Political Culture

• Def: set of widely shared political beliefs and values• Values/Beliefs about Political System

– Liberty – Equality-oppurtunity/due process/equal protection– Individualism (limits on this?)– Democracy/Pop. Consent– Civic Duty– Justice– Nationalism/Idealism

• If ideals shared, why so much conflict?

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

• Democracy in America – commentary on American political culture and why we are the way we are:1. No feudal aristocracy: feudal aristocracy in France blocked ambition.2. Rule of Law: gov’t rules are applied equally and fairly, not on the whim of a ruler. 3. Few legal restrictions: open market competition with little gov’t involvement fosters growth and ambition.4. Vast territories: opportunity for people to acquire land and make a living.5. Opportunity: to make money, own land, do better.6. A nation of small farmers: the idea alone seems to bind people together.

Sources of Political Culture

• Experience with British: mistrust authority/power• Political Parties/Linkage Institutions• Religious Diversity• Family Values• Class• Inherent conflict

– Personal freedom v. control– Majority v. minority rights

Economic Equality in Economic Equality in America and EuropeAmerica and Europe

Where Do You Stand?• War in Afghanistan• National Security• Rights of Terror Suspects• Nuclear Weapons• Immigration• Gun Control• Debt• Campaign Finance• Policy Towards Iran/N.

Korea

• The Death Penalty• Gay Marriage• Global Warming• Abortion• Healthcare• Affirmative Action• Welfare• Syria• Tax Policy• English = Nat’l Language

Public OpinionWhere Do You Stand on the

Issues?

Political Socialization

• Political Socialization– Process thru which a person acquires their

knowledge, feelings, & evaluations of the pol. World (political values)…continual process

• Public Opinion = End result of this process

Influences on Political Socialization• Family

– Most influential earlier in life

• Media– News: internet; 24 hr. news cycle– Social Media– Narrowcasting

• School/Education– National values– Liberalizing effect of college– Higher levels of participation

• Peers & Social Groups• Growing influence around High School

• Region

• Political Events– Major events shift thinking- i.e.- New Deal; 9/11

• Religion– Catholics/Jews—Liberal– Protestant/Evangelicals —Conservative

• Occupation– White Collar/business= consrv.– Professors/Lawyers—Liberal– Blue Collar- liberal– Oil Industry/Construction--Conservative

Impact of Demographics• Age

– Youth: More liberal; Least likely to vote

– Elderly: Highest pol. Participation; Conserv.

• Gender– Gender Gap: Women

more liberal – Men more conservative

• Income Level– Wealthier—more

conservative

• Race– Whites – Republican– African-Americans- Democrat– Latino- Democrat– Asian- Democrat

• Single vs. Married– Not a huge difference– Singles more likely to vote Democrat– Married couples more likely to vote Republican

• Education-College education influences individuals to be more liberal on social and economic issues than they were before college. The longer students stay in college, the more prestigious the institution they attend, the more liberal they become.

(HOWEVER: moderate voters tend to become more consevative as they become more economically prosperous (more school, usually=more prosperity)

Psychological Influences

• Political Efficacy- the amount of impact citizens feel they have on a political affairs.

What’s Meant by Liberal & Conservative

• Ideology: – Coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy,

& role of government– Measure in terms of frequency of self-identification– Gives meaning to pol. events/policies/personalities

Mainstream Ideologies**• Liberal and Conservative.• Basic Disagreement is over the Role of

Government– 1. How much power should the government have

over the economy?• Liberal: Positive action in the economy• Conservative: Positive action to support capitalism

– 2. What should the government promote?• Liberal: Economic Security, equal opportunity, social liberty• Conservative: Economic Liberty, morality and social order.

What is Meant by Liberal & Conservative

• Left…Liberals– Pol. & Social Reform– Govt. Reg. of Economy– Support equality for

women, minorities, poor– Nat’l Healthcare– Abortion Rights– Loose Constructionist– Judicial Activism

• Right…Conservative– Expansion U.S. military

power– Less Govt. Reg. of Econ.– Free-Market Econ. – School Prayer– Strict Constructionist– Judicial Restraint

Elites & Activists (Ideologues):•More Consistent Ideologies•More informed•Intensity of beliefs

•Dealignment•Trend of more Americans moving to center on pol. spectrum

What is Public Opinion?• Def:

• Attitudes about institutions., leaders, issues, & events• Specific groups thoughts about a certain policy issue or event

at a given point in time• Unstable• Many Americans Uninformed• Subject to many influences…What influences public opinion?

• Uses– Measure popularity/success of policy– Define issues & guide decisions

• What influences public opinion? Groups?• History of trying to infl. pub. opinion

– Ex. Federalist Papers

Measuring Public Opinion• How are Ideology, Socialization, & Public Opinion related?• How is public opinion measured?

– Polls– Elections– Interest Groups– Media Coverage

What are polls?• What are polls used for?

– Measure of public opinion– Track/monitor short term developments; influence strategy

• Key Elements to Scientific Polling– Picking a sample…is it representative? Random Sampling

– What is an effective sample size?– Contact: When/How?...phone/face to face

• Exit Polls– Phrasing Questions…avoid bias

– Questions must provide an option– Findings influenced by the process– Pens & Polls: Nicaragua’s 1st Dem. Election

– Analyze & Report Data– Margin of Error

Political Polls• Tracking Polls:

– Monitor short term developments and impact strategies (daily)

– Small samples

• Exit Polls– Election Day…– What’s a common criticism of Exit Polls?

• Polls: A tool for democracy?– Provide way for public to express its

opinions– Enables politicians to implement public

preferences on key issues

Criticisms of Polls• Polls transform leaders into followers• Distort Election Process

– Bandwagon Effect; Exit Polls• Bandwagon Effect: polls can influence people to support a

candidate simply because they see others doing so

– Media & Polls• Influences Elections/how public perceives an issue• Iowa Straw Poll

• Sampling Error/Quality of Sample• Sample’s knowledge of topic

– Can’t measure intangibles (sample’s intensity/ stability of beliefs)

• Power of wording:

Frank Luntz: The G.O.P. Whisperer

Colbert Interviews Frank Luntz

Power of Words…Frank Luntz• Language Error: “Estate Tax”• Adjustment: “Death Tax”

• Language Error: “Relaxed Air Quality Standards”• Adjustment: “Clear Skies Initiative”

• Language Error: “Smaller Government”• Adjustment: “More Effective & Efficient Govt.”

• Language Error: “Control the growth of Social Security & Medicare”• Adjustment: “Save & Strengthen Entitlements”

Media and Public Opinion

• How does the media play a role in public opinion?– Agenda Setting

(Gatekeeper)– Bias– Source of Pol. Info– Differences between

media

• Criticisms of media– Oversimplify complex

issues– Reduce major stories to

sound-bites– Focus on the sensational

& trivial– Constant polling leads

to…

Polls: Telling America What to Think

Pew Research Polls: Partisan Politics, Distrust in Government…What gives?

Polling Simulation

• http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_longman_media_1/2008_raised/Player/sim.youareapollingconsultant.html

• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec12/campaign_09-17.html