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92 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the two ways to understand politics?
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Explanation of Happenings in terms of cause(structure) or
Explanation of Actions/ Decisions by people in terms of reasons |
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When trying to understand politics, one method to use is through "Explanation of Happenings", describe this more?
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You can understand via structure (Government, Constitution Laws) or you can understand via processes (voting, elections, bargaining among politicians)
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What are two ways to understand the decisions of political actor?
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There motivation:
Conscious (Spoken-healthcare, Secret(not spoken but know to the political actor)-Like Bush trying to prove to his father Non-conscious Current situation and biography World view ("reality image") |
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What are the five components of anyone's image of reality?
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What is (something) and whats' likely to come
What causes what What's right What works What should be done by whom, how, and when |
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What are the three determinants of one's reality image?
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Genes, Biography (Education is important), Location or perspective (looks really different in the oval office than in the Cave).
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When people meet in politics what will the actor present?
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Their reality image
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What is someone making claims to authority trying to do?
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They want to substitute their reality image for yours in your mind or let them make decisions for you
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What makes someones claim to authority powerful?
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The power of claim to authority is only given if someone gives that person authority
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What are some ways to lay claims in authority?
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Obama playing basketball(non-verbal he is young)
Studying up on topic Being in a place gives you authority (I went to war, you didn't) |
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What is "most of life political"
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Due to claims of authority
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What is the essence of authority?
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This is recognized power, power the capacity to get someone to do something he/she wouldn't otherwise do,WITHOUT USING FORCE IS AUTHORITY
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What are major sources of authority?
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Tradition or precedent,
Personal qualities (Charisma or personality) Reputation Expertise Legitimacy Their own experience Possession or controlling other resources (money, votes or secret info) |
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What is Edwards definition of politics?
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disputes over claims to authority concerning the nature of reality [what is, what causes what, what’s right, what works, and/or what should be done by whom]
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Is there a correct definition?
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No, the correct definition is usually the one that has most common usage.
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What will lead into picking a definition?
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You'll pick a definition that best advances your goals and getting others to know what you mean
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What are we gaining from using Edward's definition?
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Defend from manipulation
Empower use to act more effectively in politic Allow us to effectively manipulate others |
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Why do we use Edward's definition of politics?
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Broader than most others (helps us see the political contributions and aspects of many more activities) and deeper than others (help us see why and how people are manipulated, see what really makes things happen as they do)
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What is the textbooks def. of public opinion?
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This political attitudes and core beliefs expressed by ordinary citizens as revealed by surveys
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What is Edward's definition of public opinion?
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The summary of the distribution of expressed attitudes of all or part of the people on some subject at some particular moment.
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What are the main things that make Edward's definition better?
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Expressed attitudes because people were afraid to give opinions at one point (racism)
At some momement because every poll is based on one momement. |
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What are some of the negatives of polling using a computer?
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Not everyone has a computer and not everyone goes online everyday
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What are some of the problems of measuring public opinion?
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The issue of wording (leading and close ended or forced-choice questions)
Issue with polling hard to get a good sample |
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What was learned from the polls on stem cell research?
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Always look at multiple polls not just one.
If one poll is drastically different than the other polls you know there might have been sampling or wording biased. A large number of "don't know responses" indicates that people haven't formed an opinion. |
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What is meant by political socialization?
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This is the way in which people formulate their core beliefs and political attitudes
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What are the agents of political socialization?
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These are the individuals or instituions that shape our political attitudes and core beliefs
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What is collective public opinion?
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This an average political attitudes of the whole population, expressed as averages and percentages
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What is noticed in the trends in party identification?
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The gap between democrats and republicans dropped because democrats began to identify as independents. The gap occured again after 06 because republicans lost identification because of the Bush presidency
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What is a economic conservative, economic liberal, social liberal, social conservative
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EC- prefer private enterprise no Govt. involvement
EL- Favor government regulation and govertnment spending for social programs SL-favor civil liberties, abortion and alt. lifestyles SC- Favor tradition social values and support strong law and order measures |
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What are some examples of how public opinion has role in US government?
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The nam war
Bush and social security |
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What are ways that public opinion can be altered (third factor)?
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News media
Interest groups |
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What are some examples where public opinion is not accounted for?
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Foreign
Telecommunications |
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Why is safe to say that public opinion on government is significantly less than the statistical studies suggest?
