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Chapter 5. Public Opinion. What is Public Opinion?. “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address. The people want… A balanced budget The ERA ratified Term limits for Congress Lower taxes No electoral college
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Chapter 5 Public Opinion
What is Public Opinion? “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address The people want… • A balanced budget • The ERA ratified • Term limits for Congress • Lower taxes • No electoral college Is the US Gov’t giving the people what it wants?
Policy & Opinion at Odds US Gov’t not intended to do “what the people want” • What happened? • Political parties • Large v. small states • Majority rule may not protect minority rights • Voter turnout—who’s voting
What Influences Public Opinion? • Education • Political Parties • Family • Religion • Age • Social class • Race • Region • sex
Political Ideologies Conservative • Republican • Family values • Strong military • Less gov’t • Lower taxes for wealthy • Free market • More educated Liberal • Democrat • Jobs for all • Taxation of the rich • Tolerant • More gov’t to help less fortunate • Subsidized medical care and education • Less educated
The Tweeners • People can mix ideologies • Pure Liberals • Pure Conservatives • Libertarians—conservative on economic issues, liberal on personal issues • Populists—liberal on economics, conservative on personal • New Class—youth of America, some college, urban, critical of business & gov’t, conservative on some social issues, liberal on others
Questions • What do you think is the one thing that voters want the most? Explain. • In the US system of gov’t, is the minority view protected, or is there too much power to the majority view? Explain. • Examine the following factors of public opinion: Education, Political Parties, Family, Religion, Age, Social class, Race, Region, sex. Rank the order of importance of these factors (the least being #1). • Why are many Americans leaning towards mixed ideologies? Explain.