Warm up1. Who is eligible to vote in the U.S.?2. Who can’t vote?3. What is an absentee ballot?4. What is an exit poll?5. Who makes up the electorate?6. What is apathy?7. What percentage of people vote in a

Presidential election? Non Presidential elections?

8. What is the difference between an initiative and a referendum?

9. What is the most common means of campaigning?

10.Why do incumbents win most of the time?11.What is the difference between hard money and

soft money?

Warm up• 1. List three things that influence public opinion.• 2. What do we call individuals who share a point of view and unite to

promote their beliefs? • 3. What is the most accurate way to measure public opinion?• 4. What term refers to ideas people hold about a particular issue?• 5. Why are interest groups often referred to as pressure groups?• 6. Because most media outlets are private businesses, how do media

managers decide what news to run?• 7. What is prior restraint?• 8. What was decided about libel in New York Times vs. Sullivan?• 9. Why would a politician leak information?• 10. What are lobbyists?•  • 11. What group represents doctors?• 12. What is the largest group representing workers?• 13. What is the most important resource for lobbyists?•  • 14. What is the primary goal of interest groups?•  • 15. What protects a person’s right to join an interest group?

Public Opinion

Chapter 11

Vocab – chapter 11

1. Public opinion2. Mass media3. Interest group4. Public opinion

poll5. Pollster6. Electronic media7. Public agenda8. Leak

9. Prior restraint10.Libel 11.Malice12.Public interest

group13.Nonpartisan14.Political Action

Committee (PAC)

15.Lobbyist

Public Opinion• The ideas & attitudes people have about

candidates

• Influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion & occupation

• Mass media is a strong influence

• Politicians must be responsive to public opinion if they are going to get reelected

• Understanding public opinion helps presidents make effective, timely decisions. Successful presidents have a good sense of when the public is ready for a new idea and when it is not.

• Franklin D. Roosevilt expressed this idea when he said, “I cannot go any faster than the people will let me.”

• What exactly did President Roosevelt mean?

Determining Public Opinion Public Opinion Polls – survey – most

accurate way to determine public opinion Pollsters – people trained to take polls &

measure public opinion Push Polls – used to push public opinion

one way or another Have loaded questions – biased to get a

certain response Presidential Approval Rating Gallup Poll – sampling of public opinion on

a particular issue by questioning a representative cross section.

Presidential Approval Ratings

Media• Print – newspapers, mailings, magazines

• Electronic – TV, radio, internet

• Main purpose – to keep us informed• Independent media is most desirable

• Literacy is important

• Bias – one-sided point of view

Biased Media• Fox – Republican

biased news• MSNBC – Democratic

biased news

• How can you protect yourself from bias in the news?

Interest Groups• People attempting to influence

government with their shared views• Pressure groups – group of people who

share an interest, concern, or set of opinions and who try to influence politics and the govt.

• Functions:oBring issues to the public & lawmakersoSupport candidates who favor their

goals

Types of Interest Groups• Economic – most common

oBusiness organizations – interested in trade

o Industrial & Trade – represent certain types of business

o Labor Unions – rights of workersoProfessional Associations – represent

different professionsoEx. US Chamber of Congress, Tobacco

Institute, AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations – alliance of labor unions)

• Group oEthnicity (NAACP)oAge (AARP)oGender (NOW)

• Public – focus on specific causes (PETA)

Ways Special Interest Groups

Influence Politics• Election Activities – backing a

candidate• Lobbying – persuading officials• Provide expert testimony or help

write laws in committees• Go to court to fight a cause• Fund elections

• What assumption can we make about people in an interest group?

• What does the phrase, “strength in numbers,” tell us about interest groups?

Lobbyists• Lobby – try to get officials to support

a group’s goals

• Responsible for getting PAC money to the right politicians

• Speak in congressional committees

Regulation• Lobbyists can’t pay a candidates

living expenses

• Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)oAll lobbies must register with

federal & state governments & report all expenditures

• Why is it important to know who lobbyists work for?

