarized? Congress? The people?
If so what are the consequences of political polarization?

3. Political Polarization
Refers to the placement of people’s political/ideological views on a left-right scale
Movement away from the center and toward one of the poles, leading people to take more extreme positions

4. Political Polarization
We could place people’s political views along this number line
Persons at or near zero would be moderates
If, however, more people place themselves at either end (-3 or 3), then we would say that the electorate is highly polarized, i.e. it has moved toward the polls
Political Polarization

5. What Is An Ideology? What is a political ideology?
Political ideology: “a set of interrelated attitudes that fit together into some coherent and consistent view of or orientation toward the political world” (Flanigan and Zingale, p. 160)
AND
“any set of beliefs about the proper order of society and how it can be achieved” (Erikson and Tedin, p. 72)

6. Common Ideologies
Liberal
Conservative

7. Common Political Ideologies
Liberal
Conservative

8. NES Measurement of Americans’ Ideologies
“We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives. Here is a seven-point scale on which the political views that most people might hold are arranged from extremely liberal to extremely conservative.” “Where would you place yourself on this scale, or haven’t you thought much about it?”

9. Ideology In Our Class Extremely liberal Liberal Slightly liberal
Moderate, middle of the road
Slightly conservative
Conservative
Extremely conservative
Don’t know
Haven’t thought much about it

10. Partisan Sorting Important to distinguish from polarization
Sorting refers to when people’s party ID match their ideological leanings as a result of taking cues from elites, e.g. conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats
Increases in sorted voters often because political parties have grown increasingly homogenous

11. Partisan Sorting Liberal Democrats Conservative Republicans
Sorted Electorate
Unsorted Electorate
Liberal Democrats
Conservative Republicans
Conservative Democrats (common in the South)
Liberal Republicans

12. Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Inc.
Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) and HHS rules require businesses and insurers to provide 20 different types of contraceptives to women
Exemptions:
Churches
Religiously-affiliated institutions
What about for-profit corporations?

13. The Ruling and Public Reactions
Two companies, Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, challenged this mandate
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in these companies’ favor
"Hobby Lobby Ruling: Employers Don't Have to Cover Birth Control." From NBC News. June 30, 2014.

14. Group Discussion Activity
Please read and discuss the editorial/op-ed/article that you have been assigned
Be prepared to explain the following to the class:
The reading’s thesis statement (the main point)
The author(s) and publication in which it appeared
Upon what evidence does s/he base this statement?
Do you agree or disagree with the position advanced in the reading? Why or why not?

15. Articles to Read and Discuss
"The Hobby Lobby decision isn't narrow." Irin Carmon. MSNBC. June 30, 2015.
"Hobby Lobby Hysteria." Editors. The National Review. June 30, 2014.
"Sandra Fluke: The Hobby Lobby case is an attack on women." Sandra Fluke. The Washington Post. June 30, 2014.
Hobby Lobby ruling: Why the Supreme Court got it right." Robert Jeffress. Fox News. June 30, 2015.
"Don't Take Birth Control Options Away From Moms -- The U.S. Supreme Court Is Wrong on Hobby Lobby." Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. Huffington Post. July 1, 2014.
"A Company Liberals Could Love." Ross Douthat. New York Times. July 5, 2014.

16. Clicker question (vote on the next slide)
Do you think religious-affiliated organizations should have to cover the cost of prescription birth control for their female employees as part of their health insurance plans, or should religious-affiliated organizations be able to opt out of covering that, based on religious objections?

17. Religious-Affiliated Organizations
Should have to cover
Should be able to opt out
Not sure

18. Clicker question (vote on the next slide)
What about companies and non-religious organizations? Do you think these employers should have to cover the cost of prescription birth control for their female employees as part of their health insurance plans, or should these employers be able to opt out of covering that, based on religious objections?

19. Companies and Non-Religious Organizations
Should have to cover
Should be able to opt out
Not sure

20. To what extent are the American people polarized?
A controversial topic among political scientists
Let’s look at some of the evidence:
Positions on controversial issues
Americans’ ideologies
Americans’ voting behavior
Geographic distribution of these opinions and behaviors

21. Polarization on Political Issues
Naturally, we are especially interested in social issues, particularly abortion and those related to it
Public Opinion on Obamacare and Contraception

22. Positions on Abortion

23. Abortion and Geography
Recent Pew Research Study Finds Geographical Differences in Public Opinion Surrounding Abortion
Could we as a nation be polarized by geography?

26. Ideology in 2008

27. States’ Margins of Victory in Selected Presidential Elections

28. 2012 Presidential Election

29. By County

30. Red, Blue and Purple

31. Consequences of Political Polarization

32. Consequences of Increased Polarization