1. Political Ideology and Socialization Unit 2

2. Political Ideology Ideology Ideology Set of basic beliefs on culture, life, government and society. Set of basic beliefs on culture, life, government and society. What is Conservative? What is Conservative? What is Liberal? What is Liberal?

3. Strong Lib Weak Lib Moderate Weak Con Strong Con

4. One Way to Look at things Liberal Economics Conservative Economic liberals favor broad government involvement in economic policymaking and regulation of business. Economic conservatives favor limited government involvement in economic policymaking and reg. of business. Liberal Political/Social Conservative Social and political liberals favor limited government regulation of individual behavior. Social and political conservatives favor broad government regulation of individual behavior. Liberal Constitutional Conservative Loose interpretation of the Const. Strict interpretation of the Const.

5. Reacting against some trend, ie Columbine Far Left or Far Right, aka Extremist FREEDOMFREEDOM What do you think?

6. Liberal or Conservative? Public schools should begin each day with a prayer. Public schools should begin each day with a prayer. Businesses operate most efficiently when they determine how much their workers earn. Government should not set a minimum wage. Businesses operate most efficiently when they determine how much their workers earn. Government should not set a minimum wage. Law-abiding citizens should have no limit on the number of guns they may own. Law-abiding citizens should have no limit on the number of guns they may own. Individual people should rely on their own hard work to achieve financial stability. Individual people should rely on their own hard work to achieve financial stability. Religion and public schools should be kept separate. Religion and public schools should be kept separate. The minimum wage is a great example of how the government can protect workers from being taken advantage of by businesses. The minimum wage is a great example of how the government can protect workers from being taken advantage of by businesses. Gun control laws are an important way to protect public safety. Gun control laws are an important way to protect public safety. Sometimes the poor need financial help from the government. Sometimes the poor need financial help from the government. I believe that the government should be able to censor books and movies with offensive language. I also believe that government regulations on business help protect our environment. I believe that the government should be able to censor books and movies with offensive language. I also believe that government regulations on business help protect our environment.

7. Public Opinion and Polls Public Opinion Public Opinion What is it? What is it? How is it Measured? How is it Measured? Public Opinion Polls Public Opinion Polls How is it formed? How is it formed? Political Socialization Political Socialization Importance Importance Source of Power and Legitimacy Source of Power and Legitimacy Clarifies the Issues for Politicians Clarifies the Issues for Politicians Types of Opinion Types of Opinion Consensus Consensus Polarized Polarized

8. Qualities of Public Opinion Intensity Intensity How strongly people feel about and issue How strongly people feel about and issue Relevance Relevance How important or unimportant an issue may be to someone How important or unimportant an issue may be to someone Fluidity Fluidity How quickly does it change How quickly does it change Stability Stability The constancy of people’s opinions The constancy of people’s opinions Quiescence Quiescence Latent public opinion, activated through communication of more information Latent public opinion, activated through communication of more information

9. Political Socialization The process through which an individual acquires a particular political orientations; the learning process by which people acquire their political beliefs and values The process through which an individual acquires a particular political orientations; the learning process by which people acquire their political beliefs and values

10. Agents of Political Socialization Family Family Party Identification Party Identification Political Authority Political Authority Schools Schools Public Schools Public Schools 1994 Kids Voting Campaign 1994 Kids Voting Campaign Higher Education Higher Education Peers, Friends, & Opinion Leaders Peers, Friends, & Opinion Leaders Unions and CEOs Unions and CEOs Teachers, Talk Show Hosts, the President Teachers, Talk Show Hosts, the President

11. The Media The Media Jay Leno & The Daily Show Jay Leno & The Daily Show MTV “Choose or Lose” MTV “Choose or Lose” Candidate Appearances Candidate Appearances Karenna Gore Schiff & George P. Bush Karenna Gore Schiff & George P. Bush The Internet The Internet Selective Perception Selective Perception Generational Events Generational Events The Depression The Depression WW II & the Cold War WW II & the Cold War Vietnam, Watergate, Monica Gate Vietnam, Watergate, Monica Gate JFK, Challenger, & 9/11/01 JFK, Challenger, & 9/11/01

12. Demographics and Socialization Religion Religion Protestants, Catholics, Jews Protestants, Catholics, Jews Evangelicals Evangelicals Race Race White White African American African American Hispanic Hispanic Cubans Cubans Income Income Rich Rich Business Business Poor Poor Labor Labor Religious Religious

13. Region Region North v. South North v. South Solid South Solid South West v. MidWest West v. MidWest Urban v. Rural Urban v. Rural Gender Gender Gender Gap since the 70’s Gender Gap since the 70’s Liberal Liberal Age Age The Graying of America The Graying of America Participation and Conservatism Participation and Conservatism

