Exam 3 Stuff: Public Opinion-Voting

Political Science 2201 with Kazmierczak, Mary at Marquette University

About this deck

By: Mitch Faccio
Textbook:

American Government: Readings and Cases (18th Edition)

American Government: Roots and Reform, 2009 Alternate Edition (9th Edition)
Created: 2009-11-11
Size: 83 flashcards
Views: 117

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Political Socialization

The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values

Public Opinion

What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point in time

Public Opinion Polls

Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population.

Straw polls

Unscientific surveys used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies

Sample

A subset of the whole population selected to be questioned for the purpose of prediction or gauging opinion.

Random Sampling

A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chance of being selected.

Stratified Sampling

A variation of random sampling; Census data are used to divide the country into four sampling regions. Sets of countries and Standard metropolitan statistical areas are then randomly selected in proportion to the total national population.

Push Polls

Polls taken for the purpose of providing information on an opponent that would lead respondents to vote against that candidate.

Tracking Polls

Continuous surveys that enable a campaign to chart its daily rise or fall in support.

Exit Polls

Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election Day.

Margin of Error

A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll.

Political Ideology

The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals.

Elements of Public Opinion

1) Issue

2) Recognizable group concerned about issue

3) Complex of Preferences

4) Expression of Opinion

5) Sufficient number of people involved

Early Learning

What you learn first, you learn best. What you learn early structures other learning.

Agents of Early Socialization

Family, Primary and Secondary School, Various Youth Groups (Ex: 4H, FFA, Daughters of Revolution), Friends

Agents of Later Socializtion

College, Fellow People (Workers, Spouse, Club Members), Political Leaders, Maturing

Political Values and Social Groups

Education, Income Levels, Region, Ethnicity and Race, Religion

Factors that contribute to your opinion formality

Self-Interest, Political Information (Most americans do not have information), Political Leadership (Likes and Dislikes of Political Leaders effect us)

The Media

Process of transmitting information from one group to another. Vehicle of communication between government and people.

Mass Communication

Process by which individuals or groups transmit info to large heterogeneous groups.

Different Mass Media

Print- Written word (Newspaper, Magazines)

Broadcast- Spoken Word (News)

Functions of News Media

Report news, Interpret news, Socializing people, Influencing citizens' attitudes and behavior, Set agenda for political action

3 Ways President Communicates with Press

1) Press Release

2) Press Briefing

3) News Conference

On the Record

Can attribute information to a certain person

Off the Record

Source wants you to know but can't use it unless you find another person who says it.

Communication from people to government

Important because it tells the government what the majority is thinking and can act with the majority.

Why have free media?

Founding fathers believed free media helps democracy because

1) Communication is a tool even from people to government

2) Media tries to find corruption

3) Media also highlights ideas that need to be highlighted

4) Media sets political agenda

Media tries to find corruption

This makes government responsible for actions.

Media highlights ideas that need highlighting

Ex: Civil Right act

(would this really have passed without the media highlighting discrimination)

Media helps set up political agenda

The media helps tell government what is important

Social Capital

The myriad relationships that individuals enjoy that facilitate the resolution of community problems through collective action.

Civic Virtue

The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good.

Interest Group

An organized group that tries to influence public policy.

Pluralist Theory

The theory that political power is distributed among a wide array of diverse and competing interest groups.

Disturbance Theory

The theory that interest groups form in part to counteract the efforts of other groups.

Transactions Theory

The theory that public policies are the result of narrowly defined exchanges among political actors.

Population Ecology Theory

The theory that the life of a political organization is conditional on the density and diversity of the interest group population in a given area.

Kinds of Organized Interests

1) Public Interest

2) Economic Interest

3) Governmental Units

4) Political Action Committees

Public Interest Groups

An organization that seeks a collective good that will not selectively and materially benefit group members

Economic Interest Group

A group with the primary purpose of promoting the financial interests of its members. 90% of Interest Groups

Earmark

Funds that an appropriations bill designates for a particular purpose within a state or congressional district.

Political Action committee (PAC)

Federally regulated, officially registered fund-raising committee that represents interest groups in the political process. Were created to give money to groups because people couldn't give money to them.

Lobbyist

Interest group representative who seeks to influence legislation that will benefit his or her organization or client through political persuasion.

