Correlation Between Political Parties And Public Opinion Polls

Public opinion refers to how the public views an issue at any point in time. In a democratic country public opinion plays a significant role. Public opinion, interest groups, and political parties are responsible for the transformation of American political behavior. Public opinion is measured through public opinion polls. The polls are simply interviews with citizens that estimate the feelings and beliefs of larger populations. They can potentially be deceptive as, “public opinion polls are based on a sample of the American public, and have a margin of error of ± 4 percent.” Public opinion is often confirmed through questions asked on polls and is often used to sway the opinions of others. Politicians routinely cite public opinion polls

The interaction between media and political participation is complicated. Media can encourage or discourage participation by drawing attention to political leaders, issues, and events. Most people do not wake up one morning and decide that they are going to engage in politics. They have to be motivated to participate, often by people or organizations reaching out to them and asking them to get involved. “Increasingly people received digital invitations to participate through Facebook groups formed by friends, e-mail solicitations from campaigns and interest groups, and podcasts from political organizations.” In the past, political parties helped mobilize people by recruiting volunteers for campaigns and other political events. Parties provided a training ground for candidates and leaders and rallied people around issues. Today, the role of political parties helping to mobilize people to participate has diminished. People are more inclined to support a candidate who represents their interests than a political party. Interest groups and candidates’ campaigns can encourage people to take part in politics. They use marketing strategies to target potential activists based on demographic characteristics and political orientations. Organizations acquire lists of potential supporters from political parties and market research firms, and

Interest group involvement in legislation provides the public with a direct and influential voice in government. Interest groups make demands on government and seek influence over policy makers in their favor. Their main difference from political parties is that they do not seek elective office. The rise of public interest groups during the 1960s and 1970s paved way to progressivism. People with common interests organize to solicit support and solutions to their problems from government. “The civil rights and anti-war struggles left many Americans feeling cynical about a government that, in their eyes, failed to respond to the will of the majority.” They believed if they gathered together, they could make a difference. Common Cause and Public Citizen are two major interest groups that were formed as a result. Policies enacted in response to the efforts of these groups affected other people, who would then form groups seeking government mediation to support themselves. Conservatives, concerned by the activities of liberal public interest groups responded by forming religious and ideological groups, such as the Christian Coalition. Business groups, corporations, and unions unsatisfied with the work of the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce also developed new organizations, to advance their political and financial interests in Washington, D.C.