Chapter 10 Notes

Question 1

What is public policy?

Answer 1

the sum of government’s goals and actions made in response to public opinion

Question 2

What political scientist has defined public opinion as “those opinions held by private persons which governments find it prudent to heed”?

Answer 2

V. O. Key

Question 3

What are two noteworthy characteristics about public opinion?

Answer 3

1. government does not gauge public opinion simply by determining the opinions of the average American.
2. some issues, such as abortion, education reform, and capital punishment retain public interest for decades.

Question 4

Who was the first to use the word liberal to describe policies that expanded the power and responsibilities of the federal government?

Answer 4

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question 5

What is laissez faire?

Answer 5

the idea that government should not regulate the economy

Question 6

Some citizens and politicians prefer to call themselves _________ rather than categorize themselves as liberals or conservatives.

Answer 6

moderates

Question 7

What kind of approach do people prefer approach to politics rather than any firm ideology?

Answer 7

“whatever works”

Question 8

What is the difference of domestic and foreign policy?

Answer 8

Domestic policy frequently involves economics, law, education, health, energy, environment, and civil liberties.

Foreign policy includes diplomacy, trade relations, and war.

Question 9

How are issues like a highway?

Answer 9

Issues can enter or exit the process at various stages, travel at different speeds, and stay for different lengths of time.

Question 10

What are the different types of public policy?

Answer 10

Issue identification
agenda setting
policy formation
implementation and formation

Question 11

How does an issue become public policy?

Answer 11

1. it affects a sizable portion of the public (pervasive),
2. it has a significant impact on the public (intensive)
3. the public sees the issue as a problem government should deal with (relative)

Question 12

A Christian’s ultimate hope should rest in where?

Answer 12

the Lord

Question 13

What is the next phase called when the government forms a response to the problem?

Answer 13

policy formation

Question 14

What does not answer to the people directly through elections?

Answer 14

the judiciary

Question 15

What are the Origins of Opinion?

Answer 15

family, peers, events, institutions, and Christ

Question 16

T/F Churches have lost much of their influence in the modern world.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

Among the first practitioners of scientific polling was who?

Answer 17

George Gallup

Question 18

Why was the Literary Digest poll so inaccurate?

Answer 18

• The Digest’s mistake was preparing the mailing list from telephone listings and automobile registrations.
• Large numbers of Americans did not have a telphone or car

Question 19

What are interest groups and what is another name for them?

Answer 19

to influence government officials about some political issue or group of issues. Also called pressure groups.

Question 20

T/F interest groups are not political parties

Answer 20

True

Question 21

ESSAY

List and discuss the five of Interest Groups and give an example.

Answer 21

Economic: AFL-CIO, the largest labor union
Social: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Single-Interest Groups: National Right-to-Life Committee
Religious and Ideological: Christian Coalition
Civic Groups: League of Women Voters

Question 22

What is lobbying?

Answer 22

the attempt to influence public officials in support of a special interest

Question 23

What are some forms of protest that may also serve as an advantageous strategy for some interest groups?

Answer 23

Organizing picket lines
sit-ins
marches

Example: Environmentalists engage in sit-ins high up in trees to prevent loggers from cutting the trees down.

Question 24

What is amicus curiae and what does it refer to?

Answer 24

friend of the court
While not a party in the case, the amicus curiae may testify or file briefs in an attempt to influence the court’s decision.

Question 25

What are the major forms of mass media?

Answer 25

radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.

Question 26

What became the first national paper?

Answer 26

the "New York Tribune"

Question 27

T/F the television was introduced at New York City’s World’s Fair in 1939, not until after World War II did improvements in technology and a rise in household income make television commercially viable.

Answer 27

True

Question 28

What is the network’s major goal?

Answer 28

to provide the public with coverage of House and Senate proceedings “without editing, commentary or analysis." C-SPAN

Question 29

T/F The Internet is an international computer network originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense as a means of decentralizing information.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

What guarantees freedom of the press?

Answer 30

The First Amendment

Question 31

What is prior restraint?

Answer 31

the government cannot review and censor information before it is presented to the public

Question 32

the media enjoys some degree of legal protection of confidentiality through shield laws. * In states with no shield law, reporters who refuse to divulge their source may be jailed for contempt of court.

Answer 32

P

Question 33

Name two exemptions to the media’s freedom under the First Amendment.

Answer 33

Laws against libel and slander.

Question 34

What is the difference between libel and slander?

Answer 34

Libel: published false statements that injure one’s reputation Slander: oral communication that does the same

Question 35

What was the result of New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)?

Answer 35

Falsehood is given constitutional protection unless a public figure can demonstrate that the source of the libel has acted in reckless disregard of the truth.

Question 36

Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Although the FCC does not decide broadcast content, it can impose fines on stations for broadcasting obscene language or false advertising.

Answer 36

P

Question 37

What is propaganda?

Answer 37

simply using various techniques to select and manipulate information so as to persuade or influence people effectively

Question 38

T/F Propaganda may be true and may influence people for good ends.

Answer 38

True

Question 39

List the propaganda techniques. (The test gives examples)

Answer 39

- Name calling: calling an opponent by a name with a negative connotation such as “ultraconservative,” “leftwing,” “radical,” or “far right” without explanation - Plain folks: creating the image of a common person (instead of an aloof politician), using slogans such as “friend of the common man” and “one of us,” and appearing with factory workers, farmers, and other “average Americans” - Bandwagon: attempting to persuade people to follow a crowd by insisting that “everyone else is voting for this candidate,” often implying that there is something wrong with those who do not “jump on the bandwagon” - Testimonial: using the endorsements of celebrities to create the idea that important people are going to vote for a certain candidate - Card stacking: using selective data from polls, government reports, and other sources to support one side of an issue while disregarding information to the contrary - Glittering generalities: making broad statements that sound good but lack substance, such as “My party stands for peace and prosperity” or “We will fight poverty” - Transfer: identifying with a symbol such as the Statue of Liberty or the American flag in an attempt to transfer the widespread admiration for such objects to the candidate

Question 40

ESSAY | Explain the differences between liberals and conservatives.

Answer 40

Franklin Roosevelt used the word liberal to describe policies that expanded the power and responsibilities of the federal government. Since then, liberalism has generally referred to policies that favor government action while conservatism has referred to a reluctance to expand government authority. P. 205

Question 41

ESSAY | Discuss the ways of political campaigns use the mass media.

Answer 41

``` Newspapers: articles, ads, photographs Radio: broadcast advertising Television: news coverage, advertising debates Internet: fundraising information P. 217-224 ```