https://webcampus.unr.edu/webct/urw/lc4130011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.
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Organizations mostly sustain your beliefs
Factors shaping public attitudes
Economic class- how you’re perceived in comparison to the rest of society.
Education- how educated you are high school diploma generally are more
democratic. Except for in social issues in which case they tend to be more
republican
Sectionalism-where are you from
Race/ethnicity-reinforced more in the minorities culture rather than white
Religion-what you’re religion is and how often you practice it
Gender-
Age- life cycle effects/generational effects i.e. 9/11, Vietnam War.
IDEOLOGY: an organized set of beliefs concerning social goals and the best
governmental arrangements for achieving them.
Americans tend to be less ideological. We have lower voter rates
Experience often pull Americans in multiple ways-
Social change affects belief structures (aging, worldview changes, and
economic advancement.)
IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC OPINION:
Gauge on america (what we believe and expect)
Sets some parameters on debate and policy action
issue publics- groups with particular interest or
societal position- must be considered
opinió n Readers can shape public attitudes
ELECTIONS
Most direct form of linkage between bublic and government decision makers
Occur on a regular cycle (calendar)
Most occur at state and local level
Highly “rule governed” to insure fairness
Election law largely state law within Basic parameters of federal Rights.
ELEMENTS OF ELECTION LAW
Most anyone over 18
Must be registared
States may set some rules on registration but federal law limits what states
can do.
Who is voted upon
Primaries (select candidates, generally run by party)
Closed primary (Only vote in party of you registration)
Open primary (may vote in either party primary, but not both)
Blanket (vote for either party by office)
Run-off (few states:when a candidate fails to get 50% of vote, to 2 candidates
run again)
General election (selects office Holders)
Referendum (direct citizen vote on an existing law or law proponed by the
legislature)
Initiative (direct citizen vote on citizen initiated legislation)
Recall (remove office holder befote term by citizen vote) not to be confused
wth impeachment
ELECTORAL CALENDAR
On year (elections held at the same time as presidencial)
Off year (elections held in presidencial midterm)
Odd year( elections held in odd numbered years)
Oct 18
FACTORS INFLUENCING LIKELIHOOD OF VOTING
Age, Income, education-older, higher income, and higher educations tend to
vote more likely
Strong party identification- if you’re a stronger republican/democrat you’re
more likely to vote
Group membership
Perveived closeness of the election
Saliente of the election (well known candidates, issues, perceived
importance)
TURNOUT TRENDS
Decline in turnout since 1950’s with ocasional spikes
Low compared to other democracias
Americans do get more involved at higher levels of participation, though (run
for office, work for campaigns)- we run for more because there’s more offices
to run for
In nevada we have too many elections, vote on too many things, and vote on
tuesdays.
POLITICAL PARTIES
A Group of individuals with some ideological agreement who organize to win
elections, run government and make public policy.
Group power
Parties attempt to create broad coalitions (links to proximity voting)
Are a key to understanding how government is organizad
ROLES OF PARTIES IN AMERICAN POLITICS
1. Provide/recruit candidates
2. Conduct elections
3. Educate the public
4. Organize goverment Founding fathers distrusted political parties, but
are necessary
5. Make public policy
6. Provide loyal opposition
7. Provide a “cue” for voters
CHARACTERISTICS OF AMERICAN PARTIES
Two parties
Fairly stable coalitions
Third parties rarely win and face structural barriers
Single member districts, plurality vote winners
Highly decentralized
Linked to emphasis on state elections
Parties have different “meanings” in different states
“National” party a collection of “state parts”
Semi-public, open organizations
No formal test for entry
Laws (state) often limit party attempts to discipline members
Loose coalitions, fairly non-ideological
Party organization
PARTY REGULATIONS
Founding fathers generally distrusted parties and did not include them in the
constitution
Parties quickly became part of how American politics worked
Because fo the key public role, parties were a logical “target” for regulation
Most regulations comes through state law
Items that are covered
Access to ballot
Membership
Organization and required public meetings
Duties and powers of officers (especially endorsement or non-
endorsement)
Party finances
INTEREST GROUPS:
A Group of individuals with a common interest who attempt to influence
government policy.
Importance of interest groups
Most Americans are either part of or benefit from interest group activity
Interest groups are a longtime part of American politics
Interest groups are a vital-yet biased-part of the political process
Most Americans do not recognize that they are part of the interest group
system
Prevailing attitude about interest groups:
They are a corrupting influence on American politics
Interest groups buy elections and politicians
Tools of interest groups:
Expertise
Persuasion
Inside vs. outside strategy (inside) classic lobbying…. going from
office to office and lobbying persuading face to face…. (Outside) when
an interest group runs ads to try to persuade the community. If done
well the community will write their congressman. The mining group is
a great type of interest groups in the sense that they do their job well.
