Discussion notes - Professor Jack Citrin PDF

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Professor Jack Citrin...

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10/21/2015

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McDonald & Popkin- voter turnout not decline since 1972 Nominate DW Scores- place representatives on ideological line  Before some overlap, now not ideological overlap  House more polarized than senate (majoritarian institution, party 

leadership strong, in senate can form own coalitions) Asymmetric polarization- R moved greatly to the right, D stayed

rather same since 1972 Public Polarized?  ANES: public staying in the same place  not clear becoming   

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ideologically extreme VS. senate way more polarized Self-sorting- finding their way into parties representing their views Within party, varying opinions/extremes in public, increasingly

consistent in Congress Polarization  Consistency  Extremism  People identify non-partisan as moderate, not necessarily correct Percentage viewing government as threat: after 2008, R increased D

decreased   9/30/15  

European liberalism:  classical liberalism- emphasize ind. rights and limited gov inference American liberalism:  Role of government to ensure social equality (integration, business regulation, pro-choice)

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Government, media, politicans/political elite, interest groups,

individual (opinions- ideology: consistent preference, preference, attitude): all intertwined and influence each other  

Attitude: organized, consistent manner of thinking and reacting and

feeling

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Do people who have attitudes also have preferences? Media elites: Oprah, Jon Stewart  influence over attitudes

Fiorina- elites are polarized Aborganor- public polarized (reflects polarized elites)  Positive, negative feedback loop  9/23/15 Bill  Law  Start from committee of house/senate to floor, then to committee to house/senate to floor, to conference committee if different

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versions, then to president, then to agency if signed, then enacted as policy or goes to SC Veto points possible at every link

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Total probability- multiplication of the probability a bill passes at

each stage Agenda control  Positive: put something on agenda (change SQ), negative: stop  

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exercise restraint in agenda control (self negative AC?) Principle-agent  action  Voters  legislator  laws  

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issue from getting on agenda (keep SQ) Control one of the veto points If someone knows an issue will be nullified at a veto points,

President  bureaucracy  rule Who is P? Who is A? What are their different preferences? How is

the issue delegated? Efficient or inefficient? Free rider problem- individuals contributing things to the common

good, Tragedy of the Commons- individuals taking advantage of the common good  Both are prisoner dilemmas  V=pB-C (individual incentive, very low) + D (duty/ democracy,  

often becomes V=D) Simple majority= 50% plus 1  Pass bill in senate, house Supermajority= more than 50% plus 1

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Filibuster: need 60 votes for cloture

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DUVERGER’S LAW Plurality voting created 2 party systems (U.S presidential, BR local

districts)  Winner takes-all, first past the post marginalizes small party  Strategic voting   

Why, small parties merge or voters desert small party because they

don’t win MEDIAN VOTER THEOREM a majority rule voting system will select the outcome most preferred

by the median voter  assumptions: 1) voters can place all election alternatives along a  

one-dimensional political spectrum 2) voters always vote applies to majoritarian election system 2 party converges in the median to maximize votes: close to

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median, closer to winning candidates tend to more extreme in the primary, appeal to the middle in the general election, BUT seems like we are moving to extremes- what factor in play?

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American Political Culture BEWARE: policy outcomes do not indicate American public preference  Having a less intrusive government with lower taxes doesn’t mean bulk of American believe in a nonintrusive government

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