POLI 310 Chapter 50: POLI 310 Reading Notes The Unpolitical Animal
15 Nov 2015
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The unpolitical animal: how political science understands voters . Most citizens can"t be the ideal citizen because most have minimal and inconsistent political beliefs. Elections are more or less random events that voters respond to slogans misinformation . Elections are about the interests and beliefs of rival elite factions. Voting for different political and politicians philosophy. Vote on the basis of a candidate"s personal trait or whatever issue makes sense . Uninformed citizens vote based on names of candidates best recognized. 70% of americans cannot name their senators or their congressmen. 49% of the population believe that the president has the power to suspend the constitution. Only a fifth of the population hold consistent political opinions on issues over time. Candidates are attached to clusters of ideas and attitudes. People use shortcuts to make judgments about political candidates. Voters don"t have time or inclination to assess them in depth. Principal shortcut used by voters their own political party.
