Political Beliefs and Behaviors

1. Political Beliefs and Behaviors

2. Insert Cartoon of reason people vote

3. Participation in the Political Process • 1. Voting(Be able to describe historical trends in voting) • Eligibility • Elimination of property requirements in nearly all states (1830) • Elimination of racial discrimination in 15th Amendment (1870) • Elimination of sexual discrimination in 19th Amendment (1920) • Elimination of poll taxes in 24th Amendment (1964) • Elimination of literacy tests in Voting Rights Act (1965) • Partial elimination of state registration laws in Voting Rights Act (1965) • Reduction of voting age to 18 in 26th Amendment (1971) • Potential further elimination of state registration laws in Motor Voter Act (1993) • Reduction of residency requirement to 1 or 2 months in most states

4. Statistics on Voter Turnout Participation of voters in Presidential Elections • Registered voters • 1992 122,000,000 • 2000 130,000,000 • 2008 169,000,000 Voting on election day • 1992 55% of all eligible voters 85% of registered voters • 1996 49% of all eligible voters 82% of registered voters • 2000 51% of all eligible voters 86% of registered voters • 2004 55.3% of all eligible voters • 2008 56.8 % of all eligible voters 70.7 % of registered voters

5. Voting for Highest state offices – participation of 33+% • Congressional midterm elections- participation of 33+% • Lesser state and local offices – participation of 20+% • 38% of electorate voting every 2 years- core electorate

6. Analysis…… High rates of voter participation in Presidential Years!

7. Year Voting-agepopulation Voterregistration Voter turnout Turnout of voting-age population (percent) 2008* 231,229,580 NA 132,618,580* 56.8% 2006 220,600,000 135,889,600 80,588,000 37.1% 2004 221,256,931 174,800,000 122,294,978 55.3 2002 215,473,000 150,990,598 79,830,119 37.0 2000 205,815,000 156,421,311 105,586,274 51.3 1998 200,929,000 141,850,558 73,117,022 36.4 1996 196,511,000 146,211,960 96,456,345 49.1 1994 193,650,000 130,292,822 75,105,860 38.8 1992 189,529,000 133,821,178 104,405,155 55.1 1990 185,812,000 121,105,630 67,859,189 36.5 1988 182,778,000 126,379,628 91,594,693 50.1 1986 178,566,000 118,399,984 64,991,128 36.4 1984 174,466,000 124,150,614 92,652,680 53.1

9. Analysis of Voter Turnout… • Voter turnout rates reached a long time low in the elections of 1996 and 2000 • In 2004 extraordinary efforts by political parties, candidate campaigns, and interest groups increased the voter turnout to about 60%. • The highest turnouts in American history happened around the turn of the 20th century, when higher voter fraud artificially elevated voter rates

10. Profile of individuals most likely to vote (CoreElectorate) • Middle aged or older • Poor record for 18 to 24 year olds! (That is you!!!!) • White • Highly educated • Living outside the south • Male • Married • Employment in white collar job • Long time resident of an area • Wealthy • Disappearance of racial factor with consideration of socioeconomic status

15. Reasons for Voting • One of the duties and obligations of citizenship • Belief in concept that every vote counts (Florida in 2000) • Predicted closeness of an election

16. Joy of participation in political process • Desire to influence outcome of elections and the direction of the nation’s policies • Identification with a specific party and or party’s candidate • Response to volunteers and campaign staff’s get-out-the-vote efforts • Door-to-door canvassing • Voter registration drives

17. Reasons for Not Voting • Lack of interest (Lacks Political Efficacy) • Lack of faith in political system • Lack of government responsiveness to the individual voter • Lack of any real choice between candidates

18. Indecision on merits and/or positions of candidates • Domination of area by one party • Illness on election day • Lack of transportation (poor/elderly) • Out of district on election day • Failure to obtain an absentee ballot (young and old)

