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role of mass media in shaping public opinion
role of mass media in shaping public opinion
role of mass media in shaping public opinion
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The Fallacy of Using ‘The West Wing’ as a Pedagogical Tool Throughout the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, millions of viewers tuned into ‘The West Wing’ once a week to watch the government-theme series unravel. Aaron Sorkin, the creator of ‘The West Wing’, diligently crafted a TV series focused on the way the United States government functions as a whole. Indeed, the show served as a brilliant entertainment experience but unfortunately portrays the government as something it is not: friendly and simplified. This paper will discuss the role of ‘The West Wing’ in modern political science education as well as how the show incorrectly represented the government system while providing a solution to its inadequacy. Generally, television critics
In the United States government, it is very likely to see the unbalanced relationship between career-emphasis work and personal achievement. Politics as a whole is a very fast-paced, insensible career area. Politicians are driven to achieve not because of personal interests but because of career advancement. ‘The West Wing’ entertains viewers with the relationships of its characters, such as the “one-night stand” Sam had with a female prostitute that began the show in the first episode, “Pilot”. The show falsely gives attention to the personal lives of the characters, most likely for entertainment value, that would otherwise be ignored in the reality of politics. “Why ‘The West Wing’ Is A Terrible Guide to American Democracy” explains that the show “falls prey to the fallacy of personality-driven politics” (3). The article also explains other ways to make the show more politically correct for
Despite ‘The West Wing’ having seven seasons, the TV show easily gets through crises without the need of bureaucracy debates. In the modern day politics, it may take years to propose solutions to national problems. The President may feel urgent need to solve a certain problem, but it will need to pass through his cabinets before ever making its way to actually solving a situation. ‘The West Wing’ simply accomplishes the task of making the challenges of today’s government look easy to the viewer. Rosenberg writes, “There are few impasses an eloquent appeal cannot solve, and almost no foreign-policy conundrum for which a clever solution cannot be conceived” (3). For example, throughout the show, the concern of foreign policy is a point of stress on the President’s agenda. However, instead of using realistic problem solving methods, Aaron Sorkin proves that “national interests are no match for our protagonist’s force of personality” (4). It seems that in ‘The West Wing’, the personalities of the characters help to solve national problems, when in reality it is far from the truth. The constituents of the show further add in the lack of realistic education, proving that the show is strictly for entertainment value
Stephen Skowronek writes about political time and how one can determine the legacy president will leave behind at the time their presidency is done. The president has immense powers when he comes to office but the challenges they each face vary depending on the time they take office. Skowronek analyzes and demonstrates that the most essential factor for a president to attempt to legitimize his actions and orders will be the actions of the president before him. According to the actions of George W. Bush is how we can determine where Barack Obama falls under and following the chain the next president. If Hillary Clinton were to win the 2016 election she would fall under the politics of articulation and Barack Obama would fall under the politics
On the turntable of American politics Dick Morris has established himself as a masterful disk jockey. However, his ability to artistically mix campaign messages has earned him a scratched personal reputation. The rhetoric of Dick Morris transcends partisan boundaries to such a degree that it lacks foundation. His career has earned him praise but at the expense of intense scorn. His political strategy and poll based campaigning have earned him a reputation as both a genius and amoral. In many ways the controversial aspects of his messages reflect contemporary discussion of American politics. The flaws of his character reveal some of the flaws in our representative system. The recent Impeachment Trial of President Clinton has also brought attention to flaws in our representative system. Dick Morris's political commentary on the Impeachment and the work of his career offers insight with which to examine a growing discontent among the American public towards our nation's politics.
Loewen, James W. "Watching Big Brother: What Textbooks Teach about the Federal Government." Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. New York: New, 1995. 211-20. Print.
Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It. New York: Vintage, 1989.
