1. Do Now Write down Date and Daily Objective in notebooks
Prepare for memorization recitation this block

2. Influencing Government
Chapter 11
Influencing Government

3. Section 1
Forming Public Opinion

4. Guide to Reading Big Idea
A democratic society requires active participation of its citizens.
Section 1-Main Idea

5. Public Opinion
Public opinion, the ideas and attitudes most people hold, plays a vital role in our democracy.
Section 1

6. Public Opinion (cont.)
Public opinion refers to ideas and attitudes people hold about a particular issue or person.
Public opinion is of political importance.
Section 1

7. Public Opinion (cont.) Sources of public opinion:
Personal background (age, gender, income, race, religion, occupation, place of residence)
Mass media
Public officials
Interest groups
Section 1

8. Public Opinion (cont.) Three features of public opinion: Direction
Intensity
Stability
Section 1

9. Measuring Public Opinion
The most common way of measuring public opinion is with public opinion polls.
Section 1

10. Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
Public opinion polls measure public opinion.
Pollster is a specialist who measures the president’s popularity or towards possible proposals
Section 1

11. Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
Sampling public opinion:
People in sample are selected at random
Well-constructed sample reflects the entire population
Wording questions to find people’s true opinions
Push polls worded to influence responses
Section 1

12. Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
Arguments for and against polling:
Allows officeholders to keep in touch with citizens’ ideas
Makes officials more concerned with public opinion than leadership and decision-making
Affect elections and voter turnout
Section 1

13. Section 2
The Mass Media

14. The Big Idea
In a democratic society, various forces shape people’s ideas.
The media have a profound influence on the ideas and behavior of the American people and their government.
Chapter Intro 2

15. The Media’s Impact
The nation’s media are an important influence on politics and government and also help set the public agenda.
Section 2

16. The Media’s Impact (cont.)
The mass media influences politics and government, and connects the people and elected officials.
Section 2

17. The Media’s Impact (cont.)
Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books as examples of print media
Radio, television, and the Internet as examples of electronic media
Influence of profit on news coverage
Section 2

18. The Media’s Impact (cont.)
Influence of the media on:
The public agenda
Political candidates
Section 2

19. The Media’s Impact (cont.)
Relationship between politicians and journalists
Purpose of government leaks to the media
Watchdog role of the mass media
Conflicts between national security and citizens’ need for information
Section 2

20. Media Safeguards
Freedom of the press is protected by the U.S. Constitution, although some regulation is permitted.
Section 2

21. Media Safeguards (cont.)
The government protects the ability of the mass media to operate freely.
The First Amendment and freedom of the press
Freedom from prior restraint
Libel and limits to freedom of the press
Supreme Court ruled that public officials must prove actual malice, or evil intent, by publisher
Section 2

22. Media Safeguards (cont.)
The media’s right to keep sources secret
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a regulatory commission of the federal bureaucracy
Section 2

23. Section 3
Interest Groups

24. The Big Idea
Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals.
Interest groups, a powerful force in our democracy, use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.
Chapter Intro 2

25. Types of Interest Groups
Interest groups are an important part of our democratic process because they influence public policy.
Section 3

26. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Interest groups are organizations of people who unite to promote their ideas.
Section 3

27. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Economic interest groups:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoting free enterprise
Tobacco Institute representing cigarette manufacturers
AFL-CIO representing workers
The American Medical Association representing doctors
Section 3

28. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Other interest groups:
NAACP improving the lives of African Americans
NOW representing women’s interests
AARP promoting interests of older Americans
Sierra Club protecting nature
NRA looking after interests of gun owners
Section 3

29. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Public interest groups working to benefit Americans in general
League of Women Voters is an example of a nonpartisan, or impartial group
Interests groups supporting candidates and forming political action committees
Interest groups bringing cases to court
Section 3

30. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Interest groups influencing lawmakers by using lobbyists who:
have a good understanding of how the government functions.
know which government department to contact about concerns.
supply lawmakers with useful information that help their own cases.
Section 3

31. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
suggest solutions and problems to lawmakers.
prepare their own drafts of bills for lawmakers.
testify in legislative hearings on bills.
see that laws are enforced.
Section 3

32. Techniques Interest Groups Use
Interest groups use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.
Section 3

33. Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
Interest groups use a variety of techniques to influence public opinion and policy:
Direct mail
Advertising
Organize public events and protests
Propaganda
Section 3

34. Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
Regulating interest groups:
Limits on PAC contributions
Registration and disclosure requirements for lobbyists
Waiting period before former government officials can become lobbyists
Section 3

35. Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
Controversy surrounding interest groups and lobbying
Section 3

36. Section 1-Polling Question
What Do YOU Think?
Do you agree that politicians should ignore public opinion and do what they believe is best for the country?
Do you think pollsters hired by elected officials should use push polls?
Do you think that the media’s need to make a profit causes the media to misrepresent some issues?
Do you agree that groups with greater financial resources can exercise more influence over public policy than groups with fewer financial resources?
Section 1-Polling Question

37. Due Today Memorization from yesterday
Ch. 11 Vocabulary (or write all the words and turn in tomorrow but you must be working all hour for credit)