Politicians 1 Who are Politicians as Information Users
- Slides: 8
Politicians 1
Who are Politicians as Information Users? • Two roles • Campaigns • Decision Making (after elected) 2
What are Their Information Needs? • Learning about what voters want • Learning about issues to make policy 3
Information in Campaigns: Polling • Why is polling important? • What do campaigns achieve from polling? – What issues are important – What groups are for/against the politician – What issues matter to which groups – Who should their campaign target? 4
How Polls are Conducted • • • 5 Sampling Size Question Phrasing Interview Interpretation
Information in Decision Making • Politicians, once in office, must make decisions on many issues • Need detailed information on all those issues – Time consuming – Difficult when outside the politician’s area of expertise 6
Lobbying • Lobbyists represent special interest groups and try to influence policy • Provide information to politicians in office • Can present experts, evidence, facts to support their side • Politicians rely on this information 7
Lobbying Issues • Fairness – Can you pay a politician to vote your way? – Can you give him or her a gift to vote your way? – Can you take them on a trip to a meeting? – Can you buy them lunch? • Access • Transparency 8
