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Public Opinion
Chapter 11
What is the most common use of campaigning
during elections?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Canvassing
Mail
Magazine & Newspaper Ads
TV
Public Opinion
The ideas & attitudes people have about
candidates
 Influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies,
race, religion & occupation
 Mass media is a strong influence
 Politicians must be responsive to public opinion
if they are going to get reelected

How does a person contribute to the Presidential
Election Campaign Fund?
1.
2.
3.
4.
By paying the sales tax
Checking a box on their income tax forms
Ordinary people can not contribute
Only by contributing to PAC’s
Determining Public Opinion
Public Opinion Polls – survey – most accurate way
to determine public opinion
 Pollsters – people trained to take polls & measure
public opinion
 Public Opinion Poll – use random samples
 Push Polls – used to push public opinion one way
or another


Have loaded questions – biased to get a certain
response
Presidential Approval Rating
 Gallup Poll

What is a split ticket?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ballots with candidates listed on two sides
Using different ballots for national and state
issues
Voting for candidates from different political
parties
Voting for candidates from the same political
party
Which President had the worst approval rating?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Harry Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Richard Nixon
George Bush
Presidential Approval Ratings
Media
Print – newspapers, mailings, magazines
 Electronic – TV, radio, internet
 Main purpose – to keep us informed
 Independent media is most desirable
 Literacy is important
 Bias – one-sided point of view

Biased Media


Fox – Republican biased
news
MSNBC – Democratic
biased news
A disadvantage of mass campaigning is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Its too time consuming
It takes too many people
Its too expensive
It doesn’t reach enough people
Interest Groups
People attempting to influence government
with their shared views
 Pressure groups
 Functions:

 Bring
issues to the public & lawmakers
 Support candidates who favor their goals
All of the following are reasons a person should
volunteer except:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The community benefits
A person can deduct it on their tax return
It pays well
It gives a person intrinsic value
Types of Interest Groups

Economic – most common
Business organizations – interested in trade
 Industrial & Trade – represent certain types of business
 Labor Unions – rights of workers
 Professional Associations – represent different
professions


Group
Ethnicity (NAACP)
 Age (AARP)
 Gender (NOW)

Public – focus on specific causes (PETA)
 Can form PACs also

All of the following are duties except:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Attending school
Paying taxes
Voting in elections
Serving on a jury
Ways Special Interest Groups Influence Politics
Election Activities – backing a candidate
 Lobbying – persuading officials
 Provide expert testimony or help write laws in
committees
 Go to court to fight a cause
 Fund elections

What is publishing false information that harms
a person’s reputation?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Propaganda
Censorship
Libel
Slander
Lobbyists
Lobby – try to get officials to support a group’s
goals
 Responsible for getting PAC money to the right
politicians
 Speak in congressional committees

Which of the following can cause a voters
registration to be canceled?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Convicted of a felony
Move out of the state
Nothing cancels voter registration
Both A and B are correct
Regulation
Lobbyists can’t pay a candidates living
expenses
 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)

 All
lobbies must register with federal & state
governments & report all expenditures
A lobbyist can do all of the following except:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pay a member of congress to vote for a bill
Prepare a report on a bill
Research information about a bill
Testify about a bill
Propaganda
Attempt to influence people with biased
information
 Always get both sides of a story from reliable
sources
 Good way to determine what a candidate really
supports is to see which PAC gives them money
for campaigning

To learn about public opinion, pollsters usually
question:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Americans from one particular economic
group
Fewer than 100 people
A random sample of people
People with very strong opinions
Types of Propaganda







Endorsements – famous or admirable person supports a
candidate
Stacked Cards – presenting only 1 side of the issue – distorting
the facts
Name-Calling – turning people against an opponent by giving
them an unpleasant label or description
Glittering Generality – statement that sounds good but is
meaningless
Symbols – use and misuse of symbols
Just Plain Folks – make people think that the candidate is just like
them
Bandwagon – convincing people that everyone else agrees with a
certain candidate

Examples
Which one of the following is a branch of the
AFL-CIO Union?
1.
2.
3.
4.
American Medical Association
American Bar Association
National Organization for Women
National Football Players Association
Most interest groups can be described as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Biased
Illegal
Impartial
Ineffective
All males must register at the age of 18 with
the:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Selective Services
Draft Board
US Army
Board of Elections
What provides a way for citizens to approve or
reject state laws?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Referendum
Proposition
Mandate
Initiative
When are referendums most likely used?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Daily issues
Run off elections
Recall elections
Controversial issues
What is the main purpose of the media in
politics?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ratings
To inform us
To influence the government
Support the government