Aim:Aim: What are the What are the characteristics of political characteristics of political

ideologues?ideologues?

Do Now:Do Now: Do you agree with the Do you agree with the results of the ideology quizzes you results of the ideology quizzes you

have taken? What factors may have taken? What factors may have influenced your ideology?have influenced your ideology?

Political Ideology:Political Ideology: Coherent and Coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who consistent set of beliefs about who ought to rule, what principles rulers ought to rule, what principles rulers ought to obey, and what policies ought to obey, and what policies rulers ought to pursue.rulers ought to pursue.

• Moderates: largest groupModerates: largest group

• Conservatives: second largestConservatives: second largest

• Liberals: smallestLiberals: smallest

•Pure liberalsPure liberals are liberal on economic policy are liberal on economic policy and personal conduct:and personal conduct:

– tax the rich heavilytax the rich heavily– allow abortionsallow abortions– protect the rights of the accusedprotect the rights of the accused– broad freedoms of speech and pressbroad freedoms of speech and press– more likely to be young, college-educated, and more likely to be young, college-educated, and

either Jewish or nonreligious.either Jewish or nonreligious.

•Pure conservatives: Pure conservatives: conservative on both conservative on both economic and conduct issueseconomic and conduct issues

– cut back on welfare statecut back on welfare state– allow the market to allocate goods and servicesallow the market to allocate goods and services– keep taxes lowkeep taxes low– lock up criminalslock up criminals– more likely to be older, richer, White, and live in more likely to be older, richer, White, and live in

the Midwest.the Midwest.

•LibertariansLibertarians are conservative on both are conservative on both economic issues and more liberal on social economic issues and more liberal on social affairsaffairs

– want small, weak govt. that will stay out of want small, weak govt. that will stay out of people’s private livespeople’s private lives

– more likely to be young, college-educated, White, more likely to be young, college-educated, White, have higher incomes, and live in the West.have higher incomes, and live in the West.

•PopulistsPopulists are liberal on economic matters are liberal on economic matters and conservative on social onesand conservative on social ones

– want the govt. to regulate personal conductwant the govt. to regulate personal conduct– lock up criminalslock up criminals– permit school prayerpermit school prayer– control businesscontrol business– likely to be older, poorly-educated, poorer, likely to be older, poorly-educated, poorer,

religious, female, and live in the South or Midwestreligious, female, and live in the South or Midwest

• Political Elites:Political Elites: People with access People with access to a disproportionate amount of to a disproportionate amount of resources (money, education, resources (money, education, prestige, political power, athletic prestige, political power, athletic ability).ability).– Also known as Also known as activists:activists: people who people who

get involved in politicsget involved in politics

• Political Elites establish norms for Political Elites establish norms for people to followpeople to follow– Help to establish public policy and shape Help to establish public policy and shape

opinionsopinions

What issues cause What issues cause cleavages of cleavages of opinion?opinion?

What is a “Latte Democrat” and a What is a “Latte Democrat” and a “NASCAR Republican?”“NASCAR Republican?”

AKA – The “Wine and Cheese Set”AKA – “Joe Six-pack”

Issues:Issues: We often associate Republicans with the We often associate Republicans with the

wealthy, and Democrats with the working wealthy, and Democrats with the working class.class.

However:However: Issues such as: Death Penalty, Abortion, Issues such as: Death Penalty, Abortion,

Racism, Same-Sex Marriage, Gun Control, Racism, Same-Sex Marriage, Gun Control, international foreign policy, and war are not international foreign policy, and war are not necessarily economic issuesnecessarily economic issues

Issues classified as economic would be: labor Issues classified as economic would be: labor unions, worker safety, minimum wage, unions, worker safety, minimum wage, unemployment, taxes, corporate and banking unemployment, taxes, corporate and banking regulations.regulations.

Cleavages and Cleavages and DemographicsDemographics Women, African-Americans, Jewish, Women, African-Americans, Jewish,

Catholic, Blue-Collar – tend to vote Catholic, Blue-Collar – tend to vote DemocratDemocrat

Protestants, white-collar (high income), Protestants, white-collar (high income), regular church going – tend to vote regular church going – tend to vote RepublicanRepublican

Higher levels of education tend to make Higher levels of education tend to make people more liberal (but not necessarily people more liberal (but not necessarily Democrats)Democrats)

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/01/18/the_10_regions_of_us_politics/

http://us.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1