How Does Public Opinion Shape Public Policy?

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Unit Four Exam Tuesday!!!

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UNIT Four Identification Terms 

Today's Essential Question: What influence does public opinion have on public policy?

Learning Standards:

MPA-2.A: Describe the elements of a scientific poll.

MPA-2.B: Explain the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data.

MPA-2.A.1: Public opinion data that can impact elections and policy debates is affected by such scientific polling types and methods as:

• Type of poll (opinion polls, benchmark or tracking polls, entrance and exit polls) 
• Sampling techniques, identification of respondents, mass survey or focus group, sampling error 
• Type and format of questions

MPA-2.B.1: The relationship between scientific polling and elections and policy debates is affected by the:

• Importance of public opinion as a source of political influence in a given election or policy debate 
• Reliability and veracity of public opinion data

Public Opinion and Public Policy

Task #1: Questions to consider:

1. Which branch should be most responsive to public opinion--legislative, executive, or judicial? Why? Which one should be least responsive to public opinion?

2. Which branch is most responsible for shaping public opinion? How is this branch able to do so?

3. Which branch is most likely to be limited by public opinion? Why?

4. As a member of Congress, should you vote according to what your constituents want (delegate model of representation) or what you personally believe is best (trustee model)?

5. Compare the approval ratings of Congress and the President. How do these approval ratings impact their ability to govern? How do their ratings compare to historical trends?

6. Look at the chart below. What events impacted Bush's approval ratings? How do approval ratings impact his ability to govern?

7. Based on the data below, what action, if any, should Congress take on gun control? Do you believe they will? Why or why not?

8. Are polls "self-fulfilling prophecies"? What impact do polls have on shaping public opinion itself? Read this article on How Polls Influence Behavior.

9. What is the difference between benchmark polls, tracking polls, and exit polls?

Task #2: Read the two articles below on the effects of public opinion on the Supreme Court and the Presidency.

A) Public Opinion, the Court, and Justice Kennedy

B) The Limits on Presidential Leadership

Review Videos: