16 CHAPTER 1|UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
of intelligent design and creationism; gay marriage; abortion; stem cell research;
school prayer; the war on drugs; gun control; school vouchers; and religious dis-
plays in public places. Interest groups and activists on all sides attempt to keep
these hot- button issues at the top of the policy agenda.Racial, Gender, and Ethnic Diff erences
Many political diff erences arise from racial, ethnic, and gender diff erences. For
example, over the last generation about 90 percent of African Americans have
been strong supporters of Democratic candidates. Other racial and ethnic groups
have been less cohesive in their voting. Whites tend to vote Republican; Latinos
tend to vote Democratic, with the exception of Cuban Americans, who generally
vote Republican; Asian Americans tend to vote Democratic but less consistently
than Latinos. A gender gap in national politics is also evident, with women being
somewhat more likely to vote for Democrats and men for Republicans.^10 Because
these tendencies are not fi xed, however, the political implications of racial, ethnic,
and gender diff erences can change over time.
One longstanding debate concerns whether ethnic and racial diff erences should
be tied to political interests. For example, diff ering perspectives on bilingual public
education and English as the nation’s offi cial language refl ect the views of groups
such as assimilationists (supporters of the “melting pot” image), racial separatists
(such as the Nation of Islam), and multiculturalists (those who see strength in diver-
sity). Though debates will continue about the policies best suited to our nation’s
diverse population, our multiracial makeup is clear (see Table 1.1). The extent to
which this diversity continues to be a source of political confl ict depends on the
broader role of race and ethnicity in our society. As long as there are racial and eth-
nic diff erences in employment, education, health, housing, and crime, and as long
as discrimination is present, race and ethnicity will continue to matter for politics.
The long-running debate over immigration reform is strong evidence of this.
Many of the same observations apply to gender and politics. The women’s
movement is usually viewed as beginning in 1848 at the fi rst Women’s Rights
Convention at Seneca Falls, New York. The fi ght for women’s suff rage and legal
rights dominated the movement through the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries. In the 1960s and 1970s, feminism and the women’s liberation move-
ment highlighted workplace issues such as maternity leave, equal pay, and sexual
harassment; reproductive rights and abortion; domestic violence; and sexual vio-
lence. Despite progress on many fronts, gender remains an important source of
political disagreement.Ideology
Another source of diff erences in interests is ideology—a set of ideas and beliefs
that enables an individual to evaluate the political world. Ideology may seem most
obviously related to political interests through political parties, since Republi-
cans tend to be conservative and Democrats tend to be liberal. Conservatives
favor traditional social practices and lower taxes, a free market, and more limited
government, whereas liberals support social tolerance, stronger government pro-
grams, and more market regulation. Nonetheless, few Americans consider their
views ideologically extreme.^11CIVIL AND VOTING RIGHTS POLICIES
contributed to the realignment of
the South in the second half of the
twentieth century, as more whites
began supporting the Republican
Party, and the Democratic Party
came to be seen as the champion
of minority rights. Here, blacks
and whites in Alabama wait in line
together to vote at a city hall after
enactment of the 1965 Voting
Rights Act.
conservative One side of the ideo-
logical spectrum defi ned by support
for lower taxes, a free market, and a
more limited government; generally
associated with Republicans.
ideology A cohesive set of ideas
and beliefs used to organize and
evaluate the political world.
liberal One side of the ideological
spectrum defi ned by support for
stronger government programs and
more market regulation; generally
associated with Democrats.