AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS UNIT 2 REVIEW SHEET



AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS UNIT 2 REVIEW SHEET

Shared American Values: liberty, equality (political, NOT economic), individualism, democracy, rule of law, idealism, the American Dream

Americans vs. Europeans: Americans have:

❖ higher sense of civic duty (a belief in an obligation to participate in political affairs)

❖ higher sense of civic competence (a belief that one can affect government policies)

❖ higher sense of political efficacy (a belief in your own ability to understand politics)

❖ lower class consciousness

❖ higher patriotism

❖ higher religious identification

Culture War:

Orthodox – Morality more important than expression. Moral rules are god-given and don’t change.

Progressive – freedom more important than morality; moral rules change with times. Best predictor of voting in 2000 presidential election was church attendance per week.

Mistrust in Government: Increase between 1972 and 1974.

❖ in 1972, 53% trusted gov to do “what is right,”

❖ in 1974 number dropped to 36% and has hovered below 50% ever since (Watergate, Vietnam)

❖ trust in Congress & Presidency declining

❖ trust in Supreme Court steady

❖ trust in state/local gov is on the rise

“Rally ‘Round the Flag Effect”: spike in pres approval ratings immediately after national crisis or start of war

US demographic trends =

❖ minority-majority: minority populations growing faster than white

❖ regional Shift = from NE (Frostbelt) to SW (Sunbelt)

❖ aging Baby-Boomers = in 2020, only 2 working Americans for each older adult 65+

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION: The process through which an individual acquires his/her particular political orientations

❖ family (60% share party-ID with parents)

❖ religion (protestants=conservative, Jews=liberal)

❖ school (liberalizing effect of education; HS or lower liberal, college only conservative, MA or higher liberal)

❖ gender (women slightly more liberal)

❖ social class (lower=liberal, upper=conservative)

❖ race (Asians & whites conservative, blacks & Hispanics liberal); African-Americans most consistent Democratic voters since 1960s

❖ region (“big L” in midwest./south/rural=conservative; west/northeast/urban=liberal)

❖ age (older=more conservative)

❖ media

Cross-Pressure: Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups more heterogeneous. America is diverse; everyone encounters some influence from both liberal and conservative forces.

❖ Liberals value freedom of expression, economic equality

❖ Conservatives value order, family values, economic freedom

❖ Populists are socially conservative (no affirmative action) but economically liberal (welfare ok)

❖ Libertarians are economically conservative (no govt regulation) but socially liberal (gay marriage ok)

Measuring Public Opinion: Public Opinion Polls

❖ Rely on sampling – choosing a small proportion of people to be representative of the whole (typically 1500)

❖ Random sampling is key – everyone has equal probability of being selected

❖ Sampling error – level of confidence in sample (±3% standard)

❖ Methodology – methods used to poll (phone vs. internet, write-in): today, most common is random-digit dialing

❖ Question wording, order, timing can affect results

❖ Exit polls (polls to predict electoral winners taken at voting booths on election day in random precincts from every 10th person) criticized in 2000 election mess because early media reporting discourages west coast voters

LOW voter turnout: 55% of eligible voted in the 2004 presidential election; only 36% of eligible voted in 1998 midterm election; Turnout highest in general elections & presidential; Turnout lowest in primaries & midterms

Institutional reasons for low turnout (30 points lower than in Europe): Registration laws, no penalty for not voting, more elections due to federalism, complex ballot, single-day Tuesday voting, citizenship requirements, disenfranchisement of felons/immigrants, declining party-ID. Demographic factors: education (less), race (minority due to socioeconomic), income (low), age (young), religious identification (not), marital status (single) etc. have an affect. Citizens of higher socioeconomic status participate more in politics (but education #1 predictor of whether you will vote). Non-voting participation: conventional (running for office, campaigning, letter-writing, lawsuits); unconventional (protests, civil disobedience)

1993 Motor-Voter Act allows registration @ DMV, by mail. Motor-Voter increased registration (up to 70% of voting-age population, highest since 1970) but has not increased turnout (record low of 36% in 1998). Motor-Voter increased registered independents

Election control has shifted from State to Federal – Congress chooses date (in Constitution) but also requires districts, holding federal elections in even year on Tuesday following first Monday in November, can monitor voting in states if concerned with disenfranchisement (Voting Rights Act).

Expanding suffrage – white male to universal adult (Amendments 15-race, 19-gender, 26-age)

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