20. Reasons for voter decisions on given Candidates • Party affiliation - partisanship • Declining importance in recent years • Interest in particular issue or issues • Increase in single issue voting • Problems with issue voting • Lack of clarity in a candidates position (easy issues) • Agreement on candidates position but not means of implementation (hard issues) • Agreement with different candidates on different issues

21. Reasons for votes decisions on candidates Cont’ • Prospective vision • Favorable comparison of position statements and choice of candidate(Takes real effort) • Retrospective vision • Basis of judgment on results not intentions • Personal appeal (role of the Media?) • Past accomplishments • Perception of competence and political ability • Perception of ability to deal with crisis, other elected officials and branches of government

22. 2. Campaign Roles Citizens can play • Member of paid political staff • Donation of time as a volunteer (Active Role) • Phone calling and door-to-door campaigning • Selling of prospective candidates • Registration of potential voters • Mailing literature and letters of endorsement • Hosting fund-raising parties • Hosting meet-the-candidate parties • Distributing handbills on election day • Displaying bumper stickers, buttons, and or other election paraphernalia • Keeping abreast of the issues (Passive Role) • Read newspapers • Watch television • Hold political discussions • Communicating with the candidate on the issues • Donation of $ (10% of voters do this)

23. Nomination as a candidate • Attractiveness of political career in 20th century • Salary and benefits • Public recognition • Perception of power • Belief in ability to impact the direction of government • Reasons for not seeking a political office • Cost of campaigns • Absence from current job or position • Demands on time and family • Loss of privacy • Mudslinging campaigns • Possibility of defeat

24. Additional Actions citizens can take • Contact with elected officials on issues or need for personal assistance • 30% of the people per year • Membership in a group or association hoping to impact political decisions • 90% of the population in one group • 50% of the population in 3 or more groups • 4% of the groups with politics only focus • Filing a lawsuit to challenge a government action • Use of Civil Disobedience • Intentional breaking of a law to bring attention toan issue

25. Role of Public OpinionWhat do citizens want from government? • Definition • Opinions of people about elected officials, candidates, public policy, and government institutions • Reflections of personal values, beliefs, and attitudes • Values –basic guiding goals and priorities • Beliefs – understanding of events and visions of the future • Attitudes – judgments about the interactions of life • Creation of linkage between public opinion and government policy

26. Inconsistencies in Public Opinions • Dissatisfaction in 1992(Not always easy to interpret) • Disapproval of George Bush’s job as president by more than 60% • Disapproval of the job of Congress by nearly 80% • Little or no trust in the government to do the right thing most or all the time by more than 60% • Satisfaction in 1992 • Pride in being an American by more than 90% • General belief in the workings of democracy by more than 60%

27. 2010 • Obama’s approval rating in the 30% range • 50% of Americans have confidence in their government • 73% of people believe business can run things more efficiently than government • 76% of people believe the government needs to build roads and conduct research

28. End-of-Presidency Job Approval Ratings President Rating (%) Election Results Bill Clinton(2 terms, D, 2001) 66 VP Gore (D) wins popular vote but Bush (R) wins electoral college vote Ronald Reagan(2 terms, R, 1989) 63 VP Bush (R) defeats Dukakis (D) John F. Kennedy(partial term, D, 1963) 63 (VP) Johnson (D) defeats Goldwater (R) Dwight Eisenhower(2 terms, R, 1961) 59 Kennedy (D) defeats Nixon (R) George H. Bush(1 term, R, 1993) 56 Clinton (D) defeats Bush (R) Gerald Ford(partial term, R, 1977) 53 Carter (D) defeats Ford (R) Lyndon Johnson(1+ terms, D, 1969) 49 Nixon (R) defeats Humphrey (Johnson did not run) (D) Jimmy Carter(1 term, D, 1981) 34 Reagan (R) defeats Carter (D) George W. Bush(2 terms, R, 2009) 34 Obama (D) defeats McCain (R) Richard Nixon(partial term, R, 1974) 24 Carter (D) defeats (VP) Ford (R)

