AP GOV - Unit 4

Equality of Opportunity

Equality of Opportunity

Belief that every American, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, religion, etc. deserves equal footing to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Free Enterprise

Laissez faire economics. As little government intervention in the economy as possible.

Rule of Law

Belief that every citizen is equal under the law. No one has special privileges.

Individualism

Belief that every individual is responsible for themselves and their success.

Limited Government

Government whos limits are well defined in the Constitution as is restrained through checks and balances and separation of powers.

What are the 5 ideals Americans generally hold?

Rule of law, Limited government, Free Enterprise, Equality of Opportunity, Individualism

Political Socialization

Experiences and factors that have an impact on a persons political ideology

• Family

• School

• Social class

• etc.

Conservatives

Cherish established institutions and seek to preserve them for the good of society.

• Emphasize smaller government, and more public freedom

Liberals

Push for reforms in order to obtain equality for all and a more just society.

How do Conservatives view individualism?

Value self centered individualism, prioritizing the individual over the society.

How do Liberals view individualism?

Value the interests of society above the interests of the individual. Enlightened individualism

How do Conservatives view equality of opportunity?

Meritocracy. Everyone rises in America based on their own work and commitment.

• “American Dream”

How do Liberals view equality of opportunity?

Also believe in meritocracy but think that not all groups start at the same place.

How do Conservatives view free enterprise?

Want the government to stay out of business affairs and are free market focused.

How do Liberals view free enterprise?

Want the government to intervene with regulations to ensure the safety and equality of people.

How do Conservatives view rule of law?

See the laws themselves as embodying equality.

• Emphasize “letter of the law”

How do Liberals view rule of law?

Agree that laws embody equality with condition.

• Emphasize unequal application of laws in regards to minorities.

What impacts political socialization over time?

Different generations and the generation effect.

How do Conservatives view limited government?

Want to define strong boundaries of federalism.

• Less government interference in peoples lives

How do Liberals view limited government?

Embrace the need for government intervention to benefit society.

Benchmark polls

Polls taken at the beginning of a campaign to gauge initial support.

Tracking polls

Survey taken in the middle of a campaign to gauge public opinion and support for a candidate. Used to focus and create campaign priorities.

Entrance and Exit polls

Surveys taken at the entrance and exit of polling places in which people are asked who they plan to vote for or who they voted for in an effort to predict election turnout.

Focus Groups

Small, varied groups that surveyors bring together to ask about a specific issue. Different from Mass Survey method.

• Better for collecting Qualitative data(how people feel and think)

• Not considered scientific polling due to inability to match general population.

Universe Population

Area of focus or study in a poll

Representative Population

Sample of a poll that is representative of the demographics of general society.

Random Sampling

Choosing poll respondents in a way that does not over or under represent one group.

Weighting/Stratification

Adjustment of results during analysis so that demographic groups reflect their values in the population.

Silent Generation(trends in voting behavior)

(born before 1945)

• Tend to be Conservative due to the ideals that they were raised with

• Tend to support American intervention in foreign nations to stop the spread of dangerous ideas.

• Great Depression

Baby Boomers(trends in voting behavior)

(born after 1945 to 1965)

• More liberal than the silent generation, but still conservative.

• Vietnam War

Generation X(trends in voting behavior)

(1965-1980s)

• More liberal than Baby Boomers, impacted by the internet

Millennials(trends in voting behavior)

(1980s-1990s)

• More ethnically diverse than any generation before them.

• Liberal, focus on racial diversity and more socialist policies

• 9/11 Attacks

Sample Error

Chance that the sample will not represent the general population being measured.

Life Cycle Effects

Whatever stage of life someone is in will contribute to their political votes and behaviors, depending on what matters to them.

“Political Events”

Any event that is significant to the life of the nation. Can often impact political beliefs of people alive at the time they happen(ex. Great Depression, Vietnam War).

Margin of Error

Range that the result of a poll can deviate from.

How can researchers intentionally skew the results of a poll?

Wording questions in a way that leans people to answer a certain way or in support of a certain side.

