UNIT II- Political BeliefsUNIT II- Political Beliefs

Political culture is an overall set of Political culture is an overall set of valuesvalues widely shared within a widely shared within a societysociety..

For example, there is agreement among For example, there is agreement among many ethnic groups about the value of many ethnic groups about the value of equality. equality.

PublicPublic OpinionOpinion is the distribution of is the distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issuesand policy issues

Elements of the American view Elements of the American view of the Political Systemof the Political System

1.1. LibertyLiberty

2.2. EqualityEquality

3.3. DemocracyDemocracy

4.4. Civic dutyCivic duty

5.5. Individual responsibilityIndividual responsibility ““American creed”- Belief in equality of opportunityAmerican creed”- Belief in equality of opportunity

Political SocializationPolitical Socialization ““the process through which the process through which

and individual acquires [their] and individual acquires [their] particular political particular political orientation”orientation”

Orientation grows firmer with Orientation grows firmer with ageage

The Process of Political The Process of Political SocializationSocialization

The The FamilyFamily The The MassMass MediaMedia

Generation GapGeneration Gap SchoolSchool

better-educated better-educated citizens are more likely citizens are more likely to vote and are more to vote and are more knowledgeable about knowledgeable about politics and policy.politics and policy.

PoliticalPolitical LearningLearning over a over a Lifetime- Aging increases Lifetime- Aging increases political participation and political participation and strength of party strength of party attachment. (see figure attachment. (see figure 6.3)6.3)

Consequences of the Decline in Consequences of the Decline in Support?Support?

1.1. People are more likely to People are more likely to protestprotest government’s government’s policiespolicies

2.2. There is a significant There is a significant declinedecline in in votingvoting

3.3. An increased An increased dependencedependence on on third-third-partyparty identifiers who feel alienated identifiers who feel alienated from the two major political parties.from the two major political parties.

4.4. More More non-conventionalnon-conventional participation participation

Political Efficacy in the United Political Efficacy in the United StatesStates

Definition: citizen’s capacity to understand and Definition: citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political eventsinfluence political events

Political efficacy has two partsPolitical efficacy has two parts1.1. InternalInternal efficacy-efficacy- Confidence in one’s ability to Confidence in one’s ability to

understand and influence eventsunderstand and influence events2.2. ExternalExternal efficacy-efficacy- Belief that system will respond to Belief that system will respond to

citizenscitizens Not shaped by particular eventsNot shaped by particular events Declined steadily since the 1960sDeclined steadily since the 1960s

Americans seem to believe that government is Americans seem to believe that government is becoming becoming too bigtoo big to respond to individual to respond to individual preferencespreferences

Comparison: efficacy is still much higher among Comparison: efficacy is still much higher among AmericansAmericans than among than among EuropeansEuropeans

The Role of Polls in American The Role of Polls in American DemocracyDemocracy

Polls help politicians detect Polls help politicians detect publicpublic preferencespreferences..

But critics say polls make politicians think But critics say polls make politicians think more about more about followingfollowing than than leadingleading public, public, even though politicians do not track opinion even though politicians do not track opinion to make policyto make policy

Polls may Polls may distortdistort election process election process ExitExit PollsPolls

May May discouragediscourage people from voting people from voting 2000 presidential election in Florida2000 presidential election in Florida

Measuring Public Opinion and Measuring Public Opinion and Political InformationPolitical Information

How Polls Are ConductedHow Polls Are Conducted SampleSample: a small proportion of people who are : a small proportion of people who are

chosen in a survey to be representative of the chosen in a survey to be representative of the wholewhole

RandomRandom SamplingSampling: the key technique employed : the key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers which by sophisticated survey researchers which operates on the principle that everyone should operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for have an equal probability of being selected for the samplethe sample

SamplingSampling ErrorError: the level of confidence in the : the level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion pollfindings of a public opinion poll

Public Opinion PollingPublic Opinion Polling

Case Study:1936 Literary Digest Case Study:1936 Literary Digest PollPoll

Predicts Alf Landon will win in 1936, 57% Predicts Alf Landon will win in 1936, 57% to 43%. to 43%.

Literary Digest had been right in every Literary Digest had been right in every previous election.previous election.

. . . but not this time!. . . but not this time! Why did it go wrong?Why did it go wrong?

