Unit 2 Flashcards
Political Linkages between Citizens and Government
- press conferences
- town hall meetings
- debates
- voting
- protest
- media/newspaper/tv
Political Culture
A set of general, widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how the political system works. Includes: freedom, order, equality, individualism, and more.
Ideology
Set of specific beliefs about power, political values, and the role of government. In other words, the exceptions each makes to the broad principles we share.
Classical Conservatives
Community is #1 priority
Modern Ideology (includes)
Modern Liberals, Modern Conservatives, Populists, Libertarians
Classical Liberals
Individual rights, life, liberty, property, and happiness
Modern Liberals
Gov should regulate economy, gov should NOT regulate social behavior
Populists
Gov should regulate economy, gov should regulate social behavior
Modern Conservatives
Gov should NOT regulate economy, gov should regulate social behavior
Libertarians
Gov should NOT regulate economy, gov should NOT regulate social behavior
Political Socialization
The complex process through which people become aware of political life, learn political facts, and form political values.
Operating Principles of Political Socialization (How your brain takes in information)
- Online processing
- Primary principle
- Structuring principle
Online Processing
Online media and political resources
Primary Principle
Information that is learned first is learned best (even if it’s wrong)
Structuring Principle
What is learned first structures later learning. Pre-existing knowledge can even prevent/distort/influence later learning.
What do identities influence?
Our political opinions
Mass Communication
The process by which individuals or groups transmit information to large, heterogenous, and widely dispersed audiences.
Mass Media
The technical devices employed in mass communication (the tools used essentially)
Types of Mass Communication
- Print media
- Broadcast media
- New media (Cable, Satellite, TV, fax, email)
- New NEW media (Internet, blogs, chat rooms)
- New New NEW media (Facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat)
Types of print media
- Partisan Press
- Public Press
- Objective Press
Partisan Press
(1780’s-1800’s) Originated from different political parties.
Public Press
(1800’s-1900’s) Printing became cheap and more people were able to buy newspapers and consume media. Transition: Muckraking
Objective Press
(1900’s-today) Joseph Pulitzer wanted media to report FACTS
Muckraking
The action of searching out and publicizing scandalous information about famous people in an underhanded way.
Media’s influence/effects
- Gatekeeping
- Bias
Bias
Not conveying info in a neutral way
Who are the info gatekeepers?
The Media
Gatekeeping Practices
- Agenda Setting
- Issue Framing
Agenda Setting
The power of the media to decide which topics will become subject of public debate and for how long.
Issue Framing
The power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted.
Types of Bias
- Ideological Bias
- Generalist (non expert) bias
- individuals over institution bias
- personalities over policies bias
- bad news bias
Ideological Bias
Selective tone, pathos, emotions. Preferring someone who fits your ideology or appeals to you.
Generalist Bias (non-expert)
Opinion vs facts, following someone, ethos, many struggle to distinguish fact from opinion. Inability to collect all facts. (horserace coverage) Essentially giving someone with general knowledge more credit than someone with lots of knowledge.
Individuals over Institution Bias
President’s individual actions as a representation of the government versus congress’ acts as a whole. Like to target one individual for blame or attribution.
Personalities over policies bias
Michelle Obama more seen as philanthropist than the first lady. Charismatic and wants the best can hide bad policy.
Bad News Bias
Prefer to cover tragic stories than anything else. Goal is to bring in more views.
Types of Interest Groups
- Special interest,
- lobby,
- pressure group
-Citizen group,
-professional association - Social Movement
What are interest groups?
Organized body of individuals who share common goals and try to influence government decisions in certain policy areas.
Pluralism
The theory that all interests are, and should be, free to compete for influence in the government. The outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation.
Who said that interest groups are inevitable?
James Madison
Neocorporatism
The theory that there should be an ordered, working relationship between important interest groups and the government.
What are the functions of interest groups?
- Representation
- Participation (involvement)
- Education (data)
- Agenda-building (debt clock, doomsday clock)
- Program monitoring (continuous sticking around, policy reform)
Why do some interest groups survive when others don’t?
- Disturbance theory
- Selective incentive theory
- Entrepreneur theory
Disturbance Theory
People are brought together when adversely affected by a disturbance- some identifiable event which alters equilibrium in a sector of society (common problem theory)
Selective Incentive Theory
People are brought together by the rewards or incentives that help overcome the “free rider” problem. Sometimes enjoy benefits they did not participate in acquiring. (Collective action)
Entrepreneur Theory
People brought together by ambitious, energetic, entrepreneurial leadership. (Think of Winthrop Rockefeller and the republican surge, sugar daddy)
Collective Benefit
Public good
Selective Benefit
Private good
What kind of benefits exist for those who participate in interest groups?
