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POLITICAL PARTICIPATION. WHY MUST WE PARTICIPATE?. WHY MUST WE PARTICIPATE?. It is now time to die, Mr. Diddy. Ignorant America. 22 % of Americans can name all five Simpson family members 1 in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Ignorant America
• 22 % of Americans can name all five Simpson family members
• 1 in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms.
• 34% know that it is the Congress that declares war• 35% know that Congress can override a
presidential veto• "America's ignorance of the outside world" is so
great as to constitute a threat to national security.”
ENSURE THAT POLICYREFLECTS INTENSITY &
DIRECTION OF POPULARCONCERNS- MOST
CRITICAL INGREDIENT OFA SUCCESSFUL
DEMOCRACY
PARTICIPATION…PARTICIPATION…
WHAT DOES THIS MODELSAY ABOUT PARTICIPATIONIN THE POLITICAL PROCESS?
WAYS OF PARTICIPATING
• GETTING ELECTED
• CAMPAIGN• VOTING• CONTACT
• GROUP• PROTEST• INACTIVE
YET VOTER TURNOUT IS POOR- WHY?
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
• Do People Think in Ideological Terms?– Not really…– Group Benefits voters:
What are you going to give me?
– Nature of the Times: view of politics based on whether times are good or bad
– No issue content: vote routinely for party or personality
Voters' Thought Processes
Group Benefits
42%
Nature of the Times
24%
Ideologue12%
No I ssue Content
22%
SENATOR KAY B. HUTCHISON284 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510-4304202-224-5922202-224-0776 (FAX)202-224-5903 (TDD)
Protest One Person Short Of Success02.26.03
WASHINGTON, DC—The counter-inauguration protests held in Washington Wednesday were one person short of success, analysts reported Thursday. "It's a pity that so many people who support our cause didn't make it out," said Jet Heiko, who organized the protest through his website TurnYourBackOnBush.org.
"If one more person had come through for us, Bush would have had a moment of clarity and changed his entire approach to governing America." "I guess that one person who didn't show had other plans," Heiko said.
Some of the 24,999 protesters who showed up to turn their backs on Bush.
• ELDERLY & INFIRMED• INCARCERATED• DESPARATION/POOR• ATTITUDE OF APATHY• ATTITUDE OF ANGER
Right direction
47%
Wrong track 41%Unsure 12%
Headed in the right direction
11
Off on the wrong track
76
Mixed (Vol.) 10Not sure 3
CNN Exit Polls Reveal Voters Disapprove Of EverythingDemocrats, Republicans Hardest Hitby John Hayward
11/08/2010
CNN has published its exit polling data from last Tuesday’s House elections. The results paint a portrait of a disgruntled electorate that disapproves of everything, and probably lies to exit pollsters out of spite.
Poll or lead?
– But critics say polls make politicians think more about following than leading public
• Even though politicians do not track opinion to make policy
• Clinton LOVED polling the public
– Question wording can affect survey results
Which of these is the BETTER question?
Leading Questions
• The Federal Government should see to it that all people have adequate housing.
– Agree 55.1 %
– Disagree 44.9%
Leading Questions• Some people feel the Federal
Government should see to it that all people have adequate housing, while others feel each person should provide his or her own housing. Which comes closest to how you feel about this?
– Government responsible 44.6%– Government not responsible 55.4%
Leading Questions
• Some people feel each person should provide his or her own housing, while others feel the Federal Government should see to it that all people have adequate housing. Which comes closest to how you feel about this?
– Government responsible 29.5%– Government not responsible 70.5%
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
Backgrounder: Public Opinion About Mormons
Good…
Better…
How Americans Participate in Politics
• Class, Inequality, and Participation
Summary
1. Many people have no opinion nor care about the scope of government.
2. Public opinion is inconsistent and unpredictable, which may lead to policy gridlock.
• Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action3. Americans vote for the person4. Not ideological voters5. Pragmatic, whatever works