Trade Association

A group that represents a specific industry.

Lobbying

The activities of a group or organization that seeks to influence legislation and persuade political leaders to support the group's position.

Collective Good

Something of value that cannot be withheld from a nonmember of a group, for example, a tax write-off or a better environment.

Free rider problem

Potential members fail to join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing the effort.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

Lobbying reform banning gifts to members of Congress and their staffs, toughening disclosure requirements, and increasing time limits on moving from the federal government to the private sector.

Why form interest groups?

Culture Explanation-Humans are social creatures

Entrepreneur Thesis

Idea that you need a leader who understands and takes the risks that go along with interest groups.

Government Related Interest Groups

Groups formed by government to lobby federal government.

Functions of Interest Groups

1) Represent

2) Participate

3) Educate

4) Agenda Building

5) Program Monitering

Representation of Interest Groups

Represent the interest of the members

Participation of Interest Groups

Another way to participate in government

Education by Interest Groups

Educate members on what is going on. Educate people in community about group. Educate government by giving info to government.

Agenda Building by Interest Groups

Groups work to get ideas or interests on national agenda

Program Monitoring by Interest Groups

Monitor government on issues of interest to make sure being done properly.

Methods of Influencing

1) Direct Lobbying

2) Information Campaigns

3) Grassroots Lobbying

Direct Lobbying

1) Lobbying-Standing around lobby and approaching people

2) Testifying before Government-Make statements to try to get bill changed

3) Draft Regulations-Lobbying people who write regulations

4) Litigate-Take group to court.

Amicus Curiae

"Friend of Court" - Filled out by groups who aren't part of case but are interested in case. Can have effect on courts.

Information Campaigns

Get info to candidates.

Ex: Hold Press Conference, sponsor research, talk with media

Grassroots Lobbying

Members at large are asked to communicate directly. Ex: Letter writing, calling, email, demonstrating marches.

Problems with Interest Groups

Threat of Violence.

Assumptions of Pluralists on Interest Groups

1) Everyone has equal access

2) All groups have sufficient resources

3) Fair competition between groups

Structural Disenfranchisement

People are afraid that groups that aren't heard will go toward violence. Campaign contribution is essentially bribery.

Campaign Act 1974

Public finances of presidential elections. It limited contributions from groups.

Independent Expenditures

Money spent on a candidate but separate from campaign.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

The court ruled that money spent by an individual or political committee in support or opposition of a candidate was a form of symbolic speech, and therefore could not be limited under the first amendment.

Government Interference in Print

Government does not intervene with print unless it violates national security.

Federal Communication Act of 1934

Related to the licensing of Radio.

On the Background

Can use but cannot attribute to the person.

Political Party

An organized effort by office holders, candidates, activists, and voters to pursue their common interests by gaining and exercising power through the electoral process.

Winner-take all system

An electoral system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.

Primary Election

Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election

Closed Primary

A primary election in which only a party's registered voters are eligible to vote.

Open primary

A primary in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote.

Extra Constitutional

Outside the constitution because constitution says nothing about political parties. Parties are not interest groups!

5 Electoral Functions of Parties

1) Integrate diverse interest into a unified political coefficient

2) Prime tool for recruiting and teaching candidates

3) Nominate Candidates for election

4) Structure Voting Choice

5) Propose alternate government programs

2 Government functions of Parties

1) Coordinate actions of government officials and give coherency to policy.

2) Help make government responsible to people.

Blanket Primary

Like open, all ballets, no need to announce but can cross party vote. Alaska and Washington State.

Causes of decline of Parties

1) Primary Elections- Primary voters are extreme and elect inappropriate candidates.

2) Media - Candidates do not meet people now

3) Candidates hire own staff rather then use party staff

4) Single issue Interest groups persuade candidates

5) Lack of Patrician Socialization

Consequences of Decline in Parties

1) Electoral alternation is confusing

2) Interests are not integrated

3) Elections have become fragmented

4) Power is not accountable

3 Pos and 3 Neg of Interest Groups

Positives: Educate Members, Encourage Participation, Represent interests of members, Build agenda, Monitor programs

Negatives: Threat of Violence, Structural Disenfranchisement, ....