CHAPTER 11

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CHAPTER 11THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
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SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION

• A. What is Public Opinion
• 1. Public Opinion - total of opinions
• concerning a certain issue.
• a. Is usually many opinions
• B. What Shapes Opinion
• 1. The same things that shape our
• political personality.
• a. Family
• b. School
• c. Friends
• d. Mass Media (T.V., Radio, etc)

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• C. Propaganda and Public Opinion
• 1. Propaganda - ideas used to influence
• people.
• 2. In today's age propaganda is becoming
• bigger and bigger.
• IN YOUR SMALL GROUPS DISCUSS AND COME UP WITH AS
  MANY PROPAGANDA ADS, BOOKS, ECT. THAT YOU CAN (3
  MIN.)

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• D. Kinds of Propaganda
• 1. It is important that YOU define
• between propaganda, truth, and lies.
• 2. Concealed Propaganda - propaganda
• presented as being factual and its
• sources are kept secret.
• a. Often used to fool people.
• 3. Revealed Propaganda - makes readers
• or listeners aware that someone is
• trying to influence them.
• a. Used mostly in advertising.

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• E. Propaganda Techniques (7 of them)
• 1. Testimonials - getting a well known
• person to support your ideas.
• 2. Bandwagon - Everyone is following the
• idea so you should to.
• 3. Name-calling - Giving something an
• unpleasant label. (dirty politics)
• 4. Glittering Generalities - Using words
• that sound good but dont mean much.
• 5. Plain-folks - Youre just like one of
  the
• people.

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• 6. Card Stacking - Uses facts in a way that
• favors a particular product, idea, or
• candidate.
• a. Media can put you on the front page
• and your opponent on the second
• page.
• 7. Transfer - Associating a person or idea
• with something everyone thinks is
• good. (Ex. Kissing a baby)

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USING THE LIST OF PROPAGANDA YOU CREATED BEFORE,
DECIDE IF EACH ITEM ON YOUR LIST IS CONCEALED OR
REVEALED PROPAGANDA AND WHAT TECHNIQUE IT MAY
FALL UNDER. (7 MIN)
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• F. Measuring Public Opinion
• 1. Pressure Groups (Indirect)
• 2. Can be done through elections. (Direct)
• 3. Polls - survey of how people feel on
• certain issues.
• G. Choosing a Sample
• 1. Most important part of a poll.
• 2. Getting a good sample is hard to do.
• 3. Samples are based on income, gender,
• age, race, etc.

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• H. Using Polls Carefully
• 1. Not only can polls measure public
• opinion they can influence it. (Be
• careful when reading a poll!!!!)

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INTEREST GROUPS

• A. What is an Interest Group
• 1. Groups of people who share a common
• interest. (Many kinds NRA, NOW,
• NAACP, etc. )
• a. Single interests groups - groups
• who are for or against a single
• issue.
• b. Lobbyists - Person who is paid by
• an interest group to represent
  that
• groups interest. (Are often paid
• more than Congressional members.)

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• 2. Several pressure groups can make up a
• single PAC. (Political Action Committee)
• a. PACS - raise money from members
• of their pressure group.
• b. In 2008 PACs contributed
• approximately over 200 million to
• candidates. (Roughly 4,200 PACs today)
  
• c. PACS try to influence government by
• determining how much money a
• candidate will get.
• d. They also try to influence public
  opinion.

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• 3. In 1946 Congress passed a law to regulate
• Interest Groups and PAC's.
• a. Must register with House and Senate.
• b. Wear identification badges.
• c. Must report money received and spent.
• d. Must report bills interested in.

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• 4. Coalition - Pressure groups that join
• forces. (Not necessarily a
  PAC)
• 5. What are some pluses of pressure groups
• a. Allows important issues to come to the
• attention of the President and
• Congress.
• b.
• c.
• d.
• 6. In your small groups discuss some
• Negatives of pressure groups. (3 Min)

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• 7. Other forms of pressure
• a. Public opinion campaigns - writing
• members of the lobbying organization
• asking them to send letters.
• b. Questionnaires - printed surveys
• mailed to
  voters.

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IN YOUR SMALL GROUPS DISCUSS THE
FOLLOWINGSHOULD ELECTED PEOPLE DO WHAT THE
PEOPLE DESIRE
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TAKING PART IN GOVERNMENT

• A. Voting Democracy in Action
• 1. U.S. has one of the lowest voter
• turnouts of any free nation in the
• world.
• a. 2000 only 51 of the voting-age
• public voted.
• 2. Why dont people vote
• a. Time
• b. Thinking their vote doesnt count.
• c. Dont like the candidates, etc.

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• B. Every Vote Counts
• 1. Hitler became controller of the Nazi
• party by 1 vote.
• 2. Enough has been said!! VOTE!!!
• C. Taking Part in Political Campaigns
• 1. People of any age can volunteer to
• work for a political campaign.

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• D. Contacting Public Officials
• 1. Write letters, fax, e-mail, officials
  on
• issues that concern you.
• E. Community Action
• 1. Dont complain about your community
• unless youre doing something to fix
• it.

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POSSIBLE ASSIGNMENTS

• 1. Write letter to congressional member
• 2. Skills Worksheet (pg. 11)
• 3. Enrichment Worksheet (pg. 11)
• 4. Chapter Test (pg. 41-44)
• 5. Reteaching Worksheet (pg. 21, 22)
• 6. Section Review (pg. 211,216, 219)
• 7. Building your Portfolio (pg. 221)
• 8. American Gov. Wks. (Pg. 40)
• EXTRA CREDIT (5 PTS.)
• Voc. Workshop, Reviewing Main Ideas, Thinking
  Critically (pg. 221)