29. Public Opinion Polling

30. Public Opinion Polling • Sampling • Random • Complete listing of all available people • Selection of a random number to be interviewed • Equal chance of every person to be chosen • Multistage cluster • Division of the nation into regions of equal population • Division of regions into sub regions • Choice of several sub regions in each region • Selection of random sample from each sub region • Random-digit telephone dialers • Selection of every X number of houses in the subregion • Sampling error • Difference between the sample and the entire population

31. Margin of error • Probability of the entire population within X percentage • Increase in the accuracy of the poll with an increase in the sample size • Potential for inaccuracy(Watch out for..) • Emotionally loaded questions • Subtle differences in wording • Lack of truthfulness on the part of the respondents

32. Opinions of Various GroupsMust design campaigns to get their support! • Gender Differences • Examples of the gender gap • Women’s shift to the Republican party in the Eisenhower Era • Party of Peace • Importance of health issues to women and defense issues to men • Age differences • Examples of generation gap • 18 to 30 year olds only group with majority Republican identification • Less attachment to the idea of a large military to preserve the peace among the young

33. Class Differences • Examples of an education and income gap • Support for government direct assistance programs among people with less money and less education • More support for protection of civil liberties by upper and middle classes • Regional Differences • Examples of a geographic gap • Major support for a strong military in the south • Major support for prayer in the schools in the south • Minimum support for civil rights by many white Southerners • Racial Differences • Example of Race gap • Question of guilt or innocence of O.J. Simpson • Strong support for civil rights laws by blacks

35. Acquisition of Political Knowledge and Opinions in the Socialization Process(How do we acquire our political tastes?) • Timeline • Preschool (1-4) • Ideas of authority and rules • Elementary school (5-10) • Concept of government as an institution • Portrayal of political figures as honest and benevolent • Adolescence (11-18) • Beginning of identification with a political party • Ability to think of politics in the abstract as liberal or conservative • Adulthood (18+) • Generally no change in basic political beliefs • Open concern for jobs and personal welfare • Responsible for continuity of US politics

36. Influences • Family • General imitation of members’ views • Schools • Teaching about the organization of society and government • Teaching compliance to rules and authority • Teaching of patriotism • Tendency of college experience to liberalize views

37. Mass media • Impacts • Setting of the public policy agenda • Content of news coverage (CNBC v. FOX) • Stress on issues or people (where in the line up, what page?) • Development of a party identification • Guiding short-term opinions and voting • Creation of vision of political efficacy (trust in government) • Internal-personal ability to influence government • External government ability to handle personal concerns • General decline in both areas over the long-term

38. Mass Media cont’ • Limitations of mass media • Prescreening of incoming information • Choice of what to watch or read, sound bites • Party loyalty (Republican – FOX) • Choice of party candidate regardless of information • Importance of local issues and personal communication • Increasing concern with local support rather than regional or national

39. Mass Media Definitions • Media • Means for the transmission of thoughts and ideas • Mass • Impact on a large number of people

40. Media Statistics (HUGE #’s) • Televisions • In United States homes in 2010 • 1 in over over 99% • 2 in over 75% • 3 in over 50% • 2,500 stations in 2000 • Radio • 13,000 stations in 2000 • Newspapers • 1,500 dailies in 2000

41. Organizational Structure of the News Media • Division into corporation • Motive to make profits • Need for significant audience (Entertainment??) • Need to secure advertisements • Increase in the number of mergers • Total media outlets • Control of 50+% of outlets by 50 corporations (1981) • Control of 50+% of outlets by 29 corporations (1987) • Merger mania • Paramount • Viacom • Turner Broadcasting and ABC

