POLSCI 101 Lecture Notes - Groupthink, Watergate Scandal
Document Summary
Readings - chapter 6 (public opinion) and chapter 7 (media) No discussion next week - wednesday (3/12), friday (3/15), and monday (3/24) Public does not demonstrate awareness of their own ideology. 30% can not place themselves on a scale. Government - keep your hands off my medicare! . Kept their hands off , medicare would not exist. Whatever is good for my group is good for me. Overwhelmingly likely to support traditional values (freedom of speech, equality) When applied to actual specific cases, americans are not so likely to support these values. In a very short period of time, someone may change their beliefs about a policy. For most people in their lives: in the circus of life, politics is but a sideshow . Americans are more interested in social media and celebrities than being politically informed. The lack of clarity of american public"s opinion is seen (by political scientists) as a threat to democracy.
