For this final discussion, let's think ahead to the final unit and discuss some of the topics before we complete the reading or lectures. Write a reflective response (4-5 sentences each) to each of the three prompts below.
1. In your experience with political campaigns, do they matter? What sorts of influences do they have?
2. In the next unit spend some time talking about who turns out to vote and why. But, before you view the lecture, what do you think it is that makes someone more or less likely to turn out to vote? Can campaigns affect this?
3. If you were advising Donald Trump about running again in 2024 and Joe Biden about running for re-election, what advice would you give to each of them on how to win?
To add your reply, click "add a new discussion topic," type your response to each of the questions, and then make sure to click "post to forum." Then, check out some of your fellow classmate's responses and make sure to reply (as discussed in the syllabus) to at least two of your classmates' responses before 7/8 at 11:59pm.
1. With my personal experience with political campaigns, I do think they matter. They can be very frustrating at times to watch, but I feel that campaigns do appeal to a voter and in some ways do influence the way they cast their future vote. Political campaigns or elites may use crafted talk in order to sell their policy stances to the public through public opinion data. I also believe that political campaigns may influence a voter to move past their own individual attitudes to vote for someone who goes against their identity and personal beliefs.
2. I believe that someone is less likely to vote if the media is portraying the individuals running in the election as terrible candidates, which typically happens. I also believe that a person is then more likely to vote if the candidates appeal to the person’s political stance, personal beliefs, and their individual attitude towards the candidates. If the candidates do not do this, then it may be difficult for them to vote. I do feel that a campaign can affect if a person is going to show up to vote or not, if a person does not support the political figures preferred policies and is not interested in the political campaign, they may not even show up to vote at all.
3. If I were advising Donald Trump to run again in 2024, I would advise him to point out the flaws that the Biden Administration has portrayed in a short amount of time. Yet, I would also advise Trump on taking accountability for some of the mistakes he made throughout his presidency as I feel it would appeal to certain people and possibly change their vote during the 2024 election. I would also advise him to run political campaigns in a different manner, while also letting loose on some of the previous social media posts that he made in the past. While advising Joe Biden on running for re-election I would advise him to talk about some of the policies and mandates he introduced to help fight against Covid-19. I would also advise him to appeal more to the public and try to talk about solving the rising gas prices, inflation, and the possible recession that may occur as a result of the past few years.