Individual Agency and Action Flashcards
(96 cards)
1
Q
How we form our political identities
A
They form in childhood from our attitudes and beliefs.
2
Q
Socialization agents – who shapes our political identities
A
The most prominent agents of socialization are family and school. Other influential agents are social groups, such as religious institutions and friends, and the media.
3
Q
An example of a right explicitly protected by the Constitution, as drafted at the Constitutional Convention, is the
A
right to a writ of habeas corpus
4
Q
Which part of the Constitution limits the ability of the government to control or restrict religious practices?
A
The Free Exercise Clause of the 1st Amendment
5
Q
T/F Originally, the civil liberties protected in the Constitution only applied to the national government. They did not protect citizens from the actions of state governments.
A
True
6
Q
In Barron v. Baltimore, the Supreme Court held that the Bill of Rights limits __________, not __________, activity.
A
federal; state
7
Q
T/F Burning of the U.S. flag is an act of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.
A
True
In the case of Texas v. Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled burning the flag was symbolic speech and therefore could not be punished by government.
8
Q
Today, the United States is the only western country to use which of the following to punish crime?
-the death penalty
- juries
- victim impact statements
- recidivism
A
the death penalty
9
Q
What does the Sixth Amendment guarantee to those accused of a crime?
A
assistance of counsel
10
Q
In the case of Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to ________________________________________.
A
an attorney, even if you cannot afford one
11
Q
How did the U.S. Supreme Court interpret the Second Amendment in District of Columbia v. Heller?
A
It ruled that the Second Amendment protected an individual’s right to own a gun for personal use in Washington D.C. This case established the precedent of an individual’s right to own a firearm
12
Q
Which of the following rights has the Supreme Court found to be one of the penumbras of unstated liberties linked to explicitly stated rights?
A
right to privacy
13
Q
agent of political socialization
A
a person or entity that teaches and influences others about politics through use of information
14
Q
bandwagon effect
A
increased media coverage of candidates who poll high
15
Q
Bradley effect
A
the difference between a poll result and an election result in which voters gave a socially desirable poll response rather than a true response that might be perceived as racist
16
Q
classical liberalism
A
a political ideology based on belief in individual liberties and rights and the idea of free will, with little role for government
17
Q
communism
A
a political and economic system in which, in theory, government promotes common ownership of all property, means of production, and materials to prevent the exploitation of workers while creating an equal society; in practice, most communist governments have used force to maintain control
18
Q
covert content
A
ideologically slanted information presented as unbiased information in order to influence public opinion
19
Q
diffuse support
A
the widespread belief that a country and its legal system are legitimate
20
Q
fascism
A
a political system of total control by the ruling party or political leader over the economy, the military, society, and culture and often the private lives of citizens
20
Q
exit poll
A
an election poll taken by interviewing voters as they leave a polling place
21
Q
favorability poll
A
a public opinion poll that measures a public’s positive feelings about a candidate or politician
22
Q
heuristics
A
shortcuts or generalizations for decision making
23
Q
horserace coverage
A
day-to-day media coverage of candidate performance in the election
24
leading question
a question worded to lead a respondent to give a desired answer
25
margin of error
a number that states how far the poll results may be from the actual preferences of the total population of citizens
26
modern conservatism
a political ideology that prioritizes individual liberties, preferring a smaller government that stays out of the economy
27
modern liberalism
a political ideology focused on equality and supporting government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality
28
overt content
political information whose author makes clear that only one side is presented
29
political culture
the prevailing political attitudes and beliefs within a society or region
29
political elite
a political opinion leader who alerts the public to changes or problems
30
political socialization
the process of learning the norms and practices of a political system through others and societal institutions
31
public opinion
a collection of opinions of an individual or a group of individuals on a topic, person, or event
32
push poll
politically biased campaign information presented as a poll in order to change minds
33
random sample
a limited number of people from the overall population selected in such a way that each has an equal chance of being chosen
34
representative sample
a group of respondents demographically similar to the population of interest
35
socialism
a political and economic system in which government uses its authority to promote social and economic equality, providing everyone with basic services and equal opportunities and requiring citizens with more wealth to contribute more
36
straw poll
an informal and unofficial election poll conducted with a non-random population
37
theory of delegate representation
a theory that assumes the politician is in office to be the voice of the people and to vote only as the people want
38
traditional conservatism
a political ideology supporting the authority of the monarchy and the church in the belief that government provides the rule of law
39
What is ideology
Our political ideology, made up of the attitudes and beliefs that help shape our opinions on political theory and policy, is rooted in who we are as individuals.
40
Differences between liberalism and conservatism
Conservative governments: attempt to hold tight to the traditions of a nation by balancing individual rights with the good of the community.
Liberals: expect government to provide basic social and educational programs to help everyone have a chance to succeed.
