short answer questions Flashcards
how informed are American politically and how does that status affect their interaction with politics
Overall, Americans are not well informed, though some can be. This is because we rely on shortcuts like partisanship when deciding who to vote for. Shortcuts are taken because of the time, money, and resources it takes to research each politician’s stance. This is rational for an individual. The implication is that it creates an opening for groups of elites to influence how the public thinks.
define public opinion. What are the three components? Does public opinion show their true preferences or revealed preferences?
Public opinion is citizens’ attitudes about political issues, personalities, institutions, and events. The first component is preferences which are shaped by self-interest, and social/moral values. The second is beliefs which reflect what people know and how they understand the world- may or may not be based on facts. The final component is the choices presented to them. Public opinion will not always accurately reflect people’s true preferences. This is because they will be faced with a yes or no question or a two-person choice and they have to choose which one they feel closer to, not exactly what they wanted to choose. Finally, public opinion is their revealed preferences.
Why do Americans insist on the right to vote but then frequently not vote in elections? make sure you frame your answer in terms of collective action and collective benefits.
Americans insist on the right to vote but don’t because they know they have the opportunity to not participate (free ride) and still get collective benefits. This created the collective action problem of getting people to vote. People can think that their vote is wasted. It is rational for an individual to not vote. This is not a problem for most people because they know other people will vote and the government will stand even if it isn’t the outcome they want.
How do candidate characteristics shape voting behavior? Define and explain the importance of party identification as well as at least 2 other types of candidate characteristics.
Candidate characteristics will shape voting behaviors as voters tend to prefer candidates who are more like themselves. Party identification refers to the political party which one affiliates themselves with. This is important because it gives voters an idea of how the candidate will act once in office. Typically your party identification is the same throughout their whole life. Candidates can have other characteristics like social background and gender that allow voters to align and side with them.
Describe where Americans vote. Define single-member district. Give an example of an American politician that is elected in a single-member district and one that is not. What is the implication of single-member districts? Do these elections tend to use plurality or majority rules?
For the most part, the US uses single-member districts where the electorate is only allowed to elect one representative from each district. An example of a single-member district is members of Congress. On the other hand, an exception is the Senate. The implication of this is this exaggeration of the victory of the majority. These elections tend to use plurality rules and the one with the most votes is awarded the win.
Often people complain about the lack of third parties in the US. Why are third-parties institutionally untenable in the US. What is a change that could make it easier for a viable third-party system in the US?
Third parties are institutionally untenable because we have a winner-takes-all voting system with single-member districts and plurality rules. It is hard for third parties to succeed simply because they have to get more votes than either of the other parties, this is Duverger Law. Over time, one of the main parties will incorporate the third-party policies, and make them seemingly less unique. There is a popular perception that a vote for the third party is wasted. This could be changed with the adoption of a proportional representation voting system.
People describe ‘party brands’ in American politics. Differentiate a Republican from a Democrat according to social characteristics and stance on issues. Can politicians be harmed if they don’t follow their party’s brand?
According to social characteristics, a Republican is more likely to be upper class and men. Along with this, Republicans are more agree that large governments are more threatening to citizens’ freedoms and values. On the other hand, Democrats are more likely to be lower class and women, they are likely to agree that there is a great concern for the environment and consumers. Politicians can be harmed, by not being elected again if they do not follow their party brand, because that is what their electoral constituents most likely put them in office to do.
why do political parties form?
The first is to solve the problem of facilitating collective action in the electoral process. This comes from a brand name which then influences those with similar interests to participate in elections. The second is to help the challenging nature of collective policy-making. The parties create a coalition that reduces the time and effort needed to pass legislation. The final reason is to help with the problems arising from political ambition. The parties must channel ambition through a system of career advancement- this happens through primaries.
What are the differences between insider and outsider strategies? Delineate specific tactics used in both inside and outside lobbying. Are these strategies used by all groups equally?
Insider strategies work to directly influence decision-makers by pursuing advocacy through the courts. Outsider strategies work to educate the public but also campaign and contribute to candidates.
How do interest (groups) organize themselves for collective action? Mention solving collective action problems and the dangers of free riding.
Interest groups have different goals. Within each group, each member must share some sort of cost to be able to achieve the goal. This is a collective action problem because each person has an incentive to free ride like not paying membership dues and still enjoy the group’s benefits. To try and put an end to this, interest groups can offer selective benefits. Making it harder to free-ride, as the benefits can only go to members. An example of this can be informational like a newspaper or conferences.
Discuss how news being a business shapes reporting.
Reporting is a business because the outlet’s main goal is to make a profit. News is now tailored to be entertainment for this reason. Reporting is in turned shaped to attract viewers and listeners. This takes it from just reporting to overdramatization and interpretation by those within the industry. The news industry must appeal to their audience to make a profit, so their story will be spun for their audience.
What factors affect news coverage?
Three factors affect news coverage. The first is journalists and news producers. This is due to the fact they will inevitably have a bias, and they must make a profit. The second is politicians and other sources. The new media is a way for these actors to directly interact with the population. Lastly, consumers affect the media. This is through the same reason of making a profit, the media must be able to interest consumers. News is spun certain ways in order to reach a target audience.
