1. Public Opinion and Political Action
Chapter 6

2. Who Are You – Who, Who, Who,Who?
Who are Americans?
Who Are You – Who, Who, Who,Who?
What is The Trouble With Public Opinion?

3. Who Are Americans?

4. The Melting Pot Metaphor- How Accurate is This?
Some Demographics
The Melting Pot Metaphor- How Accurate is This?

5. What’s the Impact on Government?
Some Trends
What’s Happening Here?
What’s the Impact on Government?

6. The American People What does this mean politically?
The Graying of America
Fastest growing group is over 65
What does this mean politically?

7. Smart and Smarter?

8. American Political Culture
The widely shared political beliefs, values, and norms concerning the relationship of citizens to government and to one another.
How Government ought to be carried out.

9. Belief--a generalized expression of that which a person considers to be true.
Value--a desired end-state or condition.
Norm--unwritten rules of behavior that apply to members of a society.
Attitudes--predisposition to respond to some topics in a particular way.
Opinion--expression of an attitude.

10. Shared Values Popular sovereignty Liberty Equality Rule of law
National pride
Optimism
Idealism
Liberty
Equality
Individualism
Democratic consensus
Majority rule

11. You might be an American if...
Identify the political culture of the typical American by illustrating at least 5 political culture characteristics. On the back of this sheet explain each characteristic as well as how you have symbolized each characteristic.

12. The Status of American Political Culture
Are We United?
Culture War
Appears to be two classes struggling over values.
Orthodox and Progressives

13. Orthodox Progressive Personal Freedom Change Morality
Rules on Circumstances
Mainline Protestants
Morality
Tradition
Rules from God
Fundamentalists

14. But we are quite tolerant of other views.
Are We United?
No.
But we are quite tolerant of other views.

15. Whooo are you...
Whoo,whoo...
whoo whoo?

16. YOUR INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL THOUGHT BASED ON CONSISTENCIES OF BELIEFS
CULTURE
VS.
IDEOLOGY
LIBERTY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, MERITOCRACY, RESPONSIBILITY, DEMOCRACY,FREEDOM
YOUR INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL THOUGHT BASED ON CONSISTENCIES OF BELIEFS

17. B7-Results
Liberal
Conservative 45 18 72 31 58

18. A3-Results
Liberal
Conservative 45 18 72 31 58

19. Antonia Scalia Hillary Clinton Bill Clinton Jesse Jackson Colin Powell45 18 72 31 58
Jesse Jackson
Colin Powell
“W”

20. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
“…the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”
The Process of Political Socialization
The Family
Time & emotional commitment
Political leanings of children often mirror their parent’s leanings

21. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

22. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
The Process of Political Socialization
The Mass Media
Generation gap in TV news viewing
School / Education
Used by government to socialize the young into the political culture
Education produces better jobs and a more positive view of government

23. Political Socialization Interview Questions
Subject’s Name:___________________________
Subject’s Ideology:___________________________
What do your parents do? When did they grow up where were they raised? Level of education?
Describe your parents (economically, ethnically, religious beliefs).
What television channels do you watch? Music?
Where were you raised? Schooling?
With what “type” of people do you hang around?

24. How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
Turnout by Age, 2000 (Figure 6.3)

25. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Political Ideology:
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose.
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
Views change over time
Currently about 42% conservative, 25% liberal, 34% moderate

27. Modern ideologies
For Americans these are not very complicated structures, nor is there much consistency between the pieces that make up an ideology.
Is Vague.
Changes throughout History.

29. Modern ideologies Conservatives Liberals Populists (Communitarians)
Libertarians

32. Conservatives Believe
People will do wrong, given the chance
Economy works best with no government control
Low taxes stimulate economic growth
Strong military
Local control
Minimal government spending
Moral behavior

33. Famous Conservatives Thomas Hobbes Adam Smith John Adams
Alexander Hamilton

34. Famous American Conservatives
Douglas MacArthur
Barry Goldwater
William Buckley
Ronald Reagan
Jack Kemp

35. New Right
Christian fundamentalist and others who believe in using the power of government to enforce a code of moral behavior.
Pat Robertson, Pat Buchanan, Jesse Helms

36. Criticisms of Conservatism
Selective opposition to government
Insensitive to social needs of poor.
Too much faith in market economy.
“Trickle down” economics questionable.
Opposition to certain policies seem racist.

37. Liberals believe In the ultimate capacity of people to do good.
Less government intrusion in private life.
Government as the active agent in protecting liberties of the people.
Citizen responsibility to pay taxes to finance the work of government
Governments ability to solve problems

38. Famous liberals
John Locke
Thomas Jefferson

39. Famous American Liberals
Franklin Roosevelt
John Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Hillary Clinton

40. Criticisms of Liberalism
Too much government.
Too much spending.
Too many bureaucrats.
Too much regulation.

41. Libertarians believe Victory through the political process
Government is the greatest evil
Eliminate welfare
Eliminate corporate subsidies
Eliminate the FBI and the CIA
Reduce the military to a defense militia
Legalize drugs, prostitution, homosexual conduct, etc

42. Populists Believe
The Government should play a larger role in maintaining order.
The Government should play a larger role in economics.
The Government should play a larger role involving issues of morality.

43. Liberals
In economy
Out of private
Libertarian
Out of economy
Out of private
Populist
In economy
In private
Conservative
Out of economy
In private

44. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

45. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

46. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
Ideologues: think in ideological terms- 12% of the population
Group Benefits: rely on party labels- 42% of the population
Nature of the Times: current times are good or bad- 24% of the population
No issue content: based on personalities- 22% of the population

47. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Science of Polls
Random Sampling:
Number of people surveyed ( ) = +/- 3%
Sampling Error: The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll.
Random Digit Dialing

48. The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls are a tool for democracy.
Lead or follow public opinion.
Exit Polls- used by the media to predict election day winners.
Bandwagon effect- distorts the election process.
Question wording makes a difference.
Problem with bias.

49. What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information
Americans don’t know much about politics.
Americans may know their basic beliefs, but not how that affects policies of the government.

50. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information

51. Declining Trust in Government
Watergate
Vietnam

52. How Americans Participate in Politics
INACTIVES
RARELY VOTE, PARTICIPATE, OR EVEN TALK POLITICS
COMPLETE ACTIVISTS
PARTICIPATE IN ALL FORMS OF POLITICS, HIGHLY EDUCATED, HIGH INCOMES, MIDDLE- AGED
VOTING SPECIALISTS
VOTE AND THAT’S ABOUT IT
CAMPAIGNERS
CLEAR PARTY IDENTIFICATION, LIKE POLITICAL CONFLICT
COMMUNALISTS
INVOLVED IN NON PARTISAN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
PAROCHIAL PARTICIPANTS
DO NOT VOTE OR CAMPAIGN, BUT CONTACT LOCAL OFFICIALS ABOUT SPECIFIC PROBLEMS

53. How Americans Participate in Politics
Class, Inequality, and Participation