POLS 206 Exam 3 Haney TAMUG

Government Regulation of the Internet

Highly contested

Supporters ague that content originators should be protected from websites that facilitate the distribution of protected content

The Media As a Political Institution

Although not a formal branch of the US government, it nonetheless plays a critical institutional role in the political system

Public Opinion

Citizens' attitude about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events

What are the two levers of public opinion?

Individual, and aggregate

Individual public opinion

what on person thinks about issues, leaders, institutions, and events

Aggregate public opinion

The accumulation of these individual expressions as expressed in polls, votes, town meetings, protests, etc.

Preferences

Shaped by economic self-interest and social or moral values; some preferences may be held more intensely than others

Beliefs

Reflect how people understand the world and the consequences of actions

Why might surveys be an imperfect way to measure public opinion?

In a survey, it is possible, and likely, that the views of a candidate will not perfectly match with ours, meaning that the results of the survey will not completely represent how the public views certain issues

Variety of Opinion

Americans do hold common opinions on some issues, like the legitimacy of the Constitution, but on most things the public does not hold a single view

What is the difference in one's ideology and public opinion?

Public opinion focuses on specific individuals, policies, or circumstances at a moment in time, while ideology is an enduring set of principles that some hold about the proper role of government in society

What we're interested to know in regards to Variety of Opinion?

Evaluations of individuals and institutions

Assessments of public policies

Assessments of current circumstances

Political orientations

Economic interests

Government policies directly affect American's financial well-being in a variety of ways

Values

Our philosophies about morality and justice impact our opinions and may even contradict our economic interests

Identities

Our race, religion, geographic origin, language (accents/dialects) and partisan identification impact our opinions

Social Origins of Preference

Preferences are developed through social lives--upbringing, schooling and experiences with coworkers and friends

Political Socialization

The induction of individuals into the political culture; the process of learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Agents of Socialization

The social institutions, including families and schools, that help shape individuals' basic political beliefs and values

What are some important agents of socialization?

Family

Education/work

Social Groups

Political Conditions

Agents of Socialization: Family

Most people acquire their initial orientation to politics from their family; Parents don't necessarily teach their kids about politics bu kids adsorb the political conversations around them and often the political orientation that comes with it

Agents of Socialization: Education/Work

Some values (Liberty, equality and democracy for instance) are impressed on students continuously throughout their education.

But higher levels of education attainment and exposure to diverse people and environments are associated with changes in political beliefs

Agents of Socialization: Social Groups

We all belong to groups; some voluntary, like political parties, some more fluid, like race and gender.

Groups are another source of divergent preferences. Some of these preferences are based on self-interest but most aren't

The Gender Gap

A distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the difference in views between women and men.

Agents of Socialization: Political Condidtions

The conditions under which individuals and groups come of political age also shape political orientation

Similarly, the views of individuals and groups change as the political conditions change

Public Opinion and Political Knowledge

Few Americans devote sufficient time, energy, or attention to politics to really understand all issues

How does public opinion influence Government Policy?

Electoral Accountability

Building Coalitions: public bills are more likely to pass if they have public support

Input in rule making an legal decisions

Who counteracts government attempt to influence citizens' beliefs?

Interest groups, media, and politicians opposed to those in power

Measuring Public Opinion

A poll is a scientific measurement for measuring public opinion; we can't ask everyone what their opinion is, so we must find a representative sample and avoid selection bias

What is the idea sample size?

1000; regardless of the population size

What margin of error will make a poll worthless?

One that exceeds 3-3.5

Measurement Error

The failure to identify the true distribution of opinion within a population because of errors such as ambiguous or poorly worded questions

Salient Interest

An attitude or view that is especially important to the individual holding it

Illusion of Salience

By reporting results in quantitative terms, polls can give the impression that something is important when it actually is not

What is an example question that would lead to an illusion of Salience?

"Are you concerned about government corruption?"

Government and the Will of the People

representative democracy requires that the preferences of the people be translated into action

Identifying an measuring those preferences is not simple or easy

Because of the diversity and size of the republic, a lack of consensus is common

What is the importance of media

It is impossible to maintain a democratic political system over time without a properly functioning media

Types of Media: Print

Newspapers and magazines -- oldest forms of printed political communication; allows for greater context, depth, and analysis than other formats

What threatens the viability of print media?

Competition from other news formats, especially the internet

Broadcast Media

Television and Radio

Radio

Talk Radio is a powerful medium for mobilizing American conservatives

Left-wing radio has been less successful

Broadcast Media and Government regulation

With the advent of radio broadcasts in the 1920's, the need for regulations became evident, as broadcasters would vary their signal strength and the frequency they would use

Why is Broadcast media an example of the History Principle?

Government had to regulate it, which impacts the media environment today

Regulations of the Electronic and Broadcast News media

In the US, government rarely regulates news content; this can be traces to the First Amendment protections for the press

Regulation of News Media

Broadcast media face more scrutiny from federal regulators; content and ownership are key issues

Federal Communications Commission

Licenses broadcasters and regulates profanity, obscenity, and indecency

Equal Time Rule

Broadcasters mus provide candidates fro the same office an equal opportunity to communicate their messages

Right to Rebuttal

Individuals have the right to respond to personal attacks

What are two examples of federal attempts to ensure diversity of opinion?