This past summer, when I lived and worked in Washington, DC—first as a U.S. Senate Page and then as a Congressional Intern—I gained invaluable experience and insight to the American political system. It is amazing how much one can learn from simply overhearing the conversations of Members of Congress on a daily basis. Working on the floor of the Senate and then in the back rooms of a Congressional office were two entirely different experiences, each teaching me in a distinctive way about how our political system functions. While I most definitely became aware of how bureaucratic and slow our democratic system can be, I also discovered that with a commitment to unity and prosperity for the common good, great feats are attainable through government.
Lewis, Ann F. "The West Wing." Television Quarterly 32.1 (2001): 36-38. Art Source. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Wadsworth Cengage Learning. (2010). Gateways To Democracy The Essentials. In J. G. Geer, W. J. Schiller, J. A. Segal, & D. K. Glencross, An Introduction To American Government (pp. 43-49). Boston: Suzanne Jeans.
Ginsberg, Benjamin and Theodore J. Lowi. 2000. American Government: Freedom and Power. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
The American Presidency is undoubtedly one of the most widely recognized popular icons throughout the world. Although to most foreigners or those who have never resided in the United States or know little of its history, the executive branch of government may seem to be as dull and unyielding as the rest of the American politics, for those few rare individuals who have taken the time to examine and closely scrutinize this office of the American political system and its recent history, quite the opposite will be said. Unlike Congressional or local elections where typically a number of individuals of the same ideological background must be elected in order for a particular issue to be addressed by the government, when it comes to the presidency, one person, although checked by various other divisions of the same government, has the power and responsibility to literally, as history has proven, change the world. The American people, "like all people everywhere, want to have our (political) cake and eat it too. We want a lot of leadership, but we are notoriously lousy followers" (Genovese). In other words the expectations the public has of the executive office are ever-changing since we demand that our leaders keep up with the evolving world around us and them. Throughout the past seventy eventful years alone, the American people's views, perceptions and demands of the Executive Office of American government have evolved simultaneously with the political and social events of that same time period.
South University Online. (2013). POL2076: American Government: Week 4: People and Politics—Interest Groups. Retrieved from http://myeclassonline.com
Edward III, G., Wattenberg, M., & Lineberry, R. (2006). Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy (12th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education.
O’Connor, K., Sabato, L. J., Yanus, A. B, Gibson, Jr., L. T., & Robinson, C. (2011). American Government: Roots and Reform 2011 Texas Edition. United States: Pearson Education, Inc.
The president’s accumulation of personal power can make up for his lack of institutional powers. The president must act as the “lubricant” for the other sectors of government in order to preserve order and accomplish business. Neustadt emphasizes the president’s ability to forge strong personal relationships and his or her charisma, indicating that these characteristics affect the president’s ability to persuade. According to Neustadt, a successful president persuades the public, congress, and foreign powers to align their motives and views with him. Two presidents who validate this statement are Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. As two presidents who do not validate this statement, Neustadt cites George W. Bush and Richard Nixon.
The American President is a romantic comedy that takes place in the White House during primary season. The president is hoping to be reelected and to pass two bills, one on gun control and one on fuel restrictions. During this movie, the president meets Sydney, a lobbyist, and goes out with her, and because of this he takes a hit on his ratings. The American President shows many different themes covered in politics and government 101, these themes are the rolls of the media, polls, primaries and elections, and the process of introducing a bill to congress. This movie also shows the relationship between the executive branch and the legislative branch while detailing the relationship the president has with interest groups, and his White House staff. While covering all this the movie The American President shines a positive light on politicians, this movie showed politicians having a genuine concern in human life and truly wanting to improve life. This movie wasn't all optimism though, it also criticized some politicians for muckraking and it criticized the media and the American public for thinking that the private lives of politicians is their business.
It was six o’clock in the evening when President James was sitting in the Oval office playing a game of chess with his eleven year old daughter Sophia. They both were enjoying the company of one another. It was a rare occasion when the president had time to allocate to his only daughter. Even though Sophia knew her father was letting her win they both were playing well. Little did they know this happiness would soon change.