Opinion Poll

Helps get a feel for the publics opinion on a certain topic or understanding peoples feelings about a candidate or policy.

Is the deregulation of businesses a Conservative or Liberal economic policy view?

Conservative

Characteristics of a scientifically strong sample

• Representative of the population being measured

• Random, anyone in the given population has a chance of being included.

What is the maximum sampling error a poll can have to be a good poll?

±3

In a good poll, questions are….

Neutral. Not confusing or biased.

Mass Survey

When pollsters put together a question set that can be given to as many people as possible.

• Can only measure quantitative data(percentages).

Is the lowering of taxes for the working class and marginalized a Conservative or Liberal economic ideal?

Liberal

Bandwagon Effect

People are more likely to support a candidate that is polling well(that everyone else supports).

Is the lowering of taxes for businesses and the upper class a Conservative or Liberal economic ideal?

Conservative

Is universal healthcare and government aid a Conservative or Liberal economic ideal?

Liberal

Social Desirability Bias

When people filling out surveys give a socially desirable answer, even if they don’t follow through with it

Non Response Bias

Certain groups are more likely to respond to polls than others.

Is state over federal power a Conservative or Liberal economic ideal?

Conservative

Keynesian Economics

Political Ideology emphasizing government involvement and aid. States that it is necessary to maintain a stable economy.

Party Platform

Set of goals and ideals for the country a party releases every election year.

• Released at the National Party Convention(for both parties)

Supply Side Economics

Economic policy believing that for the economy to prosper, the government must support businesses, therefore increasing the production of supply(“supply side”!!!). This generally involves keeping government regulation low.

Which political party largely supports Keynesian Economics?

Democrats

Which political party largely supports Supply Side Economics?

Republicans

Fiscal Policy

Decisions on how the government should spend its money and taxation

Monetary Policy

Decisions the government makes about how much money is circulating in the economy

Which part of the government controls Fiscal Policy?

Congress

Which part of the government controls Monetary Policy?

FED —> Federal Reserve

How does the FED control monetary policy(3 ways)?

1. Buying and selling government bonds

2. Setting reserve requirements of banks

3. Setting interest rates

When was the Keynesian Policy of Economics created?

John Keynes, during the Great Depression as a rebuttal to Herbert Hoovers strategy to let the economy sort itself out- which was clearly not working.

Conservative stance on monetary policy

Tend to favor using monetary policy to stabilize the economy

Liberal stance on monetary policy

Believe that monetary policy is too slow to effect real change

Libertarian Ideology

Separate from 2 major ideologies, want as little government intervention as possible in all policy areas.

• Lean conservative on economic issues

• Lean liberal on social issues

Social Policy/Issues(examples)

Marriage, family, poverty, abortion, gun laws, etc.

Liberal Social Ideology

Value the protection of privacy from the government when it comes to social issues like abortion and sexuality.

Conservative Social Ideology

More government involvement in some social issues and less in others.

• Believe that abortion, marriage and family should be government regulated but not gun ownership, religion and education

School Vouchers

Certificate of government funding allowing people to choose an alternative to public school for their kids.

Entitlement Programs

Qualified individuals sharing one characteristic get the same amount regardless of need(ex. Social Security)

Means Tested Programs

Selective individuals with specific needs(ex. Food Stamps).

Medicare

Health insurance for elderly and disabled.

Medicaid

Health services for low income americans.

Nongovernmental Organizations

Independent groups outside of the government, working to a public cause(ex. Doctors without Borders).

Intergovernmental Organizations

Organizations consisting of several countries.

• Ex. European Union, World Trade Organization, OPEC(oil)

Outsourcing

Company moving jobs to a place where labor costs are cheaper and/or production is more efficient due to longer working hours(less labor restrictions).

• “race to the bottom”: countries competing to lower regulations as much as they can to entice foreign companies.

Generational Effect

Impact of historical events experienced by a generation on their political views.

Globalization

Increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses and countries throughout the world.

Multinational Corporations

Companies producing and marketing goods in 2 or more countries(ex. Nike, McDonalds).