The
American
Political Landscape
Albert Einstein once
said few people are
capable of
expressing opinions
that differ much
from the prejudices
of their social
upbringing.
ETHNOCENTRISM
Selective perception based
on individual background,
attitudes and biases
A Land of Diversity
People want to come to the United States because it
holds a promise of religious, political, and economic
freedom. Our economic system has provided
widespread, but not universal opportunity, for
individuals to improve their economic standing.
Question:
What was the issue passed in California with
Proposition 187?
Answer:
It restricted public services and education to
immigrants.
A Land of Diversity
Some elements of our diversity have political
significance.
Political
Socialization
The process by
which parents
and others
teach children
about political
values, beliefs,
and attitudes.
+
Demographics
The study of
characteristics
of populations.
=
Political
Predisposition
A
characteristic
of individuals
that is
predictive of
political
behavior.
Cleavages
Reinforcing Cleavages
Divisions within society that reinforce one another,
making groups more homogeneous or similar.
When social and economic conditions coincide, they
reinforce each other and make the differences between
groups more important.
Cross-Cutting Cleavages
Divisions within society that cut across demographic
categories to produce groups more heterogeneous or
different.
Members of religions or social and civil groups.
A Land of Diversity
Despite the fact that America has been most
hospitable to people from different religions, classes or
races than almost any other nation in the world, we
often prefer to associate only with people “like us”
and are suspicious of people “like them.”
Hostility toward
different religions in
colonial America.
Anti-immigration
movements in the late 19th
& early 20th century.
Anti-woman’s rights
movement of the 19th
century.
Anti-immigration and
Anti-civil rights ballot
initiatives of the 1990s.
Geography and National Identity
Geographic isolations from the major
powers of the world during our
government’s formative period helps
explain American politics.
Geography and National Identity
Because the United States is so large, it
provided Americans with the opportunity
to diffuse differences over religion, social
class and national origin because they
could isolate themselves from one
another.
What was the belief called that held that the United
States was destined to rule the continent, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans?
Manifest Destiny
Geography and National Identity
Geography helps to explain our diversity
Geography and National Identity
What is the most distinct
section of the United States?
From the beginning, the South
was basically agricultural.
It differed from the North
especially over slavery.
Sectional differences have
moderated in the last few
decades.
South
Geography and National Identity
Although the South is changing and
resembling the nation at large, they still
are distinct on what issues.
Moral and Religious Conservatism
Before the 1970s, what gave the South the
term the “solid South”?
They voted solid Democratic at all levels.
Geography and National Identity
What explains the reversal of the “Solid
South” from Democratic to Republican?
The Civil Rights Movement of the
1960s and Richard Nixon’s
Southern Strategy of the 1970s.
Republican presidential candidates have
more recently emphasized family values,
opposition to taxes, and law-and-order
issues that appeal to conservative
southern voters.
Geography and National Identity
The Sun Belt is the fastest growing region
in the United States since 1990.
Largest
growth is
with a
younger
population.
RUST BELT
SUN BELT
Largest
growth is
with an
over 65
population.
Percent Change of Resident Population, 1990-2000
What are the political interests of the various regions in the country?
80% of the United States’ population lives in central
cities and their suburbs.
Reasons to move from cities to suburbs:
1. Better Housing
2. New Transportation Systems
3. Desire for Cleaner Air
4. Safer Streets
5. Avoid school busing to promote integration
The migration of white Americans to the suburbs after
World War II was known as “white
-?flight.”
Problems facing cities 1. Only those with financial resources could migrate
from the city leaving the poor behind.
2. More than half of all African Americans now live
in central cities as opposed to one-quarter of whites.
3. More than half of all white Americans live in
suburbs.
4. Tax base of cities declines with the growing number
of minorities.
5. Tax revenues, legislative representation, zoning
laws, and governmental priorities are hotly
contested issues in most metropolitan areas.
Race and ethnic differences have always had
political significance.
Race
A grouping of human beings with
common characteristics presumed
to be transmitted genetically.
Ethnicity
A social division based on
national origin, religion,
language, and often race.
African Americans - 13%
Native Americans - 1%
Hispanic Americans - 10%
Asian Americans - 4%
Race & Ethnicity
Median
Family
Income
Below
Poverty
Level
Median Age
African
American
$30,000
+25%
29.5
Native
American
$25,000
26%
White
American
$49,000
11%
Race
36.3
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic Americans (Latinos)
Cuban Americans tend
to be Republican
Mexican Americans and Puerto
Ricans tend to be Democratic.