- material/tangible rewards/incentives
- purposive (expressive) (believe it is good)
- solidary (social benefits) (think of sororities)
Three metrics (inequalities) of interest groups
Representation, Resources, Access
Representational Inequality
Wealthy and well-educated people involved in interest groups.
Resource Inequality
Some groups are better funded than others. Business interests dominate IG’s in Washington DC. (PAC’s )
Access Inequality
Capture and Iron Triangles.
Capture
Regulated interests tend to infiltrate bureaucracy and use it to promote their interests and often at the expense of broader public good.
Iron Triangle
Stable, cooperative relationships that often develop between a congressional committee, an executive agency or department, and an industry. (one or more interest groups)
PAC’s
Political Action Committee’s. Put a bunch of money into candidates because they have more money.
Political Parties
Any group seeking to elect government office holders under a given label.
What is the difference between IG’s and Political Parties?
IG’s
- Want to promote
- Based on common stances, generally not flexible
-Support any party candidate to help cause
-Lobby
-Do not label by party
-Specific issues, support allies to their cause
PP’s
-exist to gain power by winning elections
-flexible about issues
-support one party
-Do not “lobby” per say
-Not dependent on size for power
-Members compromise and fight arguments in elections
Party System
The interactions of parties with each other and with electoral system
Electoral System
Collection of rules designed to determine which person wins office after a vote is taken
What are the two types of electoral systems?
Single Member simple plurality
Multi Member proportional representation
SMSP
Legislative body divided into districts with roughly equal number of people. Cast ballots for just one person of two. Most votes wins even if its just a plurality. Maintains a two party system and is very stable. Minor parties only have influence if absorbed by larger ones.
MMPR
Still divided into districts but each elects more than one person. Cast for a party not a person using party list ballots.
Each party earns a number of seats approximating the proportion of the votes its candidates received. Multiparty system with higher turnout and can produce minority parties. Sometimes more frequent elections
Realignment
Something must first die and then it will be replaced or realigned
Dealignment
Fall of party, must occur before realignment
Functions of Parties
Represent organizations (IG’s) that seek to promote their ideas and policies by gaining control of gov through nomination and election of office.
What are the three components of the role of Political Parties? (What do they take shape in?)
- party organization
- party-in gov
- party-in electorate
Party Organization
Official structure that conducts the political business of parties. Can be thought as “central” committees at natl, state, and local level.
Electioneering
- recruiting and nominating candidates
- defining policy agendas (party platform)
- getting candidates elected (organize, mobilize)
Party Control
How parties are able to shape and achieve majorities in the gov to get policy passed once in office (legis and exec)
Party-in-gov
This component of the function of political parties refers to the party members who have been elected to serve in government. It includes all levels of candidates; national, state, and local office. These are the elected people in charge of carrying-out the functions of political parties. (Nomination, organization, policy platform, coordination)
Party-in-Electorate
All citizens or voters that identify with a certain party. A party a citizen associates with is a persons political identification. More recently, people gear towards independent.
N Value
Number of cases/observations, hard to objectify if low number.
Types of Elections
- Primary
- General
- Presidential/Electoral college
Primary
An election used to select a party’s candidate for the general election. 3 different types.
What are the 3 different types of primaries?
Closed
Open
Blanket
(Party caucus/party conventions)
Closed Primary
Only members of party system can cast votes, must be registered.
Open Primary
Allows for those not affiliated to vote, registered still can’t choose whatever, must choose from party
Blanket Primary
Any candidate can receive votes from any party, separates by ideas and not party (Don’t exist anymore technically)
Top Two Primary
All candidates listed on the same ballot, top two regardless of partisan affiliation advance to general election.
General Election
An election used to select a person to fill a public office for a specific term
Presidential/Electoral college Election
Not as direct as other two types, counter majoritarian.
Faithless Electors
Don’t vote their majority
VAP
Voter age population
VEP
Voter eligible population
RV
Registered voters
Ballot fatigue
Only look at the top of ballot because there are too many options
Who is more likely to vote?
Women? And then all the rest of the stereotypical educated groups.
Liphart’s Institutional Mechanisms
- Voter friendly registration rules
- Proportional representation
- Infrequent and simultaneous elections with short ballots
- Weekend voting/mail ballots
- Compulsory voting
Agents of Socialization
Family, friends, the media, school, peer groups, neighborhood, political events.