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Due to the third factor (news and interest groups) and government manipulation over popular opinion
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Where did the governement go against public opinion?
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Clinton impeachment and gun control
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Why is public opinion important?
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It can legitimate political authority
It can make political actors more responsive and effective It can indicate continuity and change in beliefs and values It can help political candidates and parties |
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How can public opinion be dangerous?
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It may be ill informed and still influential
It may be overly influential (tracking polls) It can be manipulated (push polls) |
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What are tracking polls?
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These are polls taken in an election to monitor how the public respond to what a candidate says. The candidate will adjust to make sure he is following what the people want.
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How can public opinion be manipulated?
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Through push polls and pre-tested language
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Describe a push poll?
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Would you support "a made up negative claim" of so and so...
Example-Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for John McCain for president if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child? |
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How public opinion can be improved?
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Via collective deliberation
Increase political knowledge Increase political analytical thinking skills Promote informed political participation |
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What does the media do?
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The media is designed to mediate between the political actors and ourselves
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Describe the challenges faced by newspapers, noncable news and how it is difficult to monetize internet content.
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Newspapers are in trouble because people are more willing to buy ads on TV and internet.
Non-cable news is getting cutbacks because most people watch cable news We grew up thinking internet is free so now it is hard to charge people for internet access. |
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In what ways does the government help the media?
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Freedom Information Act.
Subsidized postal rates for periodicals. Maintaining public relations offices in all government agencies. Regulation in ways that stabilize profit opportunities. Underwriting new technology development |
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What were the old standards for traditional journalism?
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Accuracy
Holding government accountable via surveillance of official actions Journalist and Editorials were separate Balance in coverage among contending parties News judgment over profit maximization in decisions on what to cover |
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What are the new alternatives to traditional journalism
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Advocacy journalism-Glen Beck
Entertainment Tabloid Journalism |
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What was wrong about the old journalist's role with obtaining the goal, "their old view"
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There is no such thing as neutral, you can never get the truth about what exactly is going on
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What happens in the contemporary view of media's role in the news?
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They have a balanced selection but it is hard to have a balanced selection because usually two sides is not enough, there are multiple sides to the story.
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What is negative of using a source for the public?
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The source is only telling the journalist what they want to tell us
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What is the negative and positive gained due to journalism beats?
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Beats produce expertise on a topic but produce a narrowed perspective
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What are some of the negatives of owners, editors, producers in media?
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The newspaper will try to increase profits so won't report on certain things that will hurt their advertisers.
They will try to increase their audience by produce entertainment pieces |
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What is a negative of news routines?
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They will tend to give most attention to people at either extreme of society
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What are some of the negatives of Narratives?
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They will report stories as if their is a beginning and an end and also if it is compeling will distract attention from important facts about underlying conditions and policies.
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What can lead from episodic reporting?
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Misleads people into thinking that this is a single isolated event.
It will let problems tend to go neglected, no one held responsible, people don't develop conclusions about causes and solutions. |
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What are three ways to critically read and watch the news?
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Don't fall for trial ballons
Remember that denials and corrections don't get press Watch out for blanket denials and cover stories |
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What are three reasons that mainstream news is still important in our current day, despite alternatives?
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The mainstream can reach a wider range of audience
The news reported online usually comes from mainstream Eager politicians look to mainstream media |
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What is the media monopoly?
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This is saying that big corp. own so much media that really no one else has a voice
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What is infotainment?
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The merging of hard news and entertainment in news presentations
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How can the media lead to ineffective government spending?
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If media say crime is increasing in rape, govt. may act to reduce...if it is false then there is a waste of resources
The more threating it seems in news, the public will push aside other topics Candidates campaign onn issues that are more connected with public. |
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What is the difference between UCR and NCVS?
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The NCVS is the survey
The UCR is the poliece reporting to FBI |
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What is agenda setting?
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This is when the media will air something and the audience will then believe this is the most important issue at the time.
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What forms of government are the following:
Rule by many Rule by a few Rule by one |
Democracy
Aristocracy (non-democratic republic) Autocratic or enlightened |
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What is the major difference between democracy and republics?
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In a republic the majorities power is limited to protect the rights of minority
In democracy the majority will have power over the minority. |
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What is popular sovereignty?
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basic principle of democracy that the people ultimately rule
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What is political equality?
