Individual freedoms that the government must respect.

Restrains government actions against individuals. 
Ex: freedom to think and act according to one's values or beliefs

 Powers or privileges to individuals or protected groups, protected from arbitrary removal by government or individuals. 

Ex: right to vote cant be denied based on gender, race, etc

Not controversial, traditional.

Application of laws and regulations according to a fair and regular procedure.

Imposes limits on how government carries out activity. 
Ex: read you your Miranda rights, trial by jury, innocent until proven guilty by government.

Controversial. Conformity to the subject matter of law. Limits what government can and cant do. Has to be reasonable. 
Ex: spitting on sidewalk cant equal 20 years in prison. 
Not controversial because if you elect leaders and they ran on a platform about something, passing that law should be fine.

Social Redeeming Value- can't restrict political, scientific or artistic literature/speech (can burn cross on your own lawn but cant on someone else's 

Commercial Speech- advertising protected even though it can be distasteful
Symbolic speech- nonverbal- usually protected if used to send a political message (flag burning)
Speech Plus Conduct- marches, protests, sit ins. Reasonable public place, govt can limit this to protect safety of others. (outside abortion clinics, cant be on property but can be across the street
Freedom of Association- protects your right to belong to whatever association you want (cant with Al-Quida though)

Current test for obscenity

1. The average person finds it violates contemporary community standards
2. Work taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex
3. Work shows patently offensive sexual conduct
4. Work lacks serious redeeming literary artistic political or scientific merit 
YES TEST
Yes to all four = obscene

The Exclusionary Rule 

(4th Amendment)

Evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Gratz v. Bollinger (undergrad)- Affirmative action undergrad program unconstitutional- system lacks individualism. 20 points out of 150 for being ethnic -> quota like (illegal). 

Grutter v. Bollinger (law school)- Diversity in education is a compelling state interest. UM's law program is unconstitutional. Race can help admission. School's interest in diversity, admissions program ok because individualized review of applicant, race not awarded points.

Citizens' attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions and events

a belief or sentiment shared by most people

A cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the role of government

the coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals

an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people

Scientific instruments for measuring public opinions

items selected at random from a population and used to test hypotheses about the population

A small group selected by researchers to represent an entire population

Probability Sampling 

(random sample)

A method used by pollsters in which every individual in the entire population has the same chance of being polled

a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent

Dialing a random number to collect information about political beliefs. Can skew results because of landlines versus cell phones.

A technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey.

Errors in the selection and placement of subjects into groups that results in differences between groups which could effect the results of an experiment.

When some groups are either overrepresented or underrepresented

4 percentage points in either direction.
How much in reality can this survey be wrong?

a polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent's opinion

A polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent's opinion

A shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner

the phenomenon of a popular trend attracting even greater popularity

How the Media Influences Politics 

(Agenda Setting Selection Bias, Framing, Priming)

a form of reporting in which the media adopt a skeptical or even hostile posture toward the government and public officials

Form of interpretive journalism that adopts a hostile position toward government, politics, and political figures.

The requirement that broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public

an FCC rule that if a broadcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates.

Federal Communications Commission policy that required holders of radio and television licenses to ensure that different viewpoints were presented about controversial issues or persons; largely repealed in 1987

A Federal Communications Commission requirement for broadcasters who air programs on controversial issues to provide time for opposing views; the FCC ceased ending this doctrine in 1985