Publicity
Money- you don’t buy the vote, you buy the office…. pump tons of money into
the candidate that is their friend in order to get them elected. Not necessarily
buying off or bribing to get the vote
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
Economic/business- more of these due to the fact that most every major
businesses have a lobbyist
Professional- associations, look at legislations and go to talk to legislatures
Public-self proclaimed groups that represent a broad spectrum of issues, say
they’re non partisan…. known in PSC as P.I.G.’s often social and
environmental group
Social and environmental-social groups are harder to find, because there is
no money…. environmental on the other hand have money.
Single issue- very narrow range of interest i.e. Mothers against drunk
driving…. Generally harder to argue against and aren’t as successful as M.A.A.
because they’re uncompromising, they’re too stubborn. Often overstate their
position.
MEDIA: persuasive influence on politics
Where Americans get information about politics
65% from television (but now decreasing)
40% from newspapers (decreasing)
Increasingly from a mix of media, although basic reporting is still anchored in
traditional newspaper and television reporting.
All forms of media are commercial
Must have viewers/readers
Leads to an emphasis on personality, conflict and dramatic events
Distorts risk and fear
Good pictures (obviously an important criteria for TV)
Limited story substance
Technology reinforces media shallowness
DESPITE KEY ROLE, LITTLE GOVERNMENTAL OVERSIGHT
First amendment freedoms
Equal time and free media are virtually non-existent
Basic political Roles
Signaler Role: guide to public what is important, sets agenda. (Censoring
what they want to show) day to day news
Agenda setting: again, shallow, often done in “themes” or “frames”. Usually
follows stories over some sort of time frame…. telling you what to think
about.
Talent scout
Handicaps the race
Public defender (investigative)
How viewers respond: media Bias?
Market bias: action, bad news, and anti-incumbent
Bias screened by personal perceptions
Selective exposure: what media we use, we chose what to listen to or watch
Selective attention: which stories we pay attention to
Selective perception: your interpretations of the events shown
Media influence is thus mediated by you partisan attitudes, opinions and personal
belief.
Sound bites: small quotes used by media to capture essence of a story. These are
also designed by candidates to be used by the media.
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Congress- article one and considered the most important, the founding fathers were
congressionalist
PRESIDENT
Most recognized political actor (96%)
Expected to be better than the people
Expected to one of the people
Expectations can lead to isolation- you can do something innocent and be
transcribed into something else
FORMAL POWERS AND DUTIES
Outlined in article II of the constitution (fairly general)
Command in Chief of the military
Make treaties (with “advice” of Senate)
Appoint ministers and judges (with “advise” of Senate)
State of union (from “time to time”) doesn’t have to be a speech nor does it have
to be every year, covered by almost every news station possible, along with the
inauguration
Recommend legislation
Make sure that the laws are faithfully executed
MAJOR ROLES
Chief of state- the most visible person in politics-helps people make sense of
politics, largely ceremonial.
Chief of foreign policy- Americas spokesperson
Commander in chief-can commit U.S. troops without a declaration of war
Chief executive-expectations in this area far exceed actual power. Presidents
have limited time compared to bureaucrats
Chief legislator- the president is expected to have a legislative and policy
agenda….
Chief economic officer-expectations far exceed actual power
Head of party-non-constitutional role
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
FORMAL-in law every president has it
Veto- congress passes a law and the president can block or deny it, then
congress can override the veto if they can get 2/3 votes on the same law,
veto’s are rarely used, and even more rarely overridden, the power of the
veto is in it’s threat. If a president doesn’t like one part of a law he must
either allow what he doesn’t like in it or veto the whole bill
Executive orders- a statement by the president announcing a policy. I.e. the
justice department will no longer interfere with marijuana in CA, congress
can override the law, the order is only good while the president who made it
is in office
Executive agreements- the president announcing a policy or practice
between the United States and another country. Has the force of
constitutional law, cannot break a law while doing either of these two also
only lasts as long as that presidents term.
Appointments- has the power to appoint judges and other government at all
levels
Budget preparation- president gets to present a budget to congress and
congress either approves or disapproves it.
Commitment of troops
INFORMAL –every president uses them to some degree
Use of media- how skilled you are when speaking to the media
Personal bargaining skills- how skilled you are one on one bargaining
Public support- if you’re popular you can get a lot done, if not, then it’s
almost impossible.
WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT
Formal Requirements:
At least 35 years of age
Native born U.S. citizen
14 years residence (immediately prior to service)
Informal Characteristics
White
Male
Anglo-Saxon (western European) heritage
Religion (protestant)
Educated (at least college grad)
Prior economic or political success
GETTING ELECTED
Electoral college votes are key
Must get 270 electoral votes
General strategies include.
Concentrating on large states
Protecting your base
Targeting the most time for contested states
Before the general election a different strategy
Must go to the side and then the middle
Must have money
Must show that you can win in multiple sections of the country
Ideally you win early
JUDICIARY
The third branch- described in article 3
Creates an independent supreme court
Gives congress the power to create all “inferior courts” and establish their
jurisdiction
Power of the judiciary often overstated
Most cases are applications of law (and fact as most cases begin and end at
district court level)
Power enhanced through “judicial review” (The ability of the federal
courts and especially the supreme court to interpret the constitution)
Which supreme court established in the case Marbury v. Madison
The president is expected by people to do these things
