Unit 3: Political Process

Bell Work

• How do people form opinions?

• Notes: #1 under Unit 3: Political Process

Public Opinion

Role of Public Opinion

•Influence government policies

•Getting laws changed

Forms of Public Opinion

Petition

Letter to Officials

Interest Groups

Public address

Demonstrations

Voter Turnout

Jesse Jackson

Ted Kennedy

Hillary Clinton

Bill Clinton

Colin Powell

George Bush

Bob Dole

Ronald Reagan

<100% Liberal 100% Conservative>

Influences on Public Opinion

Political Ideology

Political Socialization

Influences on Public Opinion

Media

Bell Work

• How do we measure public opinion? • What effect does the media have on public

opinion?

Objectives • Describe methods of measuring public

opinion. • Examine political ads and describe the

effect of media on public opinion. • Analyze political ads for effectiveness.

Measuring Public Opinion

George Gallup

Types of Polls

Conducting Polls

Random Sampling

Question wording

Question order

Timing

Media and Public

Opinion

Protected by 1st Amendment from

government censorship

Informant

Watchdog

Gatekeeper

Negative Focus

Focus on imagery

“Horse-race Coverage”

Classwork

• Ideological Survey (#2) - Answer each question 1-25. T for true if you agree with the statement. F for false if you disagree with the statement. Do not write anything in the L/C column.

• Homework: Ideological Quiz (#3)… answer the last question in a paragraph.

Results

• 21-25 Liberal Responses = Strong Liberal • 16-20 Liberal Responses = Weak Liberal • 21-25 Conservative Responses = Strong

Conservative • 16-20 Conservative Responses = Weak

Conservative • 10-15 of either responses = Moderate

Interest Groups

Functions of Interest Groups

•Organizing people

•Political participation

•Supplying information

Agricultural Groups

American Farm Bureau

Business Groups

Labor Unions

Fraternal Order of Police

Professional Groups

Societal Groups

Caused-based/Public Interest Groups

How They Work

•Participating in the Electoral Process

•Endorsing candidates

•Political Action Committees (PACs)

•Lobbying

•Using the Legal System - Lawsuits

•Influencing Public Opinion

Political Parties

Functions of Political Parties

Assisting the Electoral Process

• Organizing the electorate

• Helping with technical aspects

• Providing a political platform

• Examine policies of elected officials

Organizing the Government

Nominating Candidates

• Self-announcement

• Caucus

• Convention

• Petition

• Direct primaries

Leaders

Activists

Followers

Apathetic

Party Finances

Sources -Personal financing -Party assistance -PACs -Private Donors

- "Fat Cats" or "Angels" -Public Funding

- regulated government funding

Federal Election Campaign Act of 1972 -Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Regulations

Financial disclosure

Contribution limits

Spending limits

Donor restrictions

Regulation$

Citizens United v. FEC