Puerto Ricans
Hispanics
Hispanics
Cubans
Race & Ethnicity
• Chinese
• Japanese
• Korean
• Vietnamese
• Filipino
• Thai
Asian Americans
Most of the Asian Americans have done
well economically in the United States.
More than 2 out of every 5 Asian
Americans have graduated from
college compared to 1 our of every 4
white Americans and 1 out of every 7
African Americans.
Race & Ethnicity
Race
1990
2000
2025
2050
White
American
74.9%
70.7%
60.6%
50.3%
African
American
12.3%
12.9%
14.2%
15.4%
Native
American
.8%
.9%
1.0%
1.1%
Asian
American
3.0%
4.1%
6.6%
8.7%
Hispanic
American
9.0%
11.4%
17.6%
24.5%
Gender and Politics
What is the difference
between the political
opinions or political
behavior of men and
women called?
Gender Gap
1.
Women are more likely to oppose any
form of violence (death penalty, new
weapons systems, handgun possession)
2.
Women are more compassionate than
men when it comes to providing health
insurance and family services
3.
Very concerned about women’s rights
(enforcement of child support,
punishment for sexual abuse and rape,
equal treatment in the legal system)
4.
Consider work and family issues such
as day care, prenatal and postnatal
leave and equal treatment in the
workplace as important.
What is the “Glass Ceiling”?
Sexual Orientation
Differences in sexual orientation have become
important politically in recent years.
The gay and lesbian community estimate their
size at 10% of the population; other estimates
come in much lower. Conservative think tanks
estimate that 2.8% of men and 1.4% of women
identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual.
Vermont became the first state to enact “civil
union” laws in the United States.
Sexual Orientation
Political Agenda
1.
Fighting discrimination, especially the
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy.
2. Secure health care and other benefits
for domestic partners.
3. Oppose antidiscrimination policies in
housing and employment practices.
4. Support “Hate Crimes” legislation
The Supreme Court ruled that the
Boy Scouts are a private
association, they can exclude gays.
or
Family Structure
The American family has transformed from the “traditional” to
“cohabitational” and “single-parent.”
Although contraception is widely used and accepted, one-third of
all births are now illegitimate.
People marry later in life (Men at 26 and women at 24)
The average marriage lasts 7.2 years with one-half ending in
divorce today.
In 1972, one out of every three Americans thought a woman’s place
was in the home, but in 1996, only one in six feel this way.
Family Structure - Religion
In recent elections, a majority of Protestants voted Republican
while majorities of Catholics and Jews voted Democratic.
Jews have the highest voter turnout rate of 85% in 1996 while those
with no religious affiliate have the lowest with 65%. Catholics
slightly out-vote Republicans.
Family Structure - Occupation
The U.S. is in a “post-industrial” phase of
development. A post-industrial society,
being primarily a technical society,
awards less on the bases of inheritance or
property than on education and skill.
Knowledge is the organizing device of a
post-industrial society.
White Collar
Managers, accountants, lawyers,
professionals, technicians, researchers,
financiers, insurance agents,
communications, and computers.
Family Structure - Social Class & Age
Most Americans do not view themselves as poor or rich - just
middle class.
The American social structure and values fosters an emphasis on
competitive individualism, an orientation that is not congruent with
class consciousness, support for socialist or social democratic
parties or a strong union government.
Americans are living
longer, a phenomenon
called the “graying of
America.”
Population over Age 65
Family Structure - Education
The vast majority of people in the United States are educated in
public schools.
Not a
High
Education is one of the
most important variables
in predicting political
participation, confidence
in dealing with
government, and
awareness of issues.
Age
High
School
Graduate
School
Graduate
Bachelor’s
Degree
Advanced
Degree
25 to 34
11.9%
31.9%
21.3%
6.2%
35 to 44
12%
34%
18.3%
8%
45 to 54
13%
32.1%
17.5%
11.3%
55 to 64
20.5%
37.3%
13%
9.2%
65 to 74
28.9%
36.4%
10%
6.6%
75 &
older
38%
33.2%
8.1%
4.4%
Sex
Not a high
school
Graduate
High
School
Graduate
Bachelor’s
Degree
Advanced
Degree
Male
17.2&
32.3%
17.1%
9.4%
Female
17.1%
35.2%
15.8%
6.6%