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This says that every person has the same equal rights as everyone else
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What is political liberty?
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This means that citizens in a democracy are protected from govt. interference in free speech, association and conscience
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What is a social movement?
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A organized collection of ordinary people using unconventional means to get their voices heard by the pubic at large. This is done to promote, resist or undo some social change
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What are some key features of a SM?
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SOCIAL MOVEMENTs are the political instrument of political outsiders (people whose voice are outside the political mainstream)
SM are generally mass grassroots phenomena (they depend on numbers, energy and commitment) SM are done with people with a shared sense of grievance SM use unconventional and disruptive tactics SM often generate interset group orgs |
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What were some of the tactics for social movements?
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Sit-downs,
Civil disobidience |
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Why do some SM succeed and others do not
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The proximity of movement's goal to american values
The movement's capacity to win public attention and support The movement's ability to affect the political fortunes of elected leaders |
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How do SM help make US more democratic?
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First it gives voice to political outsiders and politicaly powerless in the political game
Allows for individuals without substantial resources to enter the game of politcs. They create new majorities |
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How might social movements deter democracy?
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If small minorities force elected officials to respond to their demands due to the fear of threat of social distruption
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What factors encourages the creation of SM's?
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Availability of resources for mobilization
Distress A catalyst A sense of political efficacy A supportive environment |
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What are some of the key points in the declaration of independence?
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All men have rights and they can't be given or taken away. Rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
The people create a government to protect these rights. If government can't then they can withdraw and void their social contract. |
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What were the weakness of the article of confederation
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Central govt. could not finance its own activities
Central govt. could not defend American interests in foreign affairs. Central govt. could not prevent the outbreak of commercial warfare |
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In the Articles of Confederation, what was done to limit the power of the majority?
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Have one part of one branch of government subject to direct election of the people (House) and Senate and Presidency (Indirect)
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Describe the Virginia plan, the New Jersey Plan, AND the Connecticut Compromise
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Virgina plan, central government where the most populous states would have more control in the government.
New Jersey strong central government with equal state representation, unicameral. Connecticut Compromise-senate and house |
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What are the three kinds of legal stages of citizenship?
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Legal Status, participation, virtuous citizens
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What are some ways that make constituition still work?
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Refoundings
Interpretation -Executive orders (both secret and non secret) -Executive aggreements Amendments |
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What is the textbook definition for federalism?
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Federalism is a system under which government powers are divided up between federal government and smaller parts. Neither one completely controls the other; each has some room for independent action
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What is Edward's definition for federalism?
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A system of government in which there are two levels of government each of which governs a specified territory and has direct legal authority over the residents in that territory in certain specified policy areas and has constitutional protection for that authority.
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What is key to making Edward's definition better than the textbook?
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It states that each of the central and smaller parts have direct legal sovereignty over the residents in that territory
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What are two ways in which federalism impacts people?
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People have both dual citizenship and have split representation
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What are the types in a federal system?
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Enumerated to National govt.
Enumerated state government Reserved Implied to Natl. govt. Inherent in the national government Concurrent power |
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What is an example of inherent powers?
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US vs. Curtiss-Wright
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What is an example of implied powers?
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McCulloch vs. Marylland
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What are some things denied to the national governement?
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Passing Ex Facto law
Bill of attinure Bill of Rights says some things government can't do |
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What are two compaints about federalism?
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Mandates and preemption
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What are some provisions to horizontal federalism?
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i. Each state must extend to every other states citizens the privileges and immunities of its own citizens
ii. Each state must agree to return persons who are fleeing from justice in another state iii. Each state must give full faith and credit to every other state’s public acts, records and judicial proceedings |
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What is the definition of an interest group?
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A private org or voluntary association that seeks to influence public policy as a way to protect or advance some interest
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What is a lobbyist?
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A rep or employee of an interest group who tries to directly influence governmental officals
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What is a vested interest group?
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This is a group or an interest receiving benefits from the government and most likely wanting protect/retain or expand those benefits
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What was the Madisonian dilemma?
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Factions may work to benefit only special interests or some faction could work for the better good
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What was the solution to the Madisonian dilemma?
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There are so many checks and balances, everything will work out
Reservation of some powers to states and people Natural aristocracy of intelligent people will gravitate to govt. Competition in growing economy will create so much competition, that none will be able to monopolize the marketplace |
