1. Public Opinion and Political Action
Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Fourteenth Edition
Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Action

2. What teachers think I do.

3. Introduction Public Opinion Demography Census
Population’s distribution of the beliefs about politics & issues
Demography
The science of population changes
Census
Required every 10 years by the Constitution

4. The American People
Melting Pot: the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation
Minority Majority: the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority
Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.

5. A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
“MELTING POT”
“SALAD BOWL”

6. SHOULD THE U.S. BE A MELTING POT OR SALAD BOWL ??? 5 minutes 50 words
“Pop” Essay

8. The American People

9. EDUCATION INFLUENCES EVERYTHING

10. The American People An Immigrant Society Three waves of immigration:
Northwestern Europeans (Mid to late 1800s)
Southern & eastern Europeans (late 1800sth, early 20th)
Hispanics and Asians (late 1900s - today)

11. INTERNAL MIGRATION
The Regional Shift
Population shift from east to west and north to south
Reapportionment: the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census

12. 1944 ELECTORAL COLLEGE

13. 2012 ELECTORAL COLLEGE

17. The American People The Graying of America
Fastest growing age group is over 65
Potential drain on Social Security
Pay as you go system
In 1942, 42 workers per retiree
In 2040, ~2 workers per retiree

22. 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: Most important factor.

24. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

25. Sources of Political Socialization
Family members
Peers
School
Religion
Media (especially television)
Demographics: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and region.
Outside events.

26. Figure 11.2- Religious Self-Identification
Back

27. First-Year College Student Ideology
Back

28. Age, Voting & Political Socialization
Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.

30. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
How Polls Are Conducted
Sample
The small proportion of people who are chosen
Random Sampling
Everyone should have an equal probability
Sampling Error
Level of confidence in the findings of a poll

31. Shortcomings of Polling
Must consider margin of error.
May make errors in selecting the sample.
Biased, awkward wording of questions
Polls limit respondents’ options.
People may not have enough information to answer.
Measures of intensity may be imprecise.

32. Figure 11.6- Random Digit Dialing
Back

33. 4/23/2017
political parties 33

34. Figure 11.3- Views on Hurricane Katrina
Back

35. Figure 11.5- Opinion on Gas Taxes
Back

36. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
All politicians use polls
Polls help politicians detect public preferences

37. Measuring Public Opinion and The Media
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls may distort election process
Predictive Polls (before an election)
Used by media. Causes ‘horserace’ focus.
Exit Polls
Used by the media to predict election day winners
May discourage people from voting

38. Effects of Public Opinion
May influence the course of public policy.
Some critics argue this weakens democracy.
Creation of bandwagon and underdog effects.

39. Figure 11.4- The Gallup Poll
Back

40. Figure 11.7- Daily Tracking Poll
Back

42. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
Polls Reveal Americans’ Political Information
Americans don’t know much about politics

43. QUIZ

44. Table 11.2- Political Knowledge
Back

45. TAKE
OUT A
PIECE OF
PAPER &
WRITE
THE
NATION
& THE
MATCHING
NUMBER

46. # %
Correct
Grade 16
100 15 94 14 88 13 81 12 75 11 69 10 63 9 56 8 50 7 44 6 38 5 31 4 25 3 19 2 1

48. Polls reveal a “ CREDIBILITY GAP ”
MISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT
INCREASING SINCE THE 1960’S
INTERNAL EFFICACY (I make a difference)
SAME SINCE THE 1950’S
EXTERNAL EFFICACY (The system works)
DECLINING SINCE THE 1960’S
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

49. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information

50. Highest

52. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Political Ideology:
Coherent set of beliefs about politics and public policy / purpose
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
Predominance of conservative over liberal thinking
38% conservative
24% liberal
38% moderate
Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men
Ideological variation by religion too

53. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

54. Table 11.1- Gender Differences
Back

55. How Americans Participate in Politics
Political Participation: all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue
Conventional Participation
Voting in elections
Contacting elected officials
Working in campaigns
Running for office

56. How Americans Participate in Politics
Protest
Achieve changes through dramatic / unconventional tactics
Civil disobedience
Conscious decision to break a law
Belief law is immoral
Accept law-breaking consequence

57. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
How do people think politically?
Ideologues:
think in ideological terms
Group Benefits voters:
view politics through party or group label
Nature of the Times: view of politics based on whether times are good or bad
No issue content:
vote routinely for party or personality

58. Class and Participation

59. Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action
Many people have no opinion about government
Public opinion is inconsistent
In a Democracy do we get the government we deserve?

60. Figure 11.8- Public Opinion on Iraq
Back

62. IMPORTANT CULTURAL ELEMENTS
LIBERTY
EQUALITY
DEMOCRACY
CIVIC DUTY
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

63. AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE UNIQUE AMERICAN QUALITIES
TOCQUEVILLE’S
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
NO ARISTOCRACY
WESTWARD MOVEMENT
NATION OF SMALL
& INDEPENDENT FARMERS
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

64. Alexis de Tocqueville TRAVEL IN THE U. S
Alexis de Tocqueville TRAVEL IN THE U.S. IN DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA PUBLISHED VOL PUBLISHED VOL
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

65. SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS PURITAN HERITAGE FOLLOW LAWS, WORK HARD
LACK OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS
MOST SEEN AS MIDDLE CLASS
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

66. THE CULTURE WAR ORTHODOX GOD’S MORALITY FIXED MOST IMPORTANT
PROGRESSIVE
GUIDELINES CHANGE
ACCORDING TO SITUATION
PERSONAL FREEDOM
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

67. Highest
Lowest

68. ECONOMIC BELIEFS SUPPORT OF FREE ENTERPRISE (CAPITALISM)
…WITH GOV’T REGULATION
(SOCIALISM)
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

69. WHY DOES AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WORK ?
CONSENSUS VIEW (LOUIS HARTZ)
AMERICANS SHARE SAME BASIC VALUES
CONFLICT VIEW (VERNON PARRINGTON)
DIFFERENT MAJOR VIEWS COMPETE
(LIB. Vs CONS.)
4/23/2017
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

72. WHAT SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?

73. WHO SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?

74. WHO WILL YOU ACCEPT INTO . . .
BROWN
UNIVERSITY

77. WILMA ?? 3.5 GPA 25 ACT SCORE 5 AP COURSES 10 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (4 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (3 FOR 4 YEARS, 2 FOR 3 YEARS)

78. ADALAI ?? 3.1 GPA 22 ACT SCORE 0 AP COURSES 2 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (2 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (5 FOR 4 YEARS)

79. WILMA ADALAI 3.5 GPA 3.1 25 ACT SCORE 22 5 AP COURSES 0
HONOR COURSES 2
SPORTS 2
CLUBS

80. WILMA ADALAI W / SCHOOL A / SCHOOL 3.5/3.8 GPA 3.1/1.5
25/29 ACT SCORE 22/12
5/15 AP COURSES 0/0
10/ HONOR COURSES 2/2
2/ SPORTS /3*
5/ CLUBS 5/5
* No extra-curricular activities
for 2 years (Levy Failed)

81. College Admissions Advantage
Legacies Still Get
A Staggeringly Unfair
College Admissions Advantage
Max Nisen Jun. 5, 2013, 3:49 PM
* 45.1% more likely to get in.
* Equivalent to a 160-point swing on an SAT score. 
* There's some evidence that the practice has declined.
Read more:

82. TEXAS STATE SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (2005)
TOP 10 % OF CLASS
FREE TUITION
TO STATE SCHOOLS

83. 2008 = 3 BILLS TO CHANGE LAW
UNFAIR TO STUDENTS
IN “GOOD” SCHOOLS
CHANGING SCHOOLS
DURING SENIOR YEAR
MORE INFORMATION
THAN CLASS RANK NEEDED

84. OGT INFO… BEST INDICATOR OF DISTRICT SUCCESS 1- COMMUNITY INCOME
2- % WITH COLLEGE DEGREES
Dayton Daily News Sept 17, 2013

86. Summary American society is ethnically diverse and changing.
Knowing public opinion is important to a democracy, polling has costs and benefits.
Americans know little about politics.
Political participation is generally low.