42. Newspapers • Lack of competition in 98% of US cities • Examples Decline from 14 papers in 1920 to 4 in 1996 in NYC Ownership of 82 individual papers by the Gannett Corporation • Broadcast Media TV • Increase in the number of stations legally permitted to be owned by a network • 5 – pre 1980 • 12 – late 1980s • 20 late 1990s • Potential allowable market-share increase from 25 to 35 % of the nations viewing audience • Increase in competition with growth of cable television • World Wide Web • Over 1 billion documents • Over 15 million domain names Media as a business is very competitive - but tough to make $$

43. Perspectives on the Role of the Print Media • Partisan Press • Reporting of news from a particular stance (Liberal/Conservative) • Critique • Harsh treatment of certain issues or individuals (Hardball) • Benefit • Airing of dissenting views • Public Press • Cheap newspapers for the increasingly literate population • Mass circulation newspapersUSA Today • Examples NY Times • Joseph Pulitzer and Randolph Hearst News and entertainment Sensationalistic yellow journalism

44. Public Press cont’ • Opinion Magazines • McClure’s, Cosmopolitan, and Colliers • Use of investigative reporting • Revelations on the underside of industrialization and society at the turn of the century (muckrakers) Ida Tarbell – The History of the Standard Oil Company Lincoln Steffen – The Shame of Cities Frank Norris – “The Octopus” Upton Sinclair – The Jungle • Critique • Watered down, often sensationalistic, content to appeal to a variety of groups (USA Today, NY Times)

45. Can the Press be objective??? • Objective Press • “Cannons of Journalism” 1923 • Principles of an objective press • Appearance of reporting all sides of all issues • Critique • Impossibility of objectivity • Inclusion or exclusion of certain newsworthy items • Emphasis or de-emphasis on certain aspects of a situation • Positive or negative slant to coverage • Interpretive Press • Job of reporter to interpret and analyze what is said and done • Critique • Advocacy of certain policy positions of either the establishment or its opponents

46. Government Control of the Media • Judicial – The Courts • Support of 1st Amendment protections • No prior restraint on publication of material, but responsibility for publication • Definition of limitations on obscenity and libel • Question of right of access to information • Freedom of Information Act, 1966 • Protection of citizen’s right to information • Branzburg v. Hayes, 1972 • No guarantee of special access for the press to information not available to the general public • Richmond Newspapers, Inc v. Virginia, 1980 • Open access of press and public to criminal trials and the government bureaucracy

47. Executive – The President • Appointment with Senate approval of members of Federal Communications Commission • Use of White House Press Corps. to communicate policies of the executive branch • Reporters traveling with the President at taxpayer expense • Legislative - Congress • Appropriation of funding for Public Broadcasting System • Allocation of scarce resources- broadcasting frequencies

48. Establishment of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (1934) • Origin In Radio Act (1927) • Assignment of frequencies by Federal Radio Commission • Membership • Appointment by the President with Senate approval • Duties –How does the FCC operate? • Management of all electronic communications • Regulation of broadcast content to protect the public’s interest Equal time provision Requirement of time for all candidates, not selected ones

49. Fairness Doctrine • Provision of time for opposing views on controversial topics • Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, 1969 Upholding of doctrine for broadcasts • Miami Herald Publishing Co v. Tornillo, 1974 Striking down of doctrine for newspapers • Abolition by FCC in 1987 Political – editorial rule Right of candidate to reply to a station’s editorial • Personal Attack Rule Right of individual or group to reply to negative statements Abolition of required number of radio commercials Abolition of required public affairs programming

50. Regulation of Children’s programming with Children’s Television Act (1990) Requirement for FCC license to serve educational and informational needs of children • Regulation of the use of Public Airwaves Definition of technical standards Creation of licensing procedures 7-7-7 rule early 1950s Licensing of 7 AM , 7 FM and 7 television stations to the same source Expansion to 12-12-12 rule in the 1980s Development of a crisis situation in 1992 Support for increasing single ownership of radio stations Compromise of 18 AM and 18 FM Only 2 AM and 2 FM in the same market Control of broadcasting standards