Chapter8

American Government and Politics: Deliberation, Democracy, and Citizenship

Chapter EightPublic Opinion and Political Participation

Chapter Eight: Learning Objectives

• Define the concept of public opinion and tell how researchers measure it

• Discuss the distinction between short-term reactions to issues and more deliberative opinions

Chapter Eight: Learning Objectives

• Explain the core beliefs that separate different ideologies in the United States

• Identify the major influences on public opinion about politics

Chapter Eight: Learning Objectives

• Name different forms of political participation and analyze how they contribute to deliberation

• Understand inequalities in political participation

Chapter Eight: Learning Objectives

• Discuss political participation as a responsibility of citizenship

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Introduction

What is public opinion?

What are some ways for Americans to make their opinions about politics known?

Measuring Opinion: Polls and Respondents

Public opinion polls (or surveys) are one way to measure public opinion.

It is not feasible to speak with every person in a population, so public opinion polls are often based on a random sample.

Measuring Opinion: Questions

Do you believe the way a question is worded may make a difference in the response given?

Those who create public opinion polls must be aware of the way they word the questions as well as question order as both may affect responses.

Types of Polls

Types of polls include

1. Tracking polls2. Exit polls

What are the differences between tracking and exit polls?

Problems with Polls

What are some potential problems with public opinion polls?

What can researchers do to prevent or overcome problems with public opinion polls?

Knowledge and Deliberative Opinion

How can political leaders understand and distinguish between fleeting opinions and lasting judgments?

What are some consequences for political leaders if they do not fully understand the differences between fleeting opinions and lasting judgments?

Knowledge and Deliberative Opinion: Politicians and Deliberative Opinion

Two ways elected officials use public opinion

1. Consider merits of issues, not just poll numbers

2. Understand that public opinion has nuances

Pledges and Promises

The pledge paradox

Americans typically do not trust promises from politicians.

The gap between what we expect politicians to do and what they actually do is called the pledge paradox.

Deliberation and Ideology

What is political ideology?

What beliefs separate the different political ideologies in America?

Deliberation and Ideology

Political ideologies in America

1. Liberals2. Conservatives3. Libertarians4. Populists

Deliberation and Ideology

In order to better understand the different ideologies, it is useful to consider their positions on three issues

1. Economics2. Social issues3. International relations

Deliberation and Ideology: Liberals

Economics• Favor policies that reduce economic inequality

Social issues• Focus on individual choice

International relations• Emphasis on diplomacy

Deliberation and Ideology: Conservatives

Economics• Want less government power in economy

Social issues• Government to promote traditional behavior

International relations• More willing to assert national power

Deliberation and Ideology: Libertarians

On economic issues, libertarians usually agree with conservatives and want to cut taxes and reduce government spending.

On social issues, libertarians usually agree with liberals and oppose government intervention in social policy.

Deliberation and Ideology: Populists

On both economic and social issues, populists usually favor strong government intervention.

Libertarianism and populism have not found a firm base in American politics.

International Perspectives

The political spectrum

Many other democracies have more diverse ideologies, but that may be changing.

Why have American ideological beliefs been exceptional?

What Influences Our Opinions About Politics?

What influences your opinions about politics?

Carlos Barria/Reuters/Landov John Gress/Reuters /Landov

What Influences Our Opinions About Politics? Political Socialization

Agents of political socialization

• Family

• Education

• Life changes (marriage, career, peer groups)

• Historical events

What Influences Our Opinions About Politics? Political Persuasion

Do you practice selective exposure?

Aristotle’s three methods of persuasion

1. Ethos2. Pathos3. Logos

Opinions in Action

How does participation in politics foster deliberation?

Does political participation matter? Why or why not?

How do you participate in politics?

Opinions in Action: Types of Participation

What are different types of participation?

• Talking about politics

• Supporting a political campaign

• Using the Internet to support a campaign or contact elected officials

Opinions in Action: Types of Participation

Myths and Misinformation

Internet petitions

Many internet petitions have been hoaxes.

Politicians and advocacy groups have started to use internet petitions to create lists of people that support their causes.

Opinions in Action: Deliberation and Impact

Do some forms of participation make more of an impact on the political system than others?

What forms of participation do you believe may be more influential?

Schwadron, Harley/Cartoon Stock

Opinions in Action: Deliberation and Impact

Source: From Internet and American Life Project. Copyright © 2009. Reprinted withpermission.

Who Votes? Expansion of Suffrage

In the early days of the nation, many groups did not have the right to vote.

Barriers to voting included

• Property ownership requirements• Poll taxes• Literacy tests

Who Votes? Expansion of Suffrage

Suffrage was expanded through

• Fifteenth Amendment (1870)

• Nineteenth Amendment (1920)

• Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964)

• Voting Rights Act (1965)

Who Votes? Registration

The 1993 National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter) was passed to make it easier to register to vote.

States are responsible for maintaining the lists of registered voters.

Who Votes? Understanding Turnout

How to measure voter turnout

1. Divide the number of votes in an election by the number of registered voters

Do you see potential problems with this method?

Who Votes? Understanding Turnout

How to measure voter turnout

2. Divide the number of votes in an election by the voting age population

Why do you believe some scholars prefer this method of measurement?

Who Votes? Understanding Turnout

Source: Copyright © 2009 by Michael McDonald. Reprinted with permission.

Who Votes? Understanding Turnout

Why is voter turnout so low in the United States?

What are some costs and benefits of voting?

Is voting important to deliberative democracy? Why?

Who Votes? Voter Demographics

In general, voters tend to be older, have higher levels of education, and are more affluent than the general population.

Figure 8-4 on page 264 provides more information about who votes

Public Opinion, Political Participation, and Deliberative Democracy

How should political leaders use public opinion to make decisions?

Deliberative democracy requires a dialogue between elected officials and the public.

Deliberation, Citizenship and You

E-Activism

How has the Internet changed political participation?

What are some advantages or disadvantages of using the Internet for political participation?

Summary

• Public opinion is important in a democracy

• Political ideology may affect opinions

• Public opinion translates into policy through political participation