In the United States, ideologies at the right side of the spectrum prioritize government control over personal freedoms.
41
US Political Spectrum
Communism Left Wing, Socialism, Liberal, Neutral, Conservative, Authoritarianism, Facism
42
Fascism
promotes total control of the country by the ruling party or political leader. This form of government will run the economy, the military, society, and culture, and often tries to control the private lives of its citizens. Authoritarian leaders control the politics, military, and government of a country, and often the economy as well.
43
Traditional conservatism
Traditional conservatism supports the authority of the monarchy and the church, believing government provides the rule of law and maintains a society that is safe and organized.
44
Modern conservatism
differs from traditional conservatism in assuming elected government will guard individual liberties and provide laws.
45
Classical liberalism
believes in individual liberties and rights. It is based on the idea of free will, that people are born equal with the right to make decisions without government intervention. It views government with suspicion, since history includes many examples of monarchs and leaders who limited citizens’ rights.
46
modern liberalism
focuses on equality and supports government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality.
47
socialism
, the government uses its authority to promote social and economic equality within the country.
48
communism
In theory, communism promotes common ownership of all property, means of production, and materials.
49
Widening gap in beliefs held by Democrats and Republicans
Public opinion polls/surveys
Today, polling agencies have noticed that citizens’ beliefs have become far more polarized, or widely opposed, over the last decade.
50
public opinion
Public opinion is a collection of popular views about something, perhaps a person, a local or national event, or a new idea.
51
Political socialization
is the process by which we are trained to understand and join a country’s political world, and, like most forms of socialization, it starts when we are very young.
52
Polling techniques-how do pollsters obtain reliable results
- identify desired population
- collect a random and representative sample
- large sample size
53
Push polls
Leading questions guarantee a certain answer
54
Problems with polls
- Bias (sampling, nonresponse, and response)
- Push polls
55
Sampling Bias
Sample collected in such way that some members of intended population are less likely to be included than others.
56
nonresponse bias
Non response bias exists when individuals selected to be in the sample who do not respond to the survey have different opinions from those who do.
57
Response bias
Response bias exists when the answers on a survey do not reflect the true feelings of the respondent. Response bias can occur in a number of ways.
58
1936 presidential election as example of bad polling methodology
The Literary Digest wanted to figure out whether Alf Landon or FDR would win the election, so they sent out a poll to people who had a subscription, a phone, or a car registration, which introduced sampling error into their poll. These people tended to have more money than other citizens and therefore would vote differently.
59
Demographics – shared experiences, political culture
Shared experiences:The workplace can directly or indirectly affect opinions about policies, social issues, and political leaders by socializing employees through shared experiences .
Political Culture:a set of basic values and beliefs about a country or government that is shared by most citizens and that influences political opinions and behaviors. State political cultures can affect the ideology and opinions of those who live in or move to them.
60
Cue-taking/heuristics
on heuristics: shortcuts or generalizations (cues) for decision making.'
Opinions based on heuristics rather than research are more likely to change when the cue changes. If a voter begins listening to a new source of information or moves to a new town, the influences and cues they meet will change. Even if the voter is diligently looking for information to make an informed decision, demographic cues matter.
61
Extent to which public opinion influences government decision making
factors politicians consider
- Individual citizens do not take the time to become fully informed about all aspects of politics, yet their collective behavior and the opinions they hold as a group make sense.
62
How public opinion affects the stances of a politician
They look to see where the public is in agreement as a body. If public mood changes, the politicians may change positions to match the public mood.
63
Laws passed to support voter rights
- Voting Rights Act (VRA):The act protected the rights of minority voters by prohibiting state laws that denied voting rights based on race.
- The National Voter Registration Act: enacted to expedite the registration process and make it as simple as possible for voters.
- 24th amendment: The ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in 1964 ended poll taxes
- There are other state made laws
64
Different state-level approaches to enhance/restrict voting rights
Florida- preregistration
Oregon- automatic registration
Louisiana- In Louisiana, voters are placed on ineligible lists if a voting registrar is notified that they have moved or become ineligible to vote.
Oklahoma: the registrar receives a list of deceased residents from the Department of Health.
65
How do demographics influence voter turnout?
- biggest predictor is the education level
- age (older [sixty-five to seventy-four are most likely] ppl more likelty 2 vote)
- socioeconomic status
- race
-gender
66
How does the election type influence voter turnout
People are more likely to turnout for Presidential elections rather than midterms
67
How do voting rules and regulations influence voter turnout?
Voter ID Laws:
require voters to present specific forms of identification, can affect voter turnout. Supporters argue that these laws are necessary to prevent fraud, while opponents claim that they can disproportionately affect certain demographics, such as minority voters.
Mail in Voting
Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, and Washington have moved to mail-in voting systems.58 These states have seen a rise in turnout.