The "Equal Time Rule" and "Right to Rebuttal"

1996 Telecommunications Act

Relaxed 1930's-era regulations governing corporate ownership of regional media markets; led to media consolidation

The Internet

Has emerged as a powerful new technology for the dissemination of news and information, with a wide variety of political perspectives

News Aggregation Sites

Internet news sites that aggregate news collected by other media; they essentially profit from the work of others

How does the Internet relate to the 1996 Telecommunications Act?

It provides a counterweight to media consolidation, many argue that overall, the Internet promotes greater diversity of opinion than existed previously, mitigating many of the threats posed by corporate homogenization of the news

Advantages of Media Consolidation

Longevity of news outlets, promotes the principals of a capitalists free market, more organized programs

Disadvantages of Media Consolidation

Increased partisanship, corporate welfare, filtering of information that counters the outlet's ideals, "If it bleeds, it leads"

Freedom of the Press

First Amendment; Prior restraint; Near V. Minnesota

Prior Restraint

Refers to efforts by government to prevent publication of material deemed to be harmful or libelous

Consumers in Media

The news business is ultimately geared toward making a profit

News is tailored for segments of the population, "If it bleeds, it leads"

"If it bleeds, it leads"

News tailored to consumer preferences for entertainment

What affects news coverage?

Journalists

Journalists

Although most strive for Objectivity, personal biases inevitably shape their perspectives

What do journalists want?

Ratings, career success, and professional prestige

Yellow Journalism

A highly sensational style of reporting that emphasized, above all, selling news as a product

What was the driving force behind increasing partisan news coverage?

The emergence of Fox news during the late 1990's; Their patriotic and often right-leaning coverage produced high ratings, prompting other news outlets like MSNBC to emulate the partisan format

Citizen Journalism

Its emergence, enabled by the internet, promotes a wider variety of perspectives

What played a major role in the protests in Egypt, Libya, and Syria in 2011?

Citizen Journalism

What is a critique of citizen Journalism?

There is a concern about upholding traditional journalistic standards and training

News Leaks

Individuals shape news through the dissemination of confidential information

Manufactured "News"

Recent cases of journalists paid by officials to slant news stories

Government videos designed to resemble actual news stories attempt to sway public opinion

How does politicization of news affect the public view of the media as an institution?

It undermines public faith in media

Media Power and Repsonsibility

The media play a powerful role in shaping public perception of news events (ex: Civil rights movement, Watergate, Vietnam)

Propaganda

"Children are also targets of propaganda, through the use of cartoons"

Economic Policy and the Great Recession

The importance of collective action and the role of government were evident in the Great Recession of 2008-09

Public Policy

A law, rule, statute, or edict that expresses the government's goasl and often incorporates rewards and punishments to promote their attainment

Economic Policy

Aims to improve economic performance and outcomes

Conditions Required for a Market Economy

Establishing law and order, defining rules of property and its exchange, enforcing contracts, setting market standards, providing public goods, creating a labor force, promoting competition

Public Good

a good that may be enjoyed by anyone if it is provided and that may not be denied to anyone

What are some examples of public goods?

Infrastructure, education, and security

Externalities

Side effects of an activity, affecting other parties who did not agree to the activity in question

Monopoly

A single firm that provides all the goods and services of a particular market; the absence of competition

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Regulates monopolies

Maintenance of a free market requires what?

Reasonably easy entry and the ability to compete

Market Failure

Instance when the market fails to produce an efficient outcome

Market Problems

incomplete information, pollution-the environment is a shared resource damaged by "over-utilization"

How do monopolies threaten the ideal of free market?

By allowing a single firm to dominate a segment of the economy, possibly driving up prices while lowering quality

Goals of Economic Policy

Promoting stable markets, and promoting economic prosperity

Ways of Promoting Stable Markets

Establishing law and order, ensuring competition, and enforcing consistent regulator structure

Ways of Promoting Economic Prosperity

Measuring economic growth (gross domestic product), promoting full employment, keeping inflation low

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total value of goods and services produced

Inflation

Consistent increase in prices

Tools for Promoting Economic Growth

Regulatory agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), government programs promote workforce productivity, government investment in science and technology can lead to long-term innovation

Keynesian Economics

Emerged as the dominant economic theory to restore economic growth and employment

FA Hayek

Argues that savings were the key to real economic growth - credit should be kept to a minimum

The Great Depression - Problem 1

Expansion of credit; WWI distorts American economy creating a bubble, over production after the War floods markets and terminally destabilizes prices-leads to Stock Market collapse of October 24-29, 1929

The Great Depression - Problem 2

Run on the banks, fear runs rampant as rumors and "Fake News" lead masses to withdraw savings from the banks, leading to collapse

The Great Depression - Problem 3

Dust storm damage of central US

Solution to the Expansion of Credit problem during the Great Depression

Securities and Exchange Commission created to oversee financial transactions

"Breakers" put in place to automatically shutdown the NYSE if it drops precipitously

Solution to Run on the Banks problem during the Great Depression

FDIC was created, reserve requirements were established

Solution to Dustbowl problem during the Great Depression

Agricultural and Mechanical schools encourage farmers to rotate crops and terrace farm

Grants and subsidies paid to farmers to leave fields fallow

Budget Deficet

The amount by which government spending exceeds government revenue in a fiscal year

National Debt

The accumulation of each year's budget deficits or surpluses - the total amount owed by the US government