Political Culture

• The attitudes we have and the expectations we hold toward our political system

• What values do we share?• Do we trust our government and

our political leaders?• Do we believe our voice matters?

Political Values

• Freedom• Equality of opportunity (not outcome)• Individualism• Rule of law• Democracy• Civic duty• Capitalism

The Culture Wars

• There is general agreement amongst Americans that these are honorable values

• Yet, there is sometimes fierce disagreement as to what, specifically, each of these means

• The CULTURE WARS refers to the intense and often bitter disagreements Americans have had over issues like abortion, gay marriage, guns, welfare, etc…

The Culture Wars

• Does freedom mean we all have the right to own powerful weapons?

• Does individualism mean that people should not receive government assistance if they lose their job or if they are very poor with a job?

Political Socialization

• How do we form our political views?

• What are the key factors that shape our political ideology?

Influences on our Political Values

• The Family–The most important INITIAL

source of influence–Most people have similar political

ideas and party affiliation as their parents

Influences on our Political Values

• The Mass Media–Sometimes called “The New

Parent”–You Tube, Television, Social Media

Influences on our Political Values

• Social Groups–Nationality, Religion, gender, race,

labor union, occupation–Go to class website page 2 –

Polling Report on Race

• Why do Black Americans and White Americans see some issues so differently?

The Gender Gap

Influences on our Political Values

• Education– Early education has always tried

to develop common political views• Traditional patriotism• Respect for democracy, capitalism,

political participation (civic duty)

Education• Exposure to higher education is usually

associated with differences in political outlook

• College has somewhat of a “liberalizing” effect

• Yet, the most important impact of a college education is that it leads to greater political participation

Political Ideology

• Your cumulative set of values creates your political ideology

• Some have a more passionate, extreme ideology (Ideologues)

• Some a more moderate, dispassionate ideology

The Political Spectrum

• A continuum of political beliefs from Liberal to Conservative

• Liberal_____ Moderate____ Conservative

• Take the Ideology Survey• Take the Political Party Test• Discuss liberal and conservative

views on various issues

Political Issues

• The Role of Government• The Economy• Guns• Poverty• Abortion• Religion and Government

Public Opinion

• A scientific measurement of the political views of the American people

• The ultimate measurement is election results• However, predicting election results is what

creates the most interest for the public and for politicians

• Sabato video on Class Website – Public Opinion and Polling

Public Opinion Polling

• First developed in 1932 by George Gallup

• Many polling companies exist today including Gallup, Harris, Rasmussen, Zogby, Pew Research Center

Public Opinion Polling

• The major media organizations also conduct their own polls: CNN, NY Times, Time magazine, Fox News

• Candidates for office hire these polling organizations to conduct polls for them

Polling Accuracy

• The accuracy of polls depends upon certain key factors

• Random Sampling– 1000 to 1500 randomly selected people – Random digit dialing (now including cell

phones)– About a +/- 3% sampling error

Public Opinion Polling

John Zogby: "It's pure probability and statistics. The same theory is involved as when you take a blood test and the clinician draws only a small sample rather than draining all the blood out of your body."

Polling Accuracy

• Knowledge of the respondents–Many people are uninformed but not

willing to admit it–Allowing people to say “I don’t know”

is an important strategy to ensure an accurate poll

Polling Accuracy

• Careful wording of the questions– “Should the U.S. pursue a policy to remove

Kim Jong-un’s nuclear capabilities?”– “Should the U.S. pursue a policy to remove

Kim Jong-un’s nuclear capabilities even if it meant thousands of U.S. soldiers would die?”

Polling Accuracy

• Questions must be simple and use clear language (one idea at a time)

• Must avoid loaded words that have emotional responses like welfare and abortion

Types of Polling Questions

• “Do you agree or disagree with ________________”

• “Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of __________________”

• “Do you approve or disapprove of _______________”

Types of Polling Questions

• Favorability Ratings• Approval Ratings• Ratings for President and Congress• Go to website Page 2

Trust in Government (1958-2013)

• Go to Trust in Government link on Page 2 of class page

Political Participation

• There are many different ways and many different opportunities to participate politically in National, State, and/or Local Government

Political Participation• Contacting representatives• Working on a campaign• Giving money to a campaign• Petitions• Attending political meetings (including

protests)• Joining interest groups• Blogging, Letters to the Editor• Bumper Stickers• Voting – by far, the most common

Who Participates?

• Education– More education means more political

involvement (#1 factor) Why?• Employment

– The employed vote more than those unemployed or not in the labor force Why?

• Age– Older people are more likely to vote– Over 45 most reliable voters Why?

Who Participates?

• Gender– Since 1980, Women have voted more than men

Why?• Race

– 2008 was the first year in modern history where the black turnout rate was higher than the national rate

– Latino voting will carry greater importance Why?• Religious involvement

– Regular churchgoers are more likely to vote Why?