What Polls Reveal About What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Americans’ Political

InformationInformation

Americans Americans don’t know muchdon’t know much about about politics.politics.

Americans may know their Americans may know their basicbasic beliefsbeliefs but not how that affects but not how that affects policies of the government.policies of the government.

Example: Example: Citizenship QuizCitizenship Quiz

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies

““a set of values a person holds that a set of values a person holds that are reflected in their political are reflected in their political views.” (economics, social and views.” (economics, social and moral values)moral values)

Most Americans identify themselves as Most Americans identify themselves as liberalliberal or or conservativeconservative. .

Terms have Terms have changedchanged over time. over time.

Political Ideology Political Ideology AssignmentAssignment

““In your team, create a debate presentation (using Google In your team, create a debate presentation (using Google Slides) between a liberal and a conservative about one of Slides) between a liberal and a conservative about one of the following topics:the following topics:

1.1. Health Care Health Care 2.2. Immigration Immigration

3.3. Abortion Abortion 4.4. Gun Control Gun Control

5.5. Minimum Wage Minimum Wage 6.6. National Security National Security

7.7. Social Security Social Security 8.8. Student Choice (see me for approval Student Choice (see me for approval firstfirst))

You must use news sources as part of your evidence. Ex- “In a You must use news sources as part of your evidence. Ex- “In a August 1August 1stst article published by MSNBC, Jeb Bush was quoted article published by MSNBC, Jeb Bush was quoted as saying “Immigration is encouraged.” (GIVE as saying “Immigration is encouraged.” (GIVE CITATIONS/LINKS)CITATIONS/LINKS)

See rubric with more information!See rubric with more information!

Possible FRQ for Political Possible FRQ for Political BeliefsBeliefs

Trust and confidence in government have declined Trust and confidence in government have declined in recent decades.in recent decades.

a) Explain how divided government has contributed a) Explain how divided government has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in to the decline in trust and confidence in government. Be sure to include a definition of government. Be sure to include a definition of divided government in your response.divided government in your response.

b) Explain how the increased cost of election b) Explain how the increased cost of election campaigns has contributed to the decline in trust campaigns has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in government.and confidence in government.

c) Explain two specific consequences of the decline c) Explain two specific consequences of the decline in trust and confidence in government for in trust and confidence in government for individual political behavior. individual political behavior.

Political BehaviorsPolitical Behaviors

Political ParticipationPolitical Participation

““all the activities used by citizens to all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue”leaders or the policies they pursue”

LinkageLinkage institutionsinstitutions are the political are the political channels through which people’s channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.the policy agenda.

Examples: media, interest groups, Examples: media, interest groups, political partiespolitical parties

Forms of ParticipationForms of Participation

1.1. Conventional methods: Conventional methods: votingvoting, working on a , working on a campaigncampaign, contacting elected officials, contacting elected officials

2.2. ProtestProtest3.3. GrassGrass rootsroots campaigns encourage citizens to get out campaigns encourage citizens to get out

and vote. and vote. 4.4. CivilCivil disobediencedisobedience: a form of political participation : a form of political participation

that reflects a conscious decision to break a law that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.consequences.

5.5. Joining an Joining an interestinterest group or group or politicalpolitical party party6.6. Donate Donate moneymoney to a campaign to a campaign7.7. CommunityCommunity Service-Service- young people’s participation in young people’s participation in

civic activities has reached all-time highs for those civic activities has reached all-time highs for those 30 and below. 30 and below.

How Citizens ParticipateHow Citizens Participate

Electoral/Non-electoral Political Electoral/Non-electoral Political Participation Among Anglo Participation Among Anglo

Whites, African Americans, and Whites, African Americans, and LatinosLatinos

Figure 8.3: Nonpolitical Figure 8.3: Nonpolitical Voluntary Activity Among Voluntary Activity Among

CitizensCitizens

Sidney Verba et al., Voice and Equality: Civic Volunteerism in American Politics (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995), 77-79.

Table 8.6: Participation Table 8.6: Participation Beyond Voting in Fourteen Beyond Voting in Fourteen

DemocraciesDemocracies

Voter TurnoutVoter Turnout

Key QuestionsKey Questions: What is an average turnout in a : What is an average turnout in a Presidential election? In a “mid term” election? Off Presidential election? In a “mid term” election? Off year? Primary? Closed primary? What types of voters year? Primary? Closed primary? What types of voters vote in low turnout elections?vote in low turnout elections?

