Task 1: Trends in Public Opinion and Polling (Unit 4--> Connected to Elections Test)

Core Value

Includes individualism, equality of opportunity, free enterprise, limited government, rule of law

Individualism

The belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make

Equality of opportunity

Everyone should have an equal chance to compete and succeed

Free enterprise

An economic system where private individuals or businesses operate with minimal government intervention

rule of law

That no one and even public officials are above the law

limited government

Restricts the powers of the government to protect people’s rights and freedom

Political socialization

The experiences and factors that shape our political values, attitudes, and behaviors

U.S. political culture

The shared set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and government

Generational effects on ideology

The impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views

Life cycle effects on ideology

The impact of a person’s age and stage in life on his or her political views

Political ideology

A person’s coherent set of beliefs about government and politics

Public opinion polls

Tracking the sum of individual attitudes about government

Benchmark polls

Taken at the beginning of a political campaign to measure support for a candidate and determine which issues are important

Tracking polls

Determining the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout a campaign

Exit polls

Conducted by outside a polling place in which people are asked who or what they just voted for and why.

Sampling methods

To select a sample of individuals from a larger population for the purpose to conduct surveys or polls

Margin of error

Represents the amount of random sampling error in a survey’s result

Neutral framing of questions

The practice of wording poll questions in an unbiased manner to avoid influence

Accurate reporting based on polling

To access public opinion and various issues or candidates

Democratic party platforms

Focusing on social justice, equality, and more government intervention in the economy.

Liberal ideological positions

More government intervention to address social and economic issues

Republican party platforms

Less government involvement, more state’s rights, local control, individual freedom, and lower taxes

Conservative ideological positions

Tradition, limited government, individual freedom, and free markets

Policymaking

the set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are focused on

Individual liberty vs. order/stability

Refers to the rights and freedoms of individuals to act according to their own choices. While the other emphasizes the importance of maintaining societal structure and security

Liberal economic ideology

Welfare programs, environmental regulation, and civil rights protections

Conservative economic ideology

Limited government intervention and free markets

Libertarian economic ideology

Personal rights, minimal government intervention, and free markets

Fiscal policy

Government use of taxes and spending to attempt to lower unemployment, support economic activity, and stabilize the economy

Keynesian economics

A theory that demands for more government expenditures and lower taxes to take the global economy out of a recession

Supply side economics

A theory that encourages a boosting economic growth by increasing the supply of goods and services to lower taxes and economic expansion

Monetary policy

A set of economic policy tools designed to regulate the amount of money in the economy

federal reserve (the fed)

A board of governors, Federal Reserve Banks, and member banks responsible for monetary policy

Liberal social ideology

A belief that government should play a role in regulating the economy to protect individual rights and promote social equality

conservative social ideology

Support for traditional values and maintain established institutions

Libertarian social ideology

People should have the right to make choices about their lives without a lot of control from the government