Voter Turnout

• The percentage of eligible voters that actually cast votes in a particular election

• In the U.S., voter turnout is highest in presidential election years

• Voter turnout in local elections is often dismally low (<10%)

Sources - 1948-1998: McDonald and Popkin, The Myth of the Vanishing Voter (2001), 2000-2012: McDonald, United States Elections Project

Voter Turnout

• U.S. voter turnout is relatively low compared to other democracies around the world

• See Voter Turnout Worldwide – Page 2

Nonvoting

• What are the factors that explain why eligible voters don’t vote?

• Apathy; Lack of saliency (issues of importance)

• Lack of political efficacy

Nonvoting• Obstacles to Voting

– Tuesday elections on a workday • (Early voting and absentee voting address some of this

problem)

– Felony Convictions• In some states, voting can be denied for life• In some states like Texas, you have to wait until parole

and probation has been completed (after release)• In 2 states (Vermont and Maine), a felon can vote

from jail

Nonvoting

• Registration Requirements – North Dakota is the only state that does not

require voter registration– Some states allow election day registration, or

online registration– Some, like Texas, have registration deadlines and

photo ID’s required

Voter Registration• The issue of voter registration laws is an

emotional and controversial issue• Some countries have automatic registration for

all citizens (Israel, Italy, Chile, Denmark, Finland…)

• Are voter registration laws a reasonable expectation for participating in our democracy that help us prevent election fraud?

• Are voter registration laws designed to make it difficult for certain groups of people, that support Democrats, to vote?

Interest Groups

• One important way Americans participate politically and try to influence the political process is by joining interest groups

• What makes interest groups unique is that they make policy-related appeals to government

• Along with political parties and the mass media, interest groups link Americans to the political process (Linkage Institutions)

Americans of all ages, all stations of life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations. They are not only commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but others of a thousand other types—religious, moral, serious, futile, very general and very limited, immensely large and very minute… at the head of any new undertaking, where in France you would find the government or in England some territorial magnate, in the United States you are sure to find an association.

—-Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Interest Groups

• Remember Madison in Federalist #10– Majority factions must be controlled– The more interest groups (factions), the

less likely any one faction abuses power (Pluralism)

• Millions of Americans are associated with interest groups

“Take in a greater variety of parties and interests [and] you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens… [Hence the advantage] enjoyed by a large over a small republic.”

— James Madison

The Madisonian Model

Today, we call this idea PLURALISM.

What Interests are Represented?

• Business and Agriculture• Labor (AFL-CIO, AFSCME)• Professional (American Bar Association,

American Medical Association)• Public Interest (Sierra Club) • Ideological (Christian Coalition of America)• Single Issue (National Rifle Association,

NORML)

Interest Groups

• Guess the interest represented!• Political Victory Fund

– The NRA• Americans for Prosperity

– Cutting taxes and government spending• Americans for Democratic Action

– To keep the New Deal dream alive

Interest Groups

• People for the American Way– Promote progressive policies and elect progressive

candidates• Operation Rescue

– End legalized abortion

What Do Interest Groups Do?

– Educate their members and members of government on the issues that effect them

– Mobilize their members to vote; they support and oppose candidates (rate/score members of Congress)

– Bring lawsuits (litigate) to get the courts to rule in their favor

– Lobby (persuade) members of government to do things that benefit them

Lobbying• Every major interest group hires

LOBBYISTS to try to persuade lawmakers• Washington, D.C. (K-Street) and state

capitals

• The Revolving Door – Many lobbyists are former members of government that get hired to persuade their old colleagues

• Go to Website Page 2 – K Street Lobbying

K Street – Synonymous with Interest Groups

Lobbying

• The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 placed tighter restrictions on lobbying activities

• Prohibits gifts from a lobbyist to current members of Congress

• Creates a waiting period before an ex- member of government can become a lobbyist

Lobbying

• Yet, becoming a lobbyist is very lucrative business for ex-members of government

• Go to Website page 2 – Former members of Congress that are now lobbyists

Political Action Committees (PACs)• The political arm of an interest

group• Legally allowed to raise money to

contribute to candidates or political parties

• Thousands of PACs exist today serving many different interests

What can PACs do?• Give $5,000 to a candidate’s campaign

for each election (primary, general election)

• Give $15,000 annually to a national party committee (RNC, DNC)

• Give $5,000 annually to any other PAC• Receive $5,000 annually from any

individual, PAC, or party committee

Political Action Committees (PACs)

• Go to website page 2 – Top PACs• The Super PAC!!!

– A new type of interest group that is now legal (since - SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission (2010))

– Can NOT donate money directly to a candidate (PACs can)

– CAN spend UNLIMITED amounts of money for or against a candidate AS LONG AS THEY DON’T COORDINTATE DIRECTLY WITH CANDIDATES OR THE PARTIES

Super PACs

• 527’s – A type of tax exempt Super PAC• Go to website page 2 – Super PACs

Is Money the Equivalent of Speech?

• Is support for a cause and for a candidate an expression of free speech?

• If so, should it be limited? Can it be constitutionally limited?

• If it’s not limited, does this threaten equality of opportunity?