Public Opinion

1
Public Opinion

• Braunwarth
• POSC 121

2
Political Culture

• What is it?
• The opinion of the public on political and
  social issues
• How is it affected by Political Culture?
• We basically all share the Classical Liberal
  focus on self-interested, reasoning individuals
• The Framers borrowed from Locke who drew on the
  ideas of Descartes
• Descartes popularized the idea of individual
  reason which made possible the enlightenment and
  the scientific revolution

3
Classical Liberalism

• This way of thinking is well suited to our
  economic (capitalism) and political (democracy)
  systems
• However, not all societies have gone through the
  same process of enlightenment
• Is it inevitable that this process (and
  capitalism and democracy) will spread?
• Religious fundamentalism and its reliance on
  faith over fallible individual reasoning
  dominates many societies and even many groups here

4
Shaping Individual Opinions

• Most fundamental political beliefs and ideologies
  are formed early
• What are the primary agents of political
  Socialization?
• Family
• Schools
• Fundamental National Circumstances can shape an
  entire generation

5
Social Categories

• What characteristics are salient in shaping
  Public Opinion? How?
• Race
• Opinions differ regarding the extent of racial
  progress
• Gender
• Women are slightly less likely to advocate war
  and more likely to vote Democrat

6
Social Categories

• Age
• Generally reflects the conditions under which
  they were socialized
• Religion
• The God Gulf is dramatic with the religiously
  observant voting Republican

7
Social Categories

• In general, the more urban, the more liberal
• The South is the most conservative region of the
  country
• This is related to class
• Income is more concentrated in the U.S. than in
  any other Western Democracy
• But Americans are less aware of class divisions
  than others
• Lower class tends to be more concerned with
  personal morality
• Upper class tends to be more supportive of civil
  liberty issues

8
Public Opinion

• Public Opinion is just that, opinion.
• It is a social fact not a brute fact
• It need not be based on hard data or be
  objectively true
• So why should we care about P.O.?
• This is a democracy and Public Opinion is still
  one of the primary inputs that shapes public
  policy
• The Quality of Public Opinion is thus important

9
Public Knowledge

• Are citizens doing their job?
• Take the following quiz
• Who is your Congressional Representative?
• Who are your states two Senators?
• Who is the U.S. Secretary of State?
• Who is the U.S. Secretary of the Interior?
• Who is your representatives to either the State
  Assembly or the State Senate?
• Who is Kate Gosselin or Khloe Kardashian?
• Why do we know more about some of these than
  others?
• What the media chooses to emphasize (Neil
  Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death)

10
San Diego House Districts
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San Diego State Assembly
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CA State Senate Disricts
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(No Transcript)
14
John Kenneth Galbraith

• "We Associate truth with convenience," he wrote,
  "with what closely accords with self-interest and
  personal well-being or promises best to avoid
  awkward effort or unwelcome dislocation of life.
  We also find highly acceptable what contributes
  the most to self-esteem." Economic and social
  behaviors, Galbraith continued, "are complex, and
  to comprehend their character is mentally tiring.
  Therefore we adhere, as though to a raft, to
  those ideas which represent our understanding.
• In sum, Public Opinion/conventional wisdom is
  always
• 1. Easily understandable
• 2. Reinforces our self-esteem

15
Frames

• All politics is based on moral values, with
  strict conservatives and progressives having
  different moral values.
• All issues are conceptually "framed" - that is,
  they have a mental structure that fits one's
  moral system.
• Facts matter, but only when they clearly fit
  one's morally-based frames. If the facts don't
  fit your frames, the frames stay (since they are
  in your brain) and the facts are ignored or
  ridiculed.

16
Public Opinion in a complex world

• Is the world that simple?
• No, but individuals seek easily understandable,
  self-satisfying explanations
• Look at the Republicanism as Religion article.
• Public Opinion may be simplistic but it still
  drives policy in our democracy
• However, it is not just a one-way street

17
Constructing Public Opinion in a Complex World

• Political actors (politicians, interest groups,
  etc.) are eager to construct explanations that
  reinforce certain positions
• Is it possible for a politician to take the high
  road and address the complexity of political
  issues?
• Or will he be defeated by someone promising a
  simple explanation that reinforces the
  self-esteem of the audience?

18
Platos Allegory of the Cave

• How do people feel when their illusions have been
  shattered?
• Examples?
• Are they happy to be enlightened?
• If enlightened, will they be eager to go back an
  educate their fellows?

19
ImagegtSubstance

• Take a moment and list attributes of two
  prominent politicians
• Chances are these are based on messages
  popularized by the media but probably have little
  to do that individuals ability to govern
• We are not computers and do not view the world
  from a purely rational perspective
• Opinion is often based on image, emotions, and
  impressions rather than substantive political
  issues
• It may be rule by the people but large numbers
  of people are uninformed or misled or just dont
  care

20
Is being beer-worthy a good reason to vote for
a politician? How about someone who looks
presidential? Or sounds strong? What about
trustworthy? Are you going to be lending them
money until payday?
21
Culture of Fear

• What kinds of things, are people warned to be
  afraid of?
• Are these likely threats?
• So what why should we care if people are afraid
  of things over which they have little control and
  are not likely to affect them?
• It prevents them from addressing real political
  concerns upon which they can make an impact.
• (Same argument applies to sports)

22
Cynicism

• Do people tend to trust government or do they
  think that government is the problem and not the
  solution and that politicians are merely a
  bunch of crooks?
• Such opinions are widespread even though the vast
  majority of politicians are concerned about the
  public good.
• What effect does this have on democratic
  politics?
• Limits the ability of government to provide
  positive action for society

23
John Stuart Mill On Conformity, Individuality,
and Liberty

• Under what circumstances can one interfere in the
  actions of another?
• Only Self-Protection
• Mill worries about the tyranny of public opinion
• For J.S. Mill, very important to be exposed to a
  variety of opinions and a diversity of ideas
• Marketplace of Ideas
• Is there a tyranny of public opinion in the U.S.?
  Example?
• How are opposing views treated?

