1. Question
Is it fair that the two major political parties can obtain greater coverage in the news than the minor parties in the United States?
Should the media be required to provide equal coverage for all candidates and for all political parties? Why/why not?

2. Public Opinion
Chapter 11

3. Forming Public Opinion
Public Opinion - The ideas & attitudes people have about candidates, elected officials, gov’t and political issues
Influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion, occupation and mass media
Politicians must be responsive to public opinion if they are going to get reelected – why?
What is mass media?
State views in mass media to persuade them to support their positions

4. Understanding public opinion helps presidents make effective, timely decisions. Successful presidents have a good sense of when the public is ready for a new idea and when it is not.
Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed this idea when he said, “I cannot go any faster than the people will let me.”
What exactly did President Roosevelt mean?

5. Forming Public Opinion
Interest group – people who share a point of view about an issue
The group will work to persuade people and officials toward their point of view

6. Measuring Public Opinion
Public Opinion Polls – survey – most accurate way to determine public opinion
Elected officials use these polls to monitor public opinion
Pollsters – specialist trained to take polls & measure public opinion
Push Polls – used to push public opinion one way or another
Have loaded questions – biased to get a certain response
Examples of push poll questions -
Do you favor lowering taxes?
Do you favor lowering taxes if it means more people go hungry?
Are you pro life?
Are you against women having the right to choose their own medical procedures?

7. Presidential Approval Ratings

8. Media Print – newspapers, mailings, magazines
Electronic – TV, radio, internet
Main purpose – to keep us informed
But remember – these are businesses that want to make money. They run news they think will attract the most viewers and therefore money
Public agenda - problems that receive the most time, money and effort from gov’t leaders
Why is literacy is important?

9. Biased Media – one-sided point of view
Fox – Republican biased news
MSNBC – Democratic biased news
How can you protect yourself from bias in the news?

10. Protecting the Media
1st amendment protects freedom of the press – for all forms of media.
Freedom from prior restraint (gov’t censorship of material before it is published NY Times v US) Journalists can report what they want even if it is embarrassing or unpopular to elected officials.
Libel and slander are not covered! Officials must prove malice – that the publisher knew the material was false/showed disregard for the truth

11. Interest Groups
People attempting to influence government with their shared views – protected by the 1st Amendment (right to assemble and petition)

12. Types of Interest Groups
Economic – most common and powerful
Business organizations – interested in trade
Industrial & Trade – represent certain types of business
Labor Unions – rights of workers
Professional Associations – represent different professions
Ex. US Chamber of Congress, Tobacco Institute, AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations – alliance of labor unions)
Group
Ethnicity (NAACP)
Age (AARP)
Gender (NOW)
Public – focus on specific causes (PETA)

13. Ways Special Interest Groups Influence Politics/Gov’t
Primary goal for all interest groups is to influence public policy – Course of action the gov’t takes in response to an issue or problem
Election Activities – backing a candidate
Lobbying – lobbyists (reps of interest groups) persuade officials to influence their policy making
Provide expert testimony or help write laws in committees, o to court to fight a cause, fund elections

14. What assumption can we make about people in an interest group?
What does the phrase, “strength in numbers,” tell us about interest groups?
Why is it important to know who lobbyists work for?

15. Propaganda Attempt to influence people with biased information
Always make sure to get both sides of a story from reliable sources
Good way to determine what a candidate really supports is to see which PAC gives them money for campaigning

16. Types of Propaganda
Endorsements – famous or admirable person supports a candidate
Stacked Cards – presenting only 1 side of the issue – distorting the facts
Name-Calling – turning people against an opponent by giving them an unpleasant label or description
Glittering Generality – statement that sounds good but is meaningless
Symbols – use and misuse of symbols
Just Plain Folks – make people think that the candidate is just like them
Bandwagon – convincing people that everyone else agrees with a certain candidate

17. How does name-calling differ from the other techniques?

18. Regulation of Interest Groups
Lobbyists can’t pay a candidates living expenses or offer gifts and meals to win lawmakers votes
Federal Election Campaign Finance Act – limits the amount PACs can contribute to candidates for national office
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)
All lobbies must register with federal & state gov’ts & disclose who hired them, how much they are paid and all expenditures