Public+Opinion

=Public Opinion= http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/webpicks/stock_Republican-elephant.gif http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/images/2007/12/08/democrat_donkey.gif Public Opinion - Not as much fun as it sounds - an example of an opinion gone public :-D

__**Key Terms:**__

 * Poll** - a survey that shows how people feel about a specific topic - [|Gallup Polls]
 * Random Sample**- process in which everyone in a population has the same chance to be polled
 * Sampling error** - the difference between several random samples
 * Exit Polls** - random voters' input on who they voted for after coming out of the voting booth
 * Political Socialization** - lifelong process by which personal background, media, and educational system influence a person's political view
 * Elite** - a person who as a great abundance of a specific valued resource
 * Gender Gap** - the discrepancy gender presents in political views that affects both parties.
 * Political Ideology** - the public's consistent opinion on what the government should do.
 * Political Elite** - people possessing vast amounts of political power.

__**Key Concepts**__
[|**//http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/American-Government.topicArticleId-65383.html//**] this website gives a basic understanding of key concepts

//What is Public Opinion?// Public opinion is the people's belief system about particular issues in society and governmental policy. Public opinion is often shown through polling. - Easily influenced - Affected by the Media - Differs between the masses and the elites - Overall, tends to be conservative in America - The government favors Elite opinion

The Polling System
Assumes public opinion by interviewing a random sampling of people that are to reflect the nation's views. - Typically accurate, but not infallible. - since '52 every major poll has successfully picked the winner of the presidential election.- - Obviously, the less response to a poll, the less reliable

A poll of polls: http://pollob.politics.ox.ac.uk/polls/2006%20Poll%20of%20Polls%20Estimate.JPG

An example of poll data:

//Political Socialization//
The way a person's political views are learned or assumed from: - Family - Religion - Age - Region - Sex - Schooling - Upbringing

//Gender Gap// Yearly Average, by Gender** http://www.gallup.com/poll/10870/Gender-Gap-Alive-Well.aspx
 * George W. Bush’s Job Approval Rating

The gender gap is still prevalent today, though not on all issues.

//Cleavages In Public Opinion//
The cleavages are never clear cut. There is not one particular thing that decides how a person feels about politics.

Reasons for Cleavages - Social Class - Race - Ethnicity - Region - Education - Occupation

Class is not a popular way of categorizing Americans though it does define how people vote, though that influence has fluctuated greatly in recent years.

A graph pertaining to cleavage: http://www.themonkeycage.org/herron1.png

Political Ideology
- Consistency, Liberal vs Conservative, and Political Elites

- Big government - Higher taxes - More government spending - Personal liberties
 * __//Liberal//__**

- Small government - Lower taxes - Less government programs - More restrictive on personal liberties
 * //__Conservative__//**

//**Political Elites**// - Consistently involved in the political system- Casually called "Activists"

Reasons for consistency in political ideology: - Surrounded by like-minded people - Better informed

Below Cartoon compliments of : [|www.arhu.umd.edu/.../ visuallit/seuss/intro.html] This website, if you explore, will allow you to scroll over the picture and it will explain the cartoon, for anyone who doesn't understand. - Shows the opinion of some of the public in comic form - Wouldn't state this, but I did not understand why this was germane - "]]

The poll below is from GALLUP POLLS. This graph shows the difference between the US, Canada, and Great Britain's public opinion on homosexual behavior, and whether it is morally acceptable or wrong.