Lesson 29: Public Opinion and the Political Process
In this lesson, we will discuss the symbols and values that
make up our political culture, and learn about political trust as a measure of
the government�s performance. We will also look at how approval ratings change,
and the trade-offs involved in politics.
It goes without saying that
it is important for a candidate running for election to listen to the public
they are trying to represent. They will not win if they are not accurately
representing the people who will be voting, so a candidate should poll the
population to find out what it is they want. Once an official is elected,
ideally, they will continue to stay on top of what the constituents want and
need.
Subgroups in America are divided by Ethnic, Religious, Regional, and
Political differences. How do we keep it all from spinning into total chaos?
Symbols of Our Political Culture include the American Flag, the Liberty Bell,
and the Statue of Liberty.
Across the nation, our Most Important Values are Liberty, Equality,
and Property. These symbols and these values are
all part of our political culture and bind us together as Americans.
There is a general environment of support and
certain shared beliefs when it comes to
our political culture. Our political culture is also involved when assessing
government performance.
Government performance is assessed by Political Trust, the degree to
which individuals express trust in the government and political institutions,
usually measured through a specific series of survey questions.
Satisfaction levels rise and fall when it comes to "the way things are going in
the United States." If the economy is doing well and there is general harmony
across the country, approval ratings rise. If the economy takes a fall and
there are issues affecting the overall happiness of the nation, approval
ratings take a hit.
Public Opinion is important to helping an elected official make decisions,
but a politician sometimes has to
make decisions on their own. These decisions are based on trade-offs.
Respondents to polls are rarely made aware of the trade-offs when they are
being surveyed. These trade-offs are an eye-opening reality to politicians who
are trying to introduce legislation and pass laws. Trade-offs are often
necessary in order to pass legislation, as taking action on one issue may
affect another issue. Funding a school program, for example, might mean budget
cuts for something else.