Propaganda • Attempt to influence people with

biased information

• Always make sure to get both sides of a story from reliable sources

• Good way to determine what a candidate really supports is to see which PAC gives them money for campaigning

Types of Propaganda• Endorsements – famous or admirable person

supports a candidate• Stacked Cards – presenting only 1 side of the

issue – distorting the facts• Name-Calling – turning people against an

opponent by giving them an unpleasant label or description

• Glittering Generality – statement that sounds good but is meaningless

• Symbols – use and misuse of symbols• Just Plain Folks – make people think that the

candidate is just like them• Bandwagon – convincing people that

everyone else agrees with a certain candidate

• How does name-calling differ from the other techniques?

Creating a Public Interest

Campaign

1 - Identifying the issue -5 mins• A democratic society requires the active

participation of its citizens.

• Identify an issue of either school, local, or national interest.

• Prepare a short statement expressing your viewpoint about the issue selected.

• The statement should explain what your concern is, your viewpoint, and why you have this view

Creating a Public Interest Campaign

2 - Speaking Out – 20 mins• Use your statement from part 1 as a

basis for an editorial – 3 paragraphs

• Include at least 2 statistics and one concrete example that backs up your point of view.

• Include the sources you used to get the information

Creating a Public Interest

Campaign

3 - Working Together – 5 mins

• Create a name for your interest group and plan a peaceful demonstration to promote your agenda.

• Consider who you want to communicate your concerns – the government or the public.

• Consider what activity and location would best communicate your concerns.

Creating a Public Interest Campaign

4 - Demonstrating Concern – 15 mins

• Using the plan you made in step 3 – incorporate posters, music, and/or a skit that dramatizes your causes.

What is publishing false information

that harms a person’s reputation?1. Propaganda2. Censorship3. Libel4. Slander

A disadvantage of mass campaigning is:

A. Its too time consumingB. It takes too many peopleC. Its too expensiveD. It doesn’t reach enough people

All of the following are reasons a

person should volunteer except:1. The community benefits2. A person can deduct it on their tax return3. It pays well4. It gives a person intrinsic value

All of the following are duties except:

1. Attending school2. Paying taxes 3. Voting in elections 4. Serving on a jury

Which of the following can cause a

voters registration to be canceled? 1. Convicted of a felony2. Move out of the state 3. Nothing cancels voter registration 4. Both A and B are correct

A lobbyist can do all of the following

except:A. Pay a member of congress to vote for a bill B. Prepare a report on a billC. Research information about a bill D. Testify about a bill

To learn about public opinion,

pollsters usually question:1. Americans from one particular economic group 2. Fewer than 100 people3. A random sample of people 4. People with very strong opinions

Which one of the following is a branch

of the AFL-CIO Union?1. American Medical Association2. American Bar Association3. National Organization for Women4. National Football Players Association

Most interest groups can be described as:

1. Biased 2. Illegal 3. Impartial 4. Ineffective

All males must register at the age

of 18 with the: 1. Selective Services 2. Draft Board 3. US Army 4. Board of Elections

What provides a way for citizens to

approve or reject state laws?1. Referendum2. Proposition3. Mandate4. Initiative

When are referendums most likely used?

1. Daily issues2. Run off elections3. Recall elections4. Controversial issues

What is the main purpose of the

media in politics? 1. Ratings2. To inform us 3. To influence the government4. Support the government

What is the most common use of

campaigning during elections?1. Canvassing2. Mail3. Magazine & Newspaper Ads4. TV

How does a person contribute to the

Presidential Election Campaign

Fund?1. By paying the sales tax2. Checking a box on their income tax forms3. Ordinary people can not contribute 4. Only by contributing to PAC’s

What is a split ticket?1. Ballots with candidates listed on two sides2. Using different ballots for national and state

issues3. Voting for candidates from different political

parties4. Voting for candidates from the same political

party

Which President had the worst

approval rating?1. Harry Truman2. Franklin D. Roosevelt3. Richard Nixon4. George Bush