Understanding American Public Opinion and Political Action

2. 6 Public Opinion and Political Action

3. Video: The Big Picture 6 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Edwards_Ch06_Public_Opinion_Seg1_v2.html

4. 6 Learning Objectives Identify demographic trends and their likely impact on American politics 6.1 Outline how various forms of socialization shape political opinions 6.2

5. 6 Learning Objectives Explain how polls are conducted and what can be learned from them about American public opinion 6.3 Assess the influence of political ideology on Americans’ political thinking and behavior 6.4

6. 6 Learning Objectives Classify forms of political participation into two broad types 6.5 Analyze how public opinion about the scope of government guides political behavior 6.6

7. Video: The Basics 6 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg2_PoliticalOpinion_v2.html

8. The American People 6.1 • Immigrant Society • American Melting Pot • Regional Shift • Graying of America

9. 6.1 NASCAR and Census advertising

10. Immigrant Society A nation of nations 1 million legal immigrants/year 500,000 illegal immigrants/year 12% of residents foreign-born Waves of immigration Northwest Europe (English, Irish, Scottish, Germans, Scandinavians) Southern and Eastern Europe (Italians, Jews, Poles, Russians) Hispanics (Cuba, Central America, Mexico) Asians (Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, India) 6.1

11. Immigrant Society Restrictions on immigration Open door policy Criminals, prostitutes, lunatics, diseased (1875) Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) Johnson-Reid Immigration Act (1924) Hart-Celler Immigration and Nationality Act (1965) Family integration – good or bad idea? 6.1

12. American Melting Pot Minority majority Hispanic population growing rapidly 6.1

13. 6.1 FIGURE 6.1: The coming minority majority

14. American Melting Pot Reluctant immigrants 13% of population 26% still live in poverty Political power increasing Simpson-Mazzoli Act (1986) 6.1

15. 6.1 Border fence

16. American Melting Pot Political culture and assimilation 6.1

17. Regional Shift Northeast most populous West and South growing since WWII Sun Belt migration Arizona, Texas, Florida Political power of these areas increasing Reapportionment Once each decade, after census 6.1

18. Graying of America Over-65 fastest growing age group People living longer Fertility rate lower Implications for Social Security Ratio changing Politically-sensitive 6.1

19. 6.1 6.1 What kind of regional population shift is America experiencing? From Northeast to Southwest From Northwest to Southeast From Southwest to Northeast From Midwest to Northeast

20. 6.1 6.1 What kind of regional population shift is America experiencing? From Northeast to Southwest From Northwest to Southeast From Southwest to Northeast From Midwest to Northeast

21. Video: In Context 6.1 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_PoliticalParticipation_v2.html

22. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization 6.2 • Process of Political Socialization • Political Learning over a Lifetime

23. Process of Political Socialization Civics class tip of iceberg Family Central role Time and emotional commitment Mass media The new parents (and teachers) Age gap in following politics School Forming civic virtue 6.2

24. Political Learning over a Lifetime Increasing participation with age Party identification strengthens Political behaviour is learned 6.2

25. 6.2 FIGURE 6.2: Turnout increases with age

26. 6.2 6.2 What is the most important agent of political socialization in the U.S.? Government Family School Profession

27. 6.2 6.2 What is the most important agent of political socialization in the U.S.? Government Family School Profession

28. Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist 6.2 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg4_PublicOpinion_v2.html

29. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information 6.3 • How Polls Are Conducted • Role of Polls in American Democracy • What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information • Decline of Trust in Government

30. How Polls Are Conducted Sample Random sample Sampling error Random digit dialing Cell phones Internet polling 6.3

31. Roll of Polls in American Democracy Polling as a tool for democracy: pros and cons Gauge opinion between elections Following rather than leading Pandering or shaping? Bandwagon effect Exit polls Affect election results Question wording 6.3

32. Exit Polls

33. Video: In the Real World 6.3 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg5_PublicOpinion_v2.html

34. What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information Americans are uninformed Jeffersonian faith in wisdom of common people unfounded Young people most uninformed Who is responsible for the ill-informed electorate? Is it the schools’ fault? Is it the media’s fault? Paradox of mass politics 6.3

35. 6.3 FIGURE 6.3: Many Americans show little knowledge of world geography

36. Decline of Trust in Government The great slide Vietnam War Watergate Economy/hostage crisis Is public cynicism good? Negative effect on programs for poor 6.3

37. 6.3 FIGURE 6.4: Decline of trust in government, 1958-2012

38. 6.3 6.3 What is the problem with exit polls? They are usually inaccurate They don’t poll every voter They influence election results None of the above

39. 6.3 6.3 What is the problem with exit polls? They are usually inaccurate They don’t poll every voter They influence election results None of the above

40. Explore the Simulation: You Are a Polling Consultant 6.3 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_longman_media_1/2013_mpsl_sim/simulation.html?simulaURL=11

41. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies 6.4 • Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? • Do People Think in Ideological Terms?

42. 6.4 TABLE 6.1: How to tell a liberal from a conservative

43. Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? Conservatives dominate 41% conservative/21% liberal Younger people less conservative Minorities less conservative Wealthy more conservative Gender gap Religious more conservative 6.4

44. Do People Think in Ideological Terms? Types of voters Ideologues Group benefits Nature of the times No issue content Ideology of limited importance Seen as threat to family 6.4

45. 6.4 FIGURE 6.5: Changing attitudes toward gays and lesbians

46. 6.4 6.4 Americans identify most with which political ideology? Moderate Liberal Democrat Conservative

47. 6.4 6.4 Americans identify most with which political ideology? Moderate Liberal Democrat Conservative

48. How Americans Participate in Politics 6.5 • Conventional Participation • Protest as Participation • Class, Inequality, and Participation

49. Conventional Participation Conventional participation Voting Running for office Collecting signatures for a petition Unconventional participation Protesting Civil disobedience Violence 6.5

50. Protest as Participation Drawing attention Protests attract the media Rare Civil disobedience Breaking unjust laws 6.5