Political Beliefs and Behavior Study Notes

Liberal Ideology
  - Favors more governmental regulation of the marketplace.
  - Typically promotes governmental involvement to ensure social and economic equality.
  - Often thinks that personal privacy extends less compared to Conservative ideology.
Conservative Ideology
  - Favors fewer regulations of the marketplace.
  - Generally supports further government involvement in social issues, but favors freedom in education and religious matters.
  - Example: An individual opposed to abortion and favors laissez-faire economics and less government regulation would likely self-identify as Conservative.
Libertarian Ideology
  - Advocates for little to no regulation beyond the protection of property rights and voluntary trade.
  - Dislikes governmental intervention in personal privacy except for its protection of individual liberty.
  - Aligns more with social issues emphasizing personal freedoms.
Example Ideological Alignments:
- Pro-choice, supports a national healthcare system, expanded programs for the poor, minorities, & women: Likely to be considered Liberal.
- Anti-abortion, supports less government regulation: Likely to be considered Conservative.

Public Opinion Polls:
- Important for candidates to understand voter concerns during campaigns.
- Candidates may use polls to sway public opinion.
Bully Pulpit:
- Presidents can utilize this as a platform to advocate for their policies and influence public perception.

Fiscal Policy:
- Managed primarily by Congress and the President.
- Uses taxes and government spending to control the economy.
Liberal Approach to Fiscal Policy:
- Keynesian Economics: Argues that increasing government spending stimulates the economy.
Conservative Approach to Fiscal Policy:
- Supply-Side Economics: Advocates cutting taxes for the wealthy and businesses, promoting a trickle-down effect that benefits the entire economy.
Monetary Policy:
- Addresses how the Federal Reserve regulates the money supply using tools like adjustments to interest rates.

Mandatory Spending:
- Refers to obligatory funding by law, including entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Discretionary Spending:
- Encompasses all other expenditures; however, a significant portion is allocated to defense.
- The shrinking amount of discretionary spending is impacted by increasing mandatory spending due to larger populations needing social services as baby boomers retire.

Individualism:
- Emphasizes the value of individual rights and the importance of personal responsibility.
Free Enterprise:
- Established as the right to compete in the marketplace with minimal government intervention.

Defines the process through which individuals learn about politics.
Major Influences on Political Socialization:
  - Family: Significant in shaping political beliefs.
  - Generational Effects: Specific historical events (e.g., Cold War, Great Depression) that influence political views.
  - Life Cycle Effects: Changes in political attitudes as individuals age.
Demographics:
  - Refers to social and economic characteristics of a population, which can forecast patterns in beliefs and partisan identification.
  - Women tend to align more with the Democratic Party compared to men.
  - People of color are often more likely to vote Democrat, whereas White individuals are typically more Republican.
  - Education and income levels correlate with voting tendencies; higher education and income often result in higher voter turnout.
  - Younger individuals generally lean towards Democratic candidates, while older voters tend to show support for Conservatives.

Validity of Polls:
- To properly assess public opinion, polls must utilize random samples to ensure every individual has an equal chance of selection.
- Careful construction of questions is essential to avoid bias in results.
Margin of Error:
- Indicates the potential range of error in poll results, crucial for accurately interpreting data.
Exit Polls:
- Used to predict election outcomes based on interviews conducted with voters immediately after they cast their ballots.