American Demography, Immigration, and Media Influence in Politics

Demography

Demography is the science of population changes.

Three great waves of immigration in the United States

1. Northwestern Europeans (English, Irish, Germans, Scandinavians) 2. Southern & Eastern Europeans (Italians, Poles, Russians, Jews) 3. Hispanics and Asians (Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, India, China)

Minority-majority

Non-Hispanic whites will no longer be the majority, increasing minority political influence, especially for Democrats.

Largest minority group in America

Hispanics

Immigration issue in American southwest

Immigration drives debates over border security, bilingual education, and representation in states like Arizona, Texas, and California.

Simpson-Mazzoli Act

Required employers to verify citizenship of workers to reduce illegal immigration.

Asian vs Hispanic immigration

Asian immigration is often high-skilled and employment-based; Hispanic immigration is more often family-based and labor-focused.

Regional shifts and graying of America

Regional shifts → more political power in South/West through reapportionment; Graying of America → more demand for Social Security and Medicare.

Re-apportionment of Congress

Regional shifts

Political socialization

It is called when one learns about politics.

Impact of family, mass media, schools, and peers on political socialization

Family → strongest, long-term influence; Mass Media → shapes issue awareness; Schools → teach civic values and loyalty; Peers → reinforce or challenge views.

Most impactful factor on political socialization

Family

Political participation and aging

Participation (especially voting) increases with age.

Detecting public opinion

Through public opinion polls.

Criticisms of public opinion polls

Can shape opinion instead of measure it, sampling errors, wording of questions can bias results.

Decline in trust in government

Vietnam War, Watergate, and later political scandals.

Political ideology

Radical → overthrow gov't, extreme change; Liberal → big gov't programs, diplomacy, progressive taxes, social reform; Conservative → small gov't, low taxes, traditional values, strong defense; Reactionary → return to past systems, strict social norms, heavy use of force.

Gender gap in American politics

Women lean Democratic; men lean Republican.

Ways Americans participate politically

Voting, working in campaigns, contacting officials, running for office, protesting, civil disobedience, contributing money.

Who participates more politically

Older, wealthier, more educated, white, union members, and government employees.

Purpose of a media event

To stage an event that looks spontaneous for favorable press coverage.

Purpose of the media

To inform the public, set the agenda, and act as a linkage institution.

Media techniques used by presidents

Television appearances, press conferences, and social media.

Prominent form of media in the 1960s

Television; the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal.

FCC regulations of the media

Prevents monopolies, issues licenses and regulates content, enforces equal access rules (Fairness Doctrine abolished in 1987).

Narrowcasting

Targets smaller, specialized audiences instead of general audiences.

Media ownership

Yes, a few corporations (media consolidation) control most major outlets.

Impact of the internet on news

Made it faster, less filtered, more interactive.

Blogger

Someone who posts political news, analysis, or opinion online.

Sound bite

A short clip (about 15 seconds) used in news coverage.

Trial balloons

They leak information to test public reaction.

News bias

Yes, both ideologically (left/right) and structurally (sensationalism).

Newsmakers control public opinion

By controlling access, staging events, using spin, and repeating key messages.

Media as a watchdog

By investigating and exposing scandals, corruption, and abuse of power.

Historical events making media suspect of politicians

The Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.