Chapter 11

Public Opinion

1. Canvassing2. Mail3. Magazine & Newspaper Ads4. TV

What is the most common use of campaigning during elections?

The ideas & attitudes people have about candidates

Influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion & occupation

Mass media is a strong influence Politicians must be responsive to public

opinion if they are going to get reelected

Public Opinion

How does a person contribute to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund?

1. By paying the sales tax2. Checking a box on their income tax

forms3. Ordinary people can not contribute 4. Only by contributing to PAC’s

Determining Public Opinion

Public Opinion Polls – survey – most accurate way to determine public opinion

Pollsters – people trained to take polls & measure public opinion

Public Opinion Poll – use random samples Push Polls – used to push public opinion one

way or another Have loaded questions – biased to get a certain

response Presidential Approval Rating Gallup Poll

What is a split ticket?

1. Ballots with candidates listed on two sides

2. Using different ballots for national and state issues

3. Voting for candidates from different political parties

4. Voting for candidates from the same political party

1. Harry Truman2. Franklin D. Roosevelt3. Richard Nixon4. George Bush

Which President had the worst approval rating?

Presidential Approval Ratings

Print – newspapers, mailings, magazines

Electronic – TV, radio, internet Main purpose – to keep us informed Independent media is most desirable Literacy is important Bias – one-sided point of view

Media

Biased Media

Fox – Republican biased news

MSNBC – Democratic biased news

A disadvantage of mass campaigning is:

A. Its too time consumingB. It takes too many peopleC. Its too expensiveD. It doesn’t reach enough people

People attempting to influence government with their shared views

Pressure groups Functions:

Bring issues to the public & lawmakers Support candidates who favor their goals

Interest Groups

All of the following are reasons a person should volunteer except:

1. The community benefits2. A person can deduct it on their tax

return3. It pays well4. It gives a person intrinsic value

Economic – most common Business organizations – interested in trade Industrial & Trade – represent certain types of

business Labor Unions – rights of workers Professional Associations – represent different

professions Group

Ethnicity (NAACP) Age (AARP) Gender (NOW)

Public – focus on specific causes (PETA) Can form PACs also

Types of Interest Groups

All of the following are duties except:

1. Attending school2. Paying taxes 3. Voting in elections 4. Serving on a jury

Election Activities – backing a candidate

Lobbying – persuading officials Provide expert testimony or help write

laws in committees Go to court to fight a cause Fund elections

Ways Special Interest Groups Influence Politics

1. Propaganda2. Censorship3. Libel4. Slander

What is publishing false information that harms a person’s reputation?

Lobby – try to get officials to support a group’s goals

Responsible for getting PAC money to the right politicians

Speak in congressional committees

Lobbyists

Which of the following can cause a voters registration to be canceled?

1. Convicted of a felony2. Move out of the state 3. Nothing cancels voter registration 4. Both A and B are correct

Lobbyists can’t pay a candidates living expenses

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946) All lobbies must register with federal &

state governments & report all expenditures

Regulation

A lobbyist can do all of the following except:

A. Pay a member of congress to vote for a bill

B. Prepare a report on a billC. Research information about a bill D. Testify about a bill

Attempt to influence people with biased information

Always get both sides of a story from reliable sources

Good way to determine what a candidate really supports is to see which PAC gives them money for campaigning

Propaganda

To learn about public opinion, pollsters usually question:

1. Americans from one particular economic group

2. Fewer than 100 people3. A random sample of people 4. People with very strong opinions

Endorsements – famous or admirable person supports a candidate

Stacked Cards – presenting only 1 side of the issue – distorting the facts

Name-Calling – turning people against an opponent by giving them an unpleasant label or description

Glittering Generality – statement that sounds good but is meaningless

Symbols – use and misuse of symbols Just Plain Folks – make people think that the candidate

is just like them Bandwagon – convincing people that everyone else

agrees with a certain candidate Examples

Types of Propaganda

1. American Medical Association2. American Bar Association3. National Organization for Women4. National Football Players Association

Which one of the following is a branch of the AFL-CIO Union?

Most interest groups can be described as:

1. Biased 2. Illegal 3. Impartial 4. Ineffective

All males must register at the age of 18 with the:

1. Selective Services 2. Draft Board 3. US Army 4. Board of Elections

What provides a way for citizens to approve or reject state laws?

1. Referendum2. Proposition3. Mandate4. Initiative

When are referendums most likely used?

1. Daily issues2. Run off elections3. Recall elections4. Controversial issues

What is the main purpose of the media in politics?

1. Ratings2. To inform us 3. To influence the government4. Support the government