Power Point 7

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(1)Dr. Tabakian’s Political Science 1 US Government – Fall 2012 Power Point Presentation – Week #7.

(2) COURSE LECTURE TOPICS • • • • •. Interest Groups Protecting Elite Values Lobbyists And The Power They Possess Political Action Committees (PACs) Public Interest Groups Single Interest Groups • Pro-Life Versus Pro-Choice. • Presidential Power • Campaign Rhetoric.

(3) IRONY OF DEMOCRACY: CHAPTER 9 (A) ORGANIZED INTERESTS: DEFENDERS OF THE STATUS QUO Interest Groups Protect Established Elite Values. 1. Organized interests favor upper classes. 2. Organized interests favor conservative strategies of influence. 3. Single-issue groups are more representative of their members than traditional interest groups. Lobbyists are Government Elites. 1. Lobbyists’ greatest success is in campaign contributions. 2. PACs originate one-third of all campaign contributions..

(4) POLITICAL MESSAGE EXAMPLE (1) Political hit pieces do not only focus on candidates. They can also be utilized for all types of messages whether they are political in nature or not. This ad focuses on two issues: anthrax and liberal activists. Can you identify the targets of this ad?.

(5) POLITICAL MESSAGE EXAMPLE (2) The 911 terrorist attacks helped spark a swarm of political ads and cartoons that strived to influence public opinion. These cartoons focus on Osama Bin Laden and the fallacy of his agenda..

(6) IRONY OF DEMOCRACY: CHAPTER 10 (A) THE PRESIDENCY The Power of a President lies in his ability to provide means for chosen ends. 1. He facilitates elite interaction with those who seek consensus with each other. 2. He governs only within the boundaries of elite consensus. Presidential power is symbolic, attracting mass attention and emotion. Presidential power is multiplied when he uses formal powers. 1. Commander in Chief (war-making) powers can commit the nation to war. 2. Vietnam showed congressional support for commitment. 3. Presidential non-compliance with the War Powers Act showed refusal to follow congressional consent requirements..

(7) POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES Political Action Committees (PACs) are established organizations that serve to advocate policy recommendations for various interest groups. Private companies, corporations, unions, and other various Public Interest Groups (PIGs) and Single Interest Groups (SIGs). PACs are primarily utilized to influence public policymakers through campaign donations, offering legitimate information regarding their various interests and even coordinating issue based campaigns directed to a constituency. Enjoy this campaign example created by People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA)..

(8) SINGLE INTEREST GROUPS PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT Single Interest Groups (SIGs) are smaller, but more efficient than Public Interest Groups (PIGs). SIGs are effective, because their members are very committed to the cause. They commit themselves to a cause that is very ideological. These individuals tend to favor ideological based voting rather than security or economic issues of concern. The majority of American voters cast votes according to security or economic concerns. Enjoy this video detailing the Pro-Life Movement..

(9) SINGLE INTEREST GROUPS PRO-CHOICE MOVEMENT Single Interest Groups (SIGs) are smaller, but more efficient than Public Interest Groups (PIGs). SIGs are effective, because their members are very committed to the cause. They commit themselves to a cause that is very ideological. These individuals tend to favor ideological based voting rather than security or economic issues of concern. The majority of American voters cast votes according to security or economic concerns. Enjoy this video detailing the ProChoice Movement..

(10) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (1) The greatest power a US President has at their possession is the bully pulpit. Great care is necessary for a president’s words have great influence over the hearts and minds not only of American citizens, but people all over the world. Two clips are presented for review. The first is this presentation of President Ronald Reagan’s famous speech, “Tear Down This Wall” given at the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987. The second are spoof made by President Bill Clinton and his team before leaving the presidency. Do both pull on your emotional heartstrings?.

(11) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (2) The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the U.S. government in which the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was targeted. President Bill Clinton expresses the grief of the American people in responding to the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City on April 23, 1995. The event theme was “A Time For Healing”. Enjoy this example of presidential power..

