POLS 206 Lecture 10 Outline of Previous Lecture Chapter 6 Public Opinion and Political Action o 6 1 American Melting Pot Regional Shift Graying of America o 6 2 Process of Political Socialization Political Learning Over a Lifetime o 6 3 How Polls are Conducted Role of Polls in American Democracy Outline of Current Lecture What Polls Reveal About Americans Political Information Decline of Trust in Government o 6 4 Do People Think in Ideological Terms o 6 5 How Americans Participate in Politics o 6 6 Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government Democracy Public Opinion and Political Action Chapter 8 Political Parties o 8 1 Task of Parties Parties Voters and Policy Downs Model Lecture What Polls Reveal About Americans Political Information Americans are uninformed Jeffersonian faith in wisdom of common people unfounded Young people most uninformed Who is responsible for the ill informed electorate We are mostly apathy people need to take time to get informed Paradox of mass politics Decline of Trust in Government The great slide Vietnam war American people being lied to about the progress of the war Watergate Richard Nixon sparked domestic scandal Economy hostage crisis o Is public cynicism good We should question our government Negative effects on programs for the poor 6 4 Do People Think in Ideological Terms Types of voters Ideologues 12 Voters who vote based on issues did research and voted for who they agreed with Group benefits Vote based on groups of who they like and dislike any group not necessarily political party Nature of the times 42 Vote based on Are you better off than you were 4 years ago Retrospective voting No issue content 22 Based on character of candidate o 6 5 How Americans Participate in Politics Conventional Participation Voting working on campaigns run for office write letters etc Protest as participation Unconventional Civil disobedience you knowingly break the law because you feel that the law is unjust and are willing to face the consequences India Civil rights movement in the US Open conflict war Class inequality and participation Higher socio economic status higher participation rates Minorities vote at nearly equal levels What are the policy implications of lower political participation o 6 6 Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government Should government do more or less In peacetime most Americans say less But public opinion is complex and inconsistent Ideological conservatives don t want taxes Operational liberals want services Policy gridlock People are to blame because voters put politicians in government Democracy Public Opinion and Political Action Public opinion is very important in democracy Representative democracy Decide who governs Is public fit to choose its leaders Chapter 8 Political Parties o 8 1 Tasks of the Parties Political Parties team of men and women with similar interests seeking to control the government by placing their representatives into office through dually contested elections Linkage institutions Parties elections interest groups media Tasks that parties perform Pick candidates Run campaigns Give cues to voters Articulate policies Coordinate policies Parties Voters and Policy Downs Model Downsian Model Argues that winning the election is everything Rational Choice theory Political scientist Anthony Downs model Most voters are moderate Center of political spectrum Parties seek voter loyalty Position themselves to left and right of center Need independent voters but must have their base turn out Wise party selects policy that is widely favored