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| | Another term important in discussing legislative politics is "grassroots". The grassroots are ordinary citizens who volunteer their time to participate in politics, by speaking out, by emailing others, by attending political events, by putting bumper stickers on their cars or signs along the roads, by making phone calls urging others to vote, and by expressing their views to public officials on important issues. The grassroots are in contrast with the media, the political insiders, and the corporations; the grassroots care more about social values that affect the future direction of the Nation, for example. The grassroots are those who volunteer to help with and attend large political rallies. The Tea Party movement in recent years has been among the grassroots. | | Another term important in discussing legislative politics is "grassroots". The grassroots are ordinary citizens who volunteer their time to participate in politics, by speaking out, by emailing others, by attending political events, by putting bumper stickers on their cars or signs along the roads, by making phone calls urging others to vote, and by expressing their views to public officials on important issues. The grassroots are in contrast with the media, the political insiders, and the corporations; the grassroots care more about social values that affect the future direction of the Nation, for example. The grassroots are those who volunteer to help with and attend large political rallies. The Tea Party movement in recent years has been among the grassroots. |
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| | + | == Review from Last Week == |
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| | + | Many of the answers to last week's homework were superb. But there was room for improvement on these questions: |
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| | + | === "1. Why is it important to participate in politics?" === |
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| | + | Many students emphasized the need to be aware of what is going on with politics. But "participation" is far more than become knowledgeable and aware. It also requires informing others, volunteering time, and "getting the word out." It involves correcting misinformation and countering the deceit used by bad candidates. It entails being proactive, just as exercise, a good diet, and going church consist of doing something rather than doing nothing. |
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| | + | === "4. If a police officer pull=s over a car on the New Jersey Turnpike ...." === |
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| | + | Police officers on the NJ Turnpike work for the state government, but most police officers work for local government (e.g., Newark, or Bedminister Township). No police officers work for the federal government. There are really three levels of government: federal, state and local, although often the "state and local" levels are grouped together. |
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| | + | === "4. Explain what gerrymandering is." === |
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| | + | Very few students earned full credit on this question. Gerrymandering is difficult to understand and explain. The key point is that most people vote Democratic or Republican in every election, and politicians know who those people (neighborhoods) are. State legislatures, not governors or Congress, redraw state and congressional legislative districts every ten years based on the Census, and by grouping certain neighborhoods into different districts this "gerrymandering" can increase the number of districts controlled by one side or the other, by giving that side (for example) a 60% majority in numerous districts. |
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| | + | In this way a state that should be sending half Democrats and half Republicans to Congress in their dozen or so congressional seats can cause its delegation to be mostly Democrats (in districts designed to have 60% Democratic voters) with only a few Republicans (in districts designed to have 90% Republican voters). |
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| | + | === 8. Question concerning sources of bias in polling === |
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| | + | The main sources of bias in polling are: |
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| | + | *how the questions are asked (their phrasing, their order) |
| | + | *who is asked the questions (likely voters, or any American) |
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| | + | Rasmussen polling is consistently more favorable to Republicans, for example, probably because he chooses whom to ask his questions in a way that includes more solidly Republican Americans than other pollsters do. The Fox News Channel likes having Rasmussen on its show frequently because he gives more favorable results for the predominantly Republican audience of that cable channel. |
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| | == Separation of Powers == | | == Separation of Powers == |