(12) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (3) On February 2, 1977, a short time after his inauguration, President Carter spoke to the American people. In an updated version of Franklin Roosevelt’s memorable “fireside chats” on radio, Carter attempted to reach out to the public on television. The heart of his speech dealt with the current energy shortage was to encourage conservation. He specifically suggested that if people set their (winter) thermostats no higher than 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night, the country could overcome roughly half of the natural gas shortage it was then facing. The presidency may be, as Theodore Roosevelt famously exclaimed, a “bully pulpit”, but the public is not always galvanized into action by sermons from the pulpit..

(13) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (4) The phrase "Just Say No" first emerged when Nancy Reagan was visiting Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California, in 1982 and was asked by a female student what to do if she was offered drugs. The first lady responded by saying, "Just say no.” When asked about her efforts in the campaign, Nancy Reagan stated "If you can save just one child, it's worth it." Question: Is Nancy Reagan exhibiting the power of the First Lady’s bully pulpit or merely feeding off her husband, President Ronald Reagan?.

(14) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (5) President Ronald Reagan’s farewell address to the nation on January 11, 1989 touches on multiple issues, including the economy and the Cold War. Ronald Reagan was one of the few presidents who left office in high standing. Democrats and Republic politicians attempted to connect their own campaigns to Reagan’s legacy. Presidential candidates George Herbert Walker Bush, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sought to establish this connection. One common term used in the 1992 and 2008 Presidential Campaigns was “Hope” and “Change”..

(15) PRESIDENTIAL POWER EXAMPLE (6) On October 6, 1937 in Chicago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt warns of a steadily-increasing danger of armed conflict menacing the United States. Without naming any nation as responsible, the Chief Executive finds a threat in present attacks from the air on civilians, and ships attacked and sunk by submarines in time of peace and without cause or notice. Gravely, the President asserts that if such things can happen in other parts of the world, America cannot feel secure for long. Universal Newsreel presents the President's speech as a historic document, and gives with it a dramatic view of incidents of aggression which called forth Mr. Roosevelt's impassioned warning." scenes of parade outdoors, sound of FDR speaking outdoors under tent, silent scenes of war inserted into FDR's speech, FDR says, “I Hate War”..

(16) 911 – RALLY AROUND THE FLAG 911 introduced the world to “Asymmetrical Warfare” Using the resources of a nation state to attack its institutions. This is a compilation of clips during September 11, 2001. What caused the nation to come together? How were we able to acquire international support? Did we overspend the goodwill bestowed by our international peers?.

(17) 911 – RALLY AROUND THE FLAG (2) Does the United States still maintain the degree of heartfelt international support following 911?.

(18) IRONY OF DEMOCRACY: CHAPTER 10 (B) Informal or persuasion powers place the president in the center of decision making. 1. President George H. Bush’s Gulf War policy and victory gave leadership and reassurance to the masses. 2. President Bill Clinton’s economic policy gave personalized government and simplified political issues to the masses. 3. President George W. Bush’s war on terrorism and homeland security policies give the masses protection..

(19) REVISITING CAMPAIGN RHETORIC (1) Campaign rhetoric is based on one or more of the following with the first two remaining the most prevalent: 1. National Security 2. National Economy 3. Social / Nuisances Issues President George H. Bush’s Gulf War policy and victory may have ended America’s “Vietnam Syndrome”, yet he still lost to Bill Clinton. Perhaps the national economy rose to prominence in the eyes of the electorate. Another point deserving our attention is President H. Bush’s reversal against his “No New Taxes Pledge” made to key supporters during the 1988 presidential election..

(20) REVISITING CAMPAIGN RHETORIC (2) Campaign rhetoric is based on one or more of the following with the first two remaining the most prevalent: 1. National Security 2. National Economy 3. Social / Nuisances Issues Governor Bill Clinton’s victory over a successful wartime president demonstrates that the national economy rose to prominence in the eyes of the electorate. This was especially the case as various claims of sexual indiscretions came to light. Governor Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton agreed to a joint interview on 60 Minutes in 1992 to discuss these allegations..

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