Linkage InstitutionsLinkage Institutions

Lineberry Chapters 7, 8, and 11

Linkage Institution: The channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda.

I. MediaI. MediaMedia includes TV news, newspapers, internet

stories, magazines, etc.

Media and PoliticsA. First Amendment – 5 Freedoms

B. Press Conferences – Press Conferences: meetings of public officials with reporters

C. Investigative Journalism - the use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams & schemes putting reporters & politicians opposite each other.

D. Primary Concern of the Media

D. Primary Concern of MediaD. Primary Concern of MediaOverall - $$$1. Sound Bites – Stories on TV are mostly superficialImpact on politics?

2. Political Races/ Election Coverage –

3. “Horserace Journalism” News focuses on who is ahead in the polls, not actual plans

E. Bias in the MediaE. Bias in the MediaPolitical Bias – actual bias towards a belief.

- Most people live in cities so news can take the perspective of large cities (typically Democrats)

Structural Bias – Nature of the question, pressing for answers, etc. Also bad news/ scandals are exciting and good news is boring

II. Public Opinion and the MediaII. Public Opinion and the Media A. Agenda Setting – The issues that attract the serious

attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at the time.

B. Media Events:– Events purposely staged for the media that

nonetheless look spontaneous. Media events can be staged by almost anybody.

– The media influence the criteria by which the public evaluates political leaders.

Some policies can be made more or less important depending on their coverage.

The MediaThe Media’’s Agenda-Setting s Agenda-Setting FunctionFunction

Does the media show us what we want to see or do we focus only on the things that the media shows us?

III. Media and PoliticsIII. Media and PoliticsThe Broadcast Media – Private ownership

– TV made the politicians more aware of their appearance and mannerisms.

– Television is the principal source of news for most Americans, and most believable.

– The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the use of airwaves.

III. Media and Politics continuedIII. Media and Politics continued

The Media and the Scope of Government– The media as watchdog restricts politicians.– New proposals are met with skepticism - so that

restricts what the government can do.– But, if the media identify a problem, they ask

what the government is going to do to fix it.

IV. POLITICAL PARTIESIV. POLITICAL PARTIESPolitical Party:

– A “team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.”

Parties can be thought of in three parts:1. Party in the electorate

2. Party as an organization

3. Party in government

What Parties DoWhat Parties Do

– Parties Pick Candidates– Parties Run Campaigns– Parties Give Cues to Voters– Parties Articulate Policies– Parties Coordinate Policymaking

Figure 8.1

Three Headed Political Giants Three Headed Political Giants (where the party works) (where the party works)

Party and the ElectorateParty OrganizationParty in Government

1. The Party in the Electorate1. The Party in the ElectorateA. Party identification is a citizen’s self-

proclaimed preference for one party or the other. Still most important factor!

B. Ticket-splitting:– Voting with one party for one office and with another

party for other offices.– Ticket-splitting has become the norm in American

voting behavior.

2. The Party as an Organization2. The Party as an OrganizationThese are the people that work for the party.Parties are fragmented and decentralized. Party can lead but

members do not have to follow (ticket splitting). National party can lead.– A. Patronage: A job, promotion/contract given for

political reasons rather than merit. Used by party machines.

– B. Pendelton Civil Service Act 1883 – Govt. workers must pass a test to prove they are qualified.

– C. Hatch Act – 1939 – Prohibits government employees from active participation in partisan politics while at work.

3. The Party in Government: 3. The Party in Government: Elected OfficialsElected Officials

These are the party members actually elected to government.

Candidates are less dependent on parties to get elected, but they still need help.

Coalition:– A group of individuals with a common interest upon

which every political party depends. Parties & politicians generally do what they say

they will do.

IV. Party Eras in American HistoryIV. Party Eras in American HistoryParty Eras

– Historical periods in which a majority of votes cling to the party in power.

Critical Election– An electoral “earthquake” where new issues and

new coalitions emerge.Party Realignment

– The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election.