14. Measuring Public Opinion Public Opinion Polls Public Opinion Polls a survey taken of a representative cross section of the general public to determine its views on a particular matter. a survey taken of a representative cross section of the general public to determine its views on a particular matter. Problems Problems 1. People are fickle 2. Lack of opinion 3. Population may not be accurately reflected Early Efforts to influence Early Efforts to influence Common Sense Common Sense The Federalist Papers The Federalist Papers Uncle Tom’s Cabin Uncle Tom’s Cabin Wilson’s Committee of Public Information Wilson’s Committee of Public Information

15. Early Opinion Polls The Early Years The Early Years Pennsylvania 1824 Pennsylvania 1824 Boston Globe 1883 Boston Globe 1883 Literary Digest 1916 Literary Digest 1916 1920 – 1932 1920 – 1932 Straw Polls Straw Polls Unscientific surveys collectively based on individual responses to a question Unscientific surveys collectively based on individual responses to a question The Mistake of 1936 The Mistake of 1936 Alfred Landon over FDR Alfred Landon over FDR 3 Fatal Mistakes 3 Fatal Mistakes Poor Sampling – Telephone and Car Dealerships Poor Sampling – Telephone and Car Dealerships Mailed in September Mailed in September Self Selected Sample Self Selected Sample George Gallup George Gallup Close Enough Close Enough

16. Gallup’s 1948 Mistake Gallup’s 1948 Mistake Dewey (R) v. Truman (D) Dewey (R) v. Truman (D) Stopped too Soon Stopped too Soon The American Voter 1960 Campbell, Converse, Miller, & Stokes The American Voter 1960 Campbell, Converse, Miller, & Stokes Set the Standard Set the Standard 1952 & 1956 1952 & 1956 Class Coalitions based on issues lead to party affiliation and affects presidential elections. Class Coalitions based on issues lead to party affiliation and affects presidential elections. NES @ Michigan NES @ Michigan Used By Scientist today Used By Scientist today Regular Surveys of Attitudes and Behaviors Regular Surveys of Attitudes and Behaviors

18. How to Poll Snap Shots of Opinion Snap Shots of Opinion Letters to editors, elections, polls Letters to editors, elections, polls 4 Steps to Polling 4 Steps to Polling 1. Determine the Universe What do you want to know? What do you want to know? Who do you want to ask? Who do you want to ask? 2. Create the Question Neutral in tone Neutral in tone Not leading Not leading 3. Sample @ Random >1000 people >1000 people Nonstratified Straw Polls Nonstratified Straw Polls Quota Sampling: Meet the % Quota Sampling: Meet the % Stratified Sampling: Dividing the Nation Stratified Sampling: Dividing the Nation 4. Contact Respondents Television Polls: Motivation Television Polls: Motivation Telephone Polls: Cell Phones Telephone Polls: Cell Phones In Person Interviews: NES In Person Interviews: NES

19. Types of Polls Types of Polls Types of Polls Tracking Polls Tracking Polls Continuous surveys Continuous surveys Push Polls Push Polls Topics/issues are pushed Topics/issues are pushed Often one Sided Often one Sided Can be used to twist opinion Can be used to twist opinion Exit Polls Exit Polls Done on Election Day Done on Election Day Calling the Vote Calling the Vote Jimmy Carter & AlGore 2000 Jimmy Carter & AlGore 2000 Deliberate Polling Deliberate Polling 1996, 600 people 1996, 600 people Inform then question Inform then question

20. Problems with Polling Sample Errors Sample Errors 3%-5% is reasonable 3%-5% is reasonable VERY important in a close race VERY important in a close race Al Gore 48% George Bush 52% Al Gore 48% George Bush 52% w/ 5% margin Al Gore 53% George Bush 47% w/ 5% margin Al Gore 53% George Bush 47% Limited Respondent Options Limited Respondent Options Not enough options Not enough options Not Accurate to feelings Not Accurate to feelings Lack of Information Lack of Information If you don’t know your answers won’t be valid. If you don’t know your answers won’t be valid. We are uninformed We are uninformed Intensity Intensity Big flaw Big flaw Elitism Elitism Deliberate Polls only pick certain people, but so do all polls Deliberate Polls only pick certain people, but so do all polls

21. Politicians Use of Polls Do polls effect the political process? Do polls effect the political process? Are polls a means of measuring public attitudes or a means of controlling public opinion? Are polls a means of measuring public attitudes or a means of controlling public opinion? Can polls change opinion and how? Can polls change opinion and how? Public opinion changes constantly; should politicians use public opinion polls in policy making and elections? Public opinion changes constantly; should politicians use public opinion polls in policy making and elections?