American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

• Different interpretations of core values influence the relationship between citizens and the federal government, as well as between citizens.
• Citizens hold varying views on individualism, equality of opportunity, free enterprise, and the rule of law.
• These individual attitudes result in support for diverse political parties, ideologies, and policy stances.
• Political Socialization refers to the development of an individual's political beliefs, values, opinions, and behaviors through factors such as family, school, peers, media, and social environments.

US Political Culture

• US political culture is defined by its democratic ideals, principles, and core values.
• This culture has been influenced by and in turn influenced other countries due to globalization.
• An individual's ideology is shaped by culture, age, and experiences.
• Major political events can also shape individual political attitudes and ideologies.

Role of the Family

• Family's party identification is often adopted initially, but individuals develop independent thought over time.
• Younger voters tend to be more independent and often lean more Democratic than Republican.
• Political ideologies are rarely passed down from family to family.

The Gender Gap

• The gender gap in political opinions exists between men and women.
• Historically, women followed their husband's political ideologies, creating a different view point compared to men.
• Significant differences in political issues exist between today's male and female voters, with women supporting the Democratic party more often.

Race and Ethnicity

• Black and Hispanic individuals tend to hold more liberal views than other groups of Americans.
• They commonly support liberal social programs.
• African Americans are a consistently Democratic voting bloc, while Cubans are often Republican.
• Hispanics are a sizable and somewhat underutilized voting block.

What is Public Opinion?

• Public opinion is the collective view of a group of people on various issues.
• This opinion is influenced by various factors and types if polls, including opinion polls, benchmark polls, tracking polls, and exit polls.
• Essential characteristics of effective polls include a representative sample of participants, a large sample size, properly worded questions, and reasonable margins of error to increase accuracy.

Ideologies and Policy Making

• The Democratic party's platform commonly aligns with liberal ideologies, while the Republican Party's platform aligns more with conservative ideology.
• Public policies reflect the attitudes and beliefs of citizens who engage politically.
• Ideologies and beliefs regarding economic policies vary considerably, with liberals favoring more government regulation and conservatives advocating for less.

Fiscal Policy

• Fiscal Policy involves the government collecting taxes and determining how to allocate the funds.
• Keynesian economics emphasizes government spending to stimulate economic conditions and address periods of low demand.
• Supply-side theory concentrates on minimizing government intervention to maximize individual spending and market forces.

Monetary Policy

• Monetary policy involves actions by the Federal Reserve to influence interest rates, which affects economic conditions.
• The Federal Reserve influences maximum employment and price stability by monitoring economic conditions and regulating the money supply and interest rates.

Social Security

• Social security is a large entitlement program that provides financial assistance to retirees, the unemployed and the disabled.

Medicare/Medicaid

• Medicare is a program that eases the cost of healthcare for individuals over 65.
• Medicaid offers healthcare to low-income Americans.

Ideology and Social Policy

• Liberals generally advocate for increased national government involvement in social issues, including healthcare and education, while conservatives prefer less government involvement.
• Libertarians favor minimal government intervention, except for the protection of individual liberty.

Political Elite

• Political elites are individuals who possess greater knowledge and greater engagement and participation in political life; and who hold disproportionate influence over political decisions than the average citizen in a democracy.

Policy Making in the US

• Policy making involves a multifaceted process, including identifying issues, developing policy options, conducting cost-benefit analyses, and gaining public support.
• The US political system features mechanisms such as interest groups, legislators and administrative agencies making significant contributions to the process.

Taxation

• The 16th Amendment authorizes the US Congress to levy an income tax.
• The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the agency responsible for tax collection.
• The US tax system employs a progressive structure, with higher incomes subject to higher tax rates.

Explore the varying interpretations of core values that shape the relationship between citizens and the federal government. This quiz delves into concepts such as political socialization, individualism, and the influence of political culture on ideology. Test your understanding of how these factors impact political beliefs and behaviors.