Party Eras in American HistoryParty Eras in American HistoryA. 1796-1824: The First Party System

– Madison warned of “factions”– First party were the Federalists

B. 1828-1856: Democrats Versus the Whigs– Whigs formed mainly in opposition to Democrats

C. 1860-1928: The Two Republican Eras– Republicans rose as the antislavery party– 1896 election revolved around the gold standard

D. 1932-1964: The New Deal Coalition– Forged by the Democrats - relied upon urban working class,

ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners

Most common question on the exam with coalitions is the NDC! <why?>

E. 1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government– Southerners realign with Republicans (still there)– Party dealignment - disengagement of people from parties– Party neutrality - people are indifferent towards the two parties

VI. Third Parties:VI. Third Parties:Political parties other than Democrat or RepublicanA. 3 Kinds

– Specific Causes/Issues (Green Party)– Splinter/ Offshoot of major party (Dixiecrats or The

Progressive Party)– Individual Ideas – Perot 1992

B. Contributions/ AdvantagesB. Contributions/ Advantages

1. Third parties bring new groups and ideas into the electorate.

2. Bring attention to issues3. Safety valve for discontent if the two

major parties do not support an idea

B. Problems of Third Parties/ B. Problems of Third Parties/ NegativesNegatives

1. Don’t win elections2. Don’t seek broad support (not catch-all)3. Obstacles to success

– Electoral College– Winner take-all / Single Member Districts– 2 Party system entrenched

VII. Interest GroupsVII. Interest Groups

Defined – An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas.

A. Contemporaries Theories A. Contemporaries Theories of Democracyof Democracy

1. Pluralism –

2. Elitism

3. Hyperpluralism

– A. Subgovernments (Iron Triangles)

VIII. INTEREST GROUPS: HOW VIII. INTEREST GROUPS: HOW THEY WORKTHEY WORK

Factors in the success of Interest Groups

– A. Size/ Olson’s Law of Large Groups –

– Potential group: All the people who might be interest group members because they share a common interest.

– Actual group: The part of the potential group consisting of members who actually join.

B. Intensity– Single-Issue groups: Groups that focus on a

narrow interest and dislike compromise.– Groups may focus on an emotional issue,

providing them with a psychological advantage.

– May be more likely to use protests and other means of political participation than traditional interest groups that use lobbyists.

C. Financial Resources– Not all groups have equal amounts of

money.– Monetary donations usually translate into

access to the politicians - a phone call, a meeting, etc.

– There is a bias towards the wealthier groups.

– The wealthier groups don’t always win in the policy arena.

IX. How IG Shape Policy IX. How IG Shape Policy A. Lobbying

– Grassroots Lobbying – When citizens contact their own legislators to try to influence legislation and policy

B. Electioneering/PACS – Money to campaigns. PACs created in 1974 to track money

C. Litigation– Amicus Curiae briefs

D. Moblizing Public Opinion

X. Types of Interest GroupsX. Types of Interest GroupsA. Economic Interests

– Labor – worker rightsAFL-CIO – Union of Unions – 9 mil membersWagner Act 1935 – Legalize unions right to

collectively bargain, rules to protect unions, and creates National Labor Relations Board.

– Business (largest number of IG) – Industry, banks, MNC’s - Worry about regulation, taxes, minimum wage

Types - ContinuedTypes - Continued

B. Environmental Interests – Green Peace, Sierra Club, anti-nuclear groups

C. Equality Interests – NAACP, NOW

D. Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies – Seek a collective good, protect children (products). These helped create the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1973

XI. Impact of Interest GroupsXI. Impact of Interest Groups– IG’s seek to change the policy agenda and they

can!– IG’s are a source of information, can write

legislation, and can plan strategies for legislation.– They can help politicians plan strategies for

reelection campaigns.– They can provide ideas and innovations that can

be turned into policies that the politician can take credit for.

– They can donate money to campaigns,

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