Building upon research from the early twentieth century that indicated a lack of an informed public, Philip Converse in the 1970s used scientific surveys to research public opinion in regard to voting. This research indicated
a. that ordinary citizens are generally very knowledgeable about political issues and candidates.
b. that a very positive and upbeat mood exists among potential voters concerning candidates and issues.
c. that a very high percentage of eligible voters do vote.
d. that ordinary citizens are ill-informed about political issues, ill-equipped to understand politics, and quite fickle in how they stand on issues.
e. that ordinary citizens are very stable in their opinions and their votes indicate that stability.
Question 2
Walter Lippman was a well-known public opinion scholar of the early twentieth century. What was Lippmans primary argument concerning public opinion and politics?
a. Voting should be left to those who demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge.
b. Americans are highly capable and are willing to seek the information necessary to make an informed choice in the voting process.
c. Voters in certain regions lack the ability or desire to effectively learn about the issues and to seek the necessary information to make an informed choice.
d. Only those who have a formal education should be allowed to vote.
e. Citizens invest very little energy and effort in acquiring information about politics, and as a consequence, the public lacks the necessary knowledge for their opinions to provide value.