Key TrendKey Trend: Federal government taken more control : Federal government taken more control of the voter process since Constitution written of the voter process since Constitution written through registration requirements and suffrage laws. through registration requirements and suffrage laws.

GOOD RULE OF THUMBGOOD RULE OF THUMB: “Voting is a matter of habit. : “Voting is a matter of habit. The more frequently a person has voted in the past, The more frequently a person has voted in the past, the most likely they will in the current election.” the most likely they will in the current election.”

What are the implications of this statement?What are the implications of this statement?

Voter Participation in Voter Participation in Presidential Elections, 1860-Presidential Elections, 1860-

20042004

Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t People Vote?People Vote?

Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t Obstacles to Voting: Why Don’t People Vote?People Vote?

1.1. Voter RegistrationVoter Registration Absentee Ballots- Absentee Ballots-

2.2. Single Day, Tuesday VotingSingle Day, Tuesday Voting3.3. ApathyApathy4.4. Expansion of Expansion of suffragesuffrage

Motor Voter Law (1993)Motor Voter Law (1993) Voter Rights Act of 1965Voter Rights Act of 1965

5.5. Greater Greater youthfulnessyouthfulness of population and presence of growing number of of population and presence of growing number of minoritiesminorities eligible to vote. eligible to vote.

6.6. PoliticalPolitical partiesparties are not as effective as once were in mobilizing voters to get to are not as effective as once were in mobilizing voters to get to pollspolls

Why? Why? 7.7. Other issues:Other issues:

CitizenshipCitizenship Disfranchisement of certain groups (felons, the mentally incompetent) Disfranchisement of certain groups (felons, the mentally incompetent) ResidencyResidency Need to show identificationNeed to show identification Generally have to vote in personGenerally have to vote in person Closed primariesClosed primaries

*Surprisingly, there is no correlation between distrust of political leaders and not voting.**Surprisingly, there is no correlation between distrust of political leaders and not voting.*

What causes people to What causes people to vote?vote?

1.1. PartyParty IdentificationIdentification (#1 factor in determining who votes) (#1 factor in determining who votes) Provide a regular perspective through which voters can view Provide a regular perspective through which voters can view

the political world.the political world.2.2. CandidatesCandidates

Integrity Integrity Reliability Reliability Competence Competence

3.3. PolicyPolicy Easier to do today than 1960’s because media forces Easier to do today than 1960’s because media forces

candidates to take a stand. candidates to take a stand. 4.4. High High politicalpolitical efficacyefficacy

Those who see policy differences among voters are more Those who see policy differences among voters are more likely to vote. When major differences exist, the most likely likely to vote. When major differences exist, the most likely voters will turn out because they feel like they can steer voters will turn out because they feel like they can steer policies by their choices.policies by their choices.

Who is more likely to Who is more likely to vote?vote?

1.1. Age- older voter, more likely to vote, but drops off Age- older voter, more likely to vote, but drops off after getting too old. after getting too old.

Education: More education = more likely to vote. Education: More education = more likely to vote. Most important factorMost important factor

ReligiousReligious HighHigh income income RaceRace – African American, Hispanic, and Asian – African American, Hispanic, and Asian

(most unrepresented groups of American voters)(most unrepresented groups of American voters) Gender: Gender: FemaleFemale = more likely to vote = more likely to vote Marital Status: Marital Status: MarriedMarried = more likely to vote = more likely to vote Union Membership: Union Membership: UnionUnion member = more likely member = more likely

to voteto vote Traits are cumulativeTraits are cumulative– possessing– possessing several adds several adds

upup

Possible FRQ from this UNITPossible FRQ from this UNIT In the United States political system, there are several linkage In the United States political system, there are several linkage

institutions that can connect citizens to government. institutions that can connect citizens to government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of lower Elections constitute one such institution. Because of lower voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. linking citizens to their government.

a) Describe how each of the following is related to the a) Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of votinglikelihood of voting

AgeAge EducationEducationb) Identify one current government electoral requirement that b) Identify one current government electoral requirement that

decreased voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter decreased voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter turnoutturnout