The American People Topics Immigrant Society American Melting

The American People Topics: Immigrant Society American Melting Pot Regional Shift Graying of America 6. 1

NASCAR and Census advertising 6. 1

Immigrant Society A nation of nations n 1 million legal immigrants/year n 500, 000 illegal immigrants/year n 12% of residents foreign-born Waves of immigration n Northwest Europe (English, Irish, Scottish, Germans, Scandinavians) n Southern and Eastern Europe (Italians, Jews, Poles, Russians) n Hispanics (Cuba, Central America, Mexico) n Asians (Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, India) 6. 1

Immigrant Society Restrictions on immigration n n Open door policy until 1875 Criminals, prostitutes, lunatics, diseased (1875) Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) Johnson-Reid Immigration Act (1924) Quotas Hart-Celler Immigration and Nationality Act (1965) n Family integration – good or bad idea? 6. 1

American Melting Pot Minority majority n Hispanic population growing rapidly n As of 2010, whites made up only 63% of the population. Hispanics make up 16%, but they’re the fastest growing minority group. By 2050, whites will make up only 48% of the population, less than half. 6. 1

FIGURE 6. 1: The coming minority majority 6. 1 Based on current birthrates and immigration rates, the Census Bureau estimates that the demographics of the United States should change as shown. As of 2008, the census estimated that minority groups should be in the majority by the year 2045.

American Melting Pot Reluctant immigrants n 13% of population n 26% still live in poverty n Political power increasing Simpson-Mazzoli Act (1986) Forbids employers from hiring known illegal immigrants Not effective Weak enforcement Difficult to prove 6. 1

Border fence 6. 1 As of 2012, the number of illegal immigrants in the United States was estimated to be at least 11. 5 million, 76 percent of whom were from Mexico. Here, a border patrol car patrols along the fence between Arizona and Mexico.

American Melting Pot Political culture and assimilation 6. 1

Regional Shift Northeast most populous West and South growing since WWII n Sun Belt migration n Arizona, Texas, Florida n Political power of these areas increasing Reapportionment n Once each decade, after census n In recent decades, states in the Southwest have gained seats and states in the Northeast have lost them. 6. 1

Graying of America Over-65 fastest growing age group People living longer Fertility rate lower Implications for Social Security n Ratio changing n Politically-sensitive 6. 1

SECTION 2

How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization 1. Process of Political Socialization 2. Political Learning over a Lifetime 6. 2

Woll: Pages 181 -183 A. What does Madison say about the party system? B. What is imperfect political mobilization of issues? C. What was the overall message of this reading?

Process of Political Socialization Civics class tip of iceberg Family n Central role n Time and emotional commitment Mass media n The new parents (and teachers) n Age gap in following politics School n Forming civic virtue 6. 2

Political Learning over a Lifetime Increasing participation with age Party identification strengthens Political behaviour is learned 6. 2

FIGURE 6. 2: Turnout increases with age 6. 2

SECTION 3

Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information Topics: 1. How Polls Are Conducted 2. Role of Polls in American Democracy 3. What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information 4. Decline of Trust in Government 6. 3

How Polls Are Conducted Sample Random sample Sampling error Random digit dialing n Cell phones Internet polling 6. 3

Roll of Polls in American Democracy Polling as a tool for democracy: pros and cons n n Gauge opinion between elections Following rather than leading Pandering or shaping? Bandwagon effect Exit polls n Affect election results Question wording 6. 3

Exit Polls

Video: In the Real World 6. 3 http: //media. pearsoncmg. com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg 5_Public. Opinion_v 2. html

What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information Americans are uninformed n Jeffersonian faith in wisdom of common people unfounded n Young people most uninformed Who is responsible for the ill-informed electorate? n Is it the schools’ fault? n Is it the media’s fault? Paradox of mass politics 6. 3

FIGURE 6. 3: Many Americans show little knowledge of world geography 6. 3

Decline of Trust in Government The great slide n Vietnam War n Watergate n Economy/hostage crisis Is public cynicism good? n Negative effect on programs for poor 6. 3

FIGURE 6. 4: Decline of trust in government, 19582012 6. 3

SECTION 4

What Americans Value: Political Ideologies 1. Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? 2. Do People Think in Ideological Terms? 6. 4

TABLE 6. 1: How to tell a liberal from a conservative 6. 4

Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? Conservatives dominate n n n 41% conservative/21% liberal Younger people less conservative Minorities less conservative Wealthy more conservative Gender gap Religious more conservative 6. 4

Do People Think in Ideological Terms? Types of voters n n Ideologues Group benefits Nature of the times No issue content Ideology of limited importance n Seen as threat to family 6. 4

FIGURE 6. 5: Changing attitudes toward gays and lesbians 6. 4

SECTION 5

Readings: • Describe the reading from Woll in a paragraph

How Americans Participate in Politics Topics: 1. Conventional Participation 2. Protest as Participation 3. Class, Inequality, and Participation 4. Voting is the first thing most people think of when it comes to political participation 1. Citizens can participate in political caucuses, write to their legislative representatives, file lawsuits, and stage marches, rallies, and demonstrations. 5. Only 50% of the population takes place in political elections 6. 5

Conventional Participation Conventional participation n Voting n Declining n Running for office n Collecting signatures for a petition n Working/Donating to Campaigns Unconventional participation n Protesting n Civil disobedience n Violence 6. 5

Protest as Participation Drawing attention n Protests attract the media n Rarer than other form of Participation Civil disobedience n Breaking unjust laws 6. 5

Lunch counter sit-in 6. 5

Protest as Participation Violence Most protests and acts of civil disobedience are peaceful, but violence sometimes breaks out. Protesters can resort to violence themselves or, more commonly, they can remain peaceful but be met with violence from police or the military. 6. 5

Kent State 6. 5 In one of the best-known images of American political violence from the Vietnam War era, a Kent State student lies dead, one of four killed when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed anti– Vietnam War demonstrators.

Class, Inequality, and Participation Higher socio-economic status = higher participation rates n Minorities vote at nearly equal levels What are the policy implications of lower political participation? 6. 5

SECTION 6

Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action 1. Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government 2. Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action 6. 6

Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government Should government do more or less? n In peacetime, most Americans say “less” But public opinion is complex and inconsistent n Ideological conservatives n Operational liberals n Policy gridlock 6. 6

Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action Representative democracy n Decide who governs Is public fit to choose its leaders? n Yes and no 6. 6

Discussion Question 6 Why do we say that Americans are ideological conservatives but operational liberals? What role does political ideology play in public opinion? Would it be better or worse for the public interest if Americans were more ideologically consistent? America in Perspective page 218 Woll Pages 193 -201