24
The Bully Pulpit

• Presidents have much opportunity to shape the
  substance of public opinion as well as how issues
  are framed
• Bush has been able to keep attention focused on
  terrorism and the war in Iraq
• (instead of what?)
• slumping economy, corporate malfeasance,
  environment, health insurance, layoffs, etc.
• The power to shape the message gives one the
  power to shape public opinion

25
Political Ideology

• What we accept is often shaped by our ideology
• Our variations of liberalism and conservatism are
  unique to the U.S.
• These ideologies differ in their acceptance of
  government influence in the market and in private
  conduct

26
Liberalism

• Theme Public Morality
• Concerned with welfare of others
• Everyone is valued
• We are our brothers keeper
• nurturant parent family model in which the
  world is a benevolent place that can be made
  better
• Government necessary to protect people from
  vagaries of the market
• Government should not favor particular behaviors
  or groups (religious, gender, sexual orientation,
  etc.)

27
Conservatism

• Theme Private Morality
• Concerned with conduct of others
• Traditional Values
• We are our own keeper
• strict father family model in which the world
  is dangerous and must be controlled
• No Government regulation of the market
• Government should endorse precise standards for
  private conduct

28
Ideology
29
Haidt The Righteous Mind

• We are instinctual moral reasoners
• Allowed us to cooperate and dominate the planet
• But also keeps us divided politically
• Liberals stress what evolved values?
• Caring and Fairness
• Conservatives emphasize what tribal values?
• Loyalty, Authority, Sanctity

30
Haidt The Righteous Mind

• Need to look at what issues each side
  Sacrilizes (hysterical motivated ignorance)
• Conservatives?
• Taxes
• Liberals?
• Was race and gender, becoming global warming and
  gay marriage

31
Haidt The Righteous Mind

• Which side understands the other better?
• Conservatives can understand emphasis on caring
  on fairness but
• Liberals often diminish the role of moral capital
• Are all types of family arrangements equally good?

32
Haidt The Righteous Mind

• Our Moral Instincts are tribal, adaptive and
  intuitive and have evolved to strengthen us v.
  them
• Have we evolved beyond these tribal values?
• Do you need loyalty, authority, and sanctity to
  run a decent society?
• Perhaps, and liberals should pay attention
• They need a new moral vision
• Equal opportunity for all, privileges for none?

33
Post v. Pre Reformation

• What happens when more tribal religions (i.e.
  Islam) and their expanding demographic curves
  come into conflict with post-reformation/atheistic
  societies in the West?
• Clash of Civilizations?

34
Haidt The Righteous Mind

• What happens when Europe becomes a Muslim
  continent?
• How will an evolved atheistic society fare
  within a tribal Islamic culture?
• How evolved are we?

35
Flip Sides of the Same coin

• Human Nature
• Resources
• Different Lifestyles
• Criminals
• Taxation
• Equality
• Order

• Conservative Liberal
• Self-Interest Communal
• Scarcity Plenty
• Restrain Trust
• Retribution Rehabilitate
• Regressive Progressive
• Freedom Equality Impt
• Order Impt Freedom

36
Ideology Constructs Reality

• If men define situations as real, they are real
  in their consequences (W. I. Thomas)
• If you want to look at reality according to
  either perspective, you will find a reality that
  conforms to your interpretation
• Neither is really common sense
• Depending how you look at reality, your actions
  and interactions will be affected
  self-fulfilling prophecy

37
Conservatism

• Ideological Mainstream of American politics has
  shifted to the right
• Why has Conservatism benefited from the growth of
  talk radio and not Liberalism?
• Plays better because it has easy answers
• Personal responsibility and self-reliance are
  easily understandable and persuasive
• This leads to clear, definite and easily
  defendable policy stances (less government, get
  tough on crime, etc.)

38
Conservatism and Liberalism

• In addition, conservative calls for less
  government naturally lend themselves to negative
  rhetoric and ads attacking government and
  politicians
• Liberalism relies on more complex justifications
  (social responsibility, etc.) that does not
  provide simple black white answers
• This leads to inherently more ambiguous policy
  choices (what can government do to enable all to
  compete equally?)

39
Conservatives fight better

• Subsequently, conservatives are able to fight
  political battles with greater surety and
  zealousness
• Can you think of any contemporary examples?

40
Do Conservatives fight better?
41
Emphasis on Different Values

• Liberals stress evolved values like caring and
  fairness
• Conservatives value these also but stress more
  tribal values like loyalty, authority, and
  sanctity
• Are all of these needed?
• Does this call into question our Classical
  Liberal assumptions?
• How evolved are we?

42
Braunwarths Rule

• Braunwarths rule Laws are codifications of what
  is acceptable to the average person
• Half will think you are going too far, half will
  think you are not going far enough
• From an evolutionary perspective, are we just
  heavily armed apes?
• A vanguard is needed to show the way but we cant
  ignore more fundamental values
• Ultimately you create your own reality

43
Politics of Excluded Alternatives

• But most Americans remain fairly liberal on
  policy particulars universal health care, child
  care, prescription drugs, Social Security, Roe v.
  Wade, unions, etc.
• So our taxes fund abstinence-only birth control
  programs but universal health insurance is
  considered utopian
• Maybe the political system is not offering voters
  the menu theyd like to see