Why Political Participation Matters

As a democracy our leaders respond to the issues of based on public opinion. When participation in politics is uneven and unrepresentative of the population, then some Americans may be left out of policy making process.

If people of all ages and all income groups participated equally, then the outcomes of our government process might be different.

View this discussion of the 2008 Supreme Court decision regarding Indiana’s photo ID law.

Click on the image above to watch:
Online NewsHour: Supreme Court Rules on Voter ID Law in Indiana

View the Discussion Transcript

Did you notice that the concerns for voter fraud versus voter rights split along partisan lines? Is the Indiana law an attempt to preserