Linkage Institutions

Linkage Institutions • Linkage Institution: The channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda. Lineberry Chapters 7, 8, and 11

I. Media • Media includes TV news, newspapers, internet stories, magazines, etc. • Media and Politics A. First Amendment – 5 Freedoms B. Press Conferences – Press Conferences: meetings of public officials with reporters C. Investigative Journalism - the use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams & schemes putting reporters & politicians opposite each other. D. Primary Concern of the Media

D. Primary Concern of Media • 2. Political Races/ Election Coverage – • 3. “Horserace Journalism” News focuses on who is ahead in the polls, not actual plans Overall - $$$ 1. Sound Bites – Stories on TV are mostly superficial Impact on politics?

E. Bias in the Media • Political Bias – actual bias towards a belief. - Most people live in cities so news can take the perspective of large cities (typically Democrats) • Structural Bias – Nature of the question, pressing for answers, etc. Also bad news/ scandals are exciting and good news is boring

II. Public Opinion and the Media • A. Agenda Setting – The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at the time. B. Media Events: • Events purposely staged for the media that nonetheless look spontaneous. Media events can be staged by almost anybody. • The media influence the criteria by which the public evaluates political leaders. • Some policies can be made more or less important depending on their coverage.

The Media’s Agenda-Setting Function • Does the media show us what we want to see or do we focus only on the things that the media shows us?

III. Media and Politics • The Broadcast Media – Private ownership • TV made the politicians more aware of their appearance and mannerisms. • Television is the principal source of news for most Americans, and most believable. • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the use of airwaves.

III. Media and Politics continued • The Media and the Scope of Government • The media as watchdog restricts politicians. • New proposals are met with skepticism - so that restricts what the government can do. • But, if the media identify a problem, they ask what the government is going to do to fix it.

IV. POLITICAL PARTIES • Political Party: • A “team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.” • Parties can be thought of in three parts: 1. Party in the electorate 2. Party as an organization 3. Party in government

What Parties Do • Parties Pick Candidates • Parties Run Campaigns • Parties Give Cues to Voters • Parties Articulate Policies • Parties Coordinate Policymaking

Three Headed Political Giants (where the party works) • Party and the Electorate • Party Organization • Party in Government Figure 8.1

A. Party identification is a citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other. Still most important factor! B. Ticket-splitting: Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. Ticket-splitting has become the norm in American voting behavior. 1. The Party in the Electorate

2. The Party as an Organization • These are the people that work for the party. • Parties are fragmented and decentralized. Party can lead but members do not have to follow (ticket splitting). National party can lead. • A. Patronage: A job, promotion/contract given for political reasons rather than merit. Used by party machines. • B. Pendelton Civil Service Act 1883 – Govt. workers must pass a test to prove they are qualified. • C. Hatch Act – 1939 – Prohibits government employees from active participation in partisan politics while at work.

3. The Party in Government: Elected Officials • These are the party members actually elected to government. • Candidates are less dependent on parties to get elected, but they still need help. • Coalition: • A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends. • Parties & politicians generally do what they say they will do.

IV. Party Eras in American History • Party Eras • Historical periods in which a majority of votes cling to the party in power. • Critical Election • An electoral “earthquake” where new issues and new coalitions emerge. • Party Realignment • The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election.

Party Eras in American History • A. 1796-1824: The First Party System • Madison warned of “factions” • First party were the Federalists • B. 1828-1856: Democrats Versus the Whigs • Whigs formed mainly in opposition to Democrats • C. 1860-1928: The Two Republican Eras • Republicans rose as the antislavery party • 1896 election revolved around the gold standard

D. 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition • Forged by the Democrats - relied upon urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners Most common question on the exam with coalitions is the NDC! <why?> E. 1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government • Southerners realign with Republicans (still there) • Party dealignment - disengagement of people from parties • Party neutrality - people are indifferent towards the two parties

VI. Third Parties: • Political parties other than Democrat or Republican • A. 3 Kinds • Specific Causes/Issues (Green Party) • Splinter/ Offshoot of major party (Dixiecrats or The Progressive Party) • Individual Ideas – Perot 1992

B. Contributions/ Advantages 1. Third parties bring new groups and ideas into the electorate. 2. Bring attention to issues 3. Safety valve for discontent if the two major parties do not support an idea

B. Problems of Third Parties/ Negatives • 1. Don’t win elections • 2. Don’t seek broad support (not catch-all) • 3. Obstacles to success • Electoral College • Winner take-all / Single Member Districts • 2 Party system entrenched

VII. Interest Groups • Defined – An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas.

A. Contemporaries Theories of Democracy • 1. Pluralism – • 2. Elitism • 3. Hyperpluralism • A. Subgovernments (Iron Triangles)

VIII. INTEREST GROUPS: HOW THEY WORK • Factors in the success of Interest Groups • A. Size/ Olson’s Law of Large Groups – • Potential group: All the people who might be interest group members because they share a common interest. • Actual group: The part of the potential group consisting of members who actually join.

B. Intensity • Single-Issue groups: Groups that focus on a narrow interest and dislike compromise. • Groups may focus on an emotional issue, providing them with a psychological advantage. • May be more likely to use protests and other means of political participation than traditional interest groups that use lobbyists.

C. Financial Resources • Not all groups have equal amounts of money. • Monetary donations usually translate into access to the politicians - a phone call, a meeting, etc. • There is a bias towards the wealthier groups. • The wealthier groups don’t always win in the policy arena.

IX. How IG Shape Policy • A. Lobbying • Grassroots Lobbying – When citizens contact their own legislators to try to influence legislation and policy • B. Electioneering/PACS – Money to campaigns. PACs created in 1974 to track money • C. Litigation • Amicus Curiae briefs • D. Moblizing Public Opinion

X. Types of Interest Groups A. Economic Interests • Labor – worker rights • AFL-CIO – Union of Unions – 9 mil members • Wagner Act 1935 – Legalize unions right to collectively bargain, rules to protect unions, and creates National Labor Relations Board. • Business (largest number of IG) – Industry, banks, MNC’s - Worry about regulation, taxes, minimum wage

Types - Continued B. Environmental Interests – Green Peace, Sierra Club, anti-nuclear groups C. Equality Interests – NAACP, NOW D. Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies – Seek a collective good, protect children (products). These helped create the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1973

XI. Impact of Interest Groups • IG’s seek to change the policy agenda and they can! • IG’s are a source of information, can write legislation, and can plan strategies for legislation. • They can help politicians plan strategies for reelection campaigns. • They can provide ideas and innovations that can be turned into policies that the politician can take credit for. • They can donate money to campaigns,

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Linkage Institutions