Early voting: Texas saw an increase in voting, but other states see less voting because there is less social pressure to vote
Voter Registration Rules: Voter registration rules can influence voter turnout. Some states have streamlined registration processes or adopted automatic voter registration, making it easier for citizens to register to vote. Simplified registration rules can encourage more individuals to participate in elections.
Compulsory Voting:
The text mentions that some countries have compulsory voting laws, which require citizens to vote in elections or face fines. These laws have the effect of significantly increasing voter turnout, as they compel citizens to participate in the electoral process.
68
Campaign finance – key court decisions
Buckley v. Valeo:
it was ruled unconstitutional to put limits on personal spending on campaigns by candidates not using federal money, the FEC began enforcing campaign finance laws in 1976. The court ruling also allowed corporations to place unlimited money into super PACs
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission led to the removal of spending limits on corporations.
69
Campaign finance – PAC (political action commitees)
organizations created to raise and spend money to influence politics and contribute to candidates’ campaigns,
70
Importance of Super PACs
- can contribute unlimited amount of money to attack or promote a candidate, but they cannot directly coordinate or donate to their preferred candidate. Unlike regular PACS, they can accept money from individuals, unions, and corporations without limitation.
71
Election types
primary/general; midterm/presidential years
72
Primary elections
Special elections in which voters select candidates to be the party's nominee for state, local or president in the general election.
- In a closed primary, only members of the political party selecting nominees may vote.
- An open primary allows all voters to vote.
- A top-two primary, (jungle primary) pits all candidates against each other, regardless of party affiliation.
73
general elections
- the two candidates who one the primary run in the general elctioion
- same parties can run against each other
74
Midterm elections
Midterm elections are held because all members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the senators come up for reelection every two years.
- During a presidential election year, members of Congress often experience the coattail effect (which gives members of a popular presidential candidate’s party an increase in popularity and raises their odds of retaining office.)
75
Presidential years
- get most attention
76
Comparing Primary and General Campaigning
Primary elections
- important to focus on name recognition
- visibility is crucial (face recognition)
- focus on issue positions
General Elections
- must try to reach the independent and undecided,
- convince their party members to get out and vote.
77
Election outcomes – incumbency advantage
Incumbents (person currently holding office) have advantage because:
- name recognition
- voting records
- more attention from media
- won election before so PACs and interest groups are more likely to give them money
78
Changes in press over time
1partisan press
- Most people couldn't read so newspapers weren't making much money on their own. Politicians gave them money in order to advertise themselves (and mudsling).
2 yellow journalism
- People learned to read, so newspapers stopped relying on politicians. More advertisements in newspaper. Less attention on the facts, and more attention on what people wanted to read about
3 professional journalism
- More institutions devoted to teaching journalism
- They tried to be ethical, by focusing on truth, indepence by not serving politicians, impartiality, and owning up to mistakes.
79
Shifts/trends in print,
print
1. Created in Boston
2. Stamp act made it too expensive
3. Stamp act repealed
4. Journalists questioned authority of Britian
5. Newspapers united for Revolution
6. Newspapers divided by publication of Federalist and Anti Federalist
7. Nation moved into party press era (politicians began to support the newspapers)
8. Technology began to mass produce paper, also it was less to print and distribute
9. The popular penny press papers and magazines contained more gossip than news
10. By 1841, some news reporters considered themselves responsible for upholding high journalistic standards, and under the editor (and politician) Horace Greeley, the New-York Tribune became a nationally respected newspaper.
11. By the end of the Civil War, more journalists and newspapers were aiming to meet professional standards of accuracy and impartiality.
12. Readers still wanted entertainment so Joseph Pulitzer introduced yellow journalism through the New York World
13. 1896 Adolph Ochs bought New York times and returned it to being impartial accurate and informational
14. In progressive area media starts muck-racking (exposing corrupt businesses and government practices)
Radio
15. began around 1920, and radio dramas comedy, and news was broadcasted and was very popular
16. politicians realized that they could use it to reach the public in a personal manner
17. Hoover used it for announcements
18. FDR's fireside chats
19. 1940s the German annexation of Austria, conflict in Europe, and World War II made people need frequent updates so radio became even more popular for news
20. More radio stations
21. Too many radio stations and the radio-waves interfered with military and each other
22. The Radio Act (1927) created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), which made the first effort to set standards, frequencies, and license stations. The Commission was under heavy pressure from Congress, however, and had little authority.
23. Communications Act of 1934 ended FRC and created Federal Communications Commission and set national standards and assigned frequencies and oversaw other form of broadcasting and telephones
24. Prior to WWII, radio frequencies were broadcast using amplitude modulation (AM).
25. After WWII, frequency modulation (FM) broadcasting,
26. Satellite radio has greatly increased programming
TV
26. First offical broadcast was FDR's Speech
27. Public wasn't buying tv
28. Public bought tv to watch coverage of WW2
29. TV prices dropped and more stations were created. Being able to see candidates influenced public opinion. useful to combat scandals and accusations of impropriety.
30. 1960 election also featured the first televised presidential debate.
31. Golden Age of Presdential TV (1960s and the 1990s, presidents often used television to reach citizens and gain support for policies.)
32. Cable
33. 9/11 George Bush bullhorn speech
Media
34. Expansion of internet in 2000s
35. Ppl don't watch the news as much so the presidents can't communicate as much
36. Horse race coverage (focus on who's winning rather than issue positions)
37. Candidates use social media (i.e Trump's tweets), also journalism can be in hands of citizen
38. Younger gen wants humor in their news. Soft news (presents news in an entertaining and approachable manner, painlessly introducing a variety of topics.)
80
Media coverage of politicians/campaigns
Equal time rule- registered candidates running for office must be given equal opportunities for airtime and advertisements at non-cable television and radio stations
Fairness doctrine (now dead) registered candidates running for office must be given equal opportunities for airtime and advertisements at non-cable television and radio stations
81
How media impacts public understanding – agenda setting
The media choose what they want to discuss. This agenda setting creates a reality for voters and politicians that affects the way people think, act, and vote. thorugh Racial framing, word choice (has priming effect),
82
How media impacts public understanding – framing
framing: the creation of a narrative, or context, for a news story.
- Framing affect the way we see race, socioeconomics, or other generalizations.
- linked to priming: when media coverage predisposes the viewer or reader to a particular perspective on a subject or issue.
- Episodic framing: occurs when a story focuses on isolated details or specifics rather than looking broadly at a whole issue.
- Gains sympathy
- Thematic framing takes a broad look at an issue and skips numbers or details.
83
Primary functions of political parties
- groups of people with similar interests who work together to create and implement policies. They do this by gaining control over the government by winning elections.
84
Historical evolution of U.S. political parties – e.g., realignments
1. Federalists (led by Hamilton) and Anti Federalists
2. Federalists dominated
3. Loosely affiliated party collations
3. Democratic-Republican party (Jefferson) and Federalists (John Adams)
4. Federalists couldn't coordinate elites so they died following its oppsition to the War of 1812,
- Democratic-Republcans couldn't agree whether natural resources should be used for economic development or promoting populist issues (like eliminating state tax)
6. Eletion 1824: Andrew Jackson won popular vote but didn't win majority so they did a revote with top 3 candidates. 4th place, William H. Crawford supported Adams rather than Jackson. This led to beginning of second party system
- Democratic Party, was the party of Jackson; it continued to advocate for the common people by championing westward expansion and opposing a national bank. The branch of the Democratic-Republicans that believed that the national government should encourage economic (primarily industrial) development was briefly known as the National Republicans and later became the Whig Party6
85
Reasons for two party system
- people don't like to waste a vote
- plurality voting (first past the post) candidate with most votes wins
- they take away from the party they are most like, and let the other party win
-relative prosperity of the United States and the relative unity of its citizens have prevented the formation of “large dissenting groups” that might give support to third parties.
- Party success is strongly influenced by local election laws.
86
Party-in-the-electorate: trends in partisanship in the U.S. population
The party-in-the-electorate
- party identifiers,
87
Party-in-government: trends in partisanship in the U.S. government
-era of partisanship seems to have ended and they don't want to compromize or socialize with each other
- becoming more partisan
87
party organization
- local organizations (precinit)
- state
- national
88
Partisan polarization
- parties have become more polarized
causes:
Sorting Thesis: B4 1950's voters were more concerned with state level matters but now voters identify with with national level parties
Theory (impact of technology on the public square.) When viewers saw the same things on television rather then hearing diff things on radio it amplified this nationalization.
- Theory (gerrymandering def manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate)
- According to the gerrymandering thesis, the more moderate or heterogeneous a voting district, the more moderate the politician’s behavior once in office.
89
Primary functions of interest groups & how they differ from political parties
political parties:
- influence people broadly cover multiple topics
interest groups
- focused on a single issue
90
Different types of interest groups
The passage categorizes interest groups into various types, including membership organizations (e.g., the National Rifle Association), corporate interest groups (e.g., Verizon and Coca-Cola), government entities (e.g., municipalities and state departments), associations (e.g., American Beverage Association),
91
Interest group activities – how they pursue their goals
Inside lobbying- influence gov officials
Outside lobbying- influence public
92
The free rider problem – how interest groups try to overcome this problem, get like-minded
people to join group
Offering incentives:
- material incentives
- solidary incetives
-purposive incentives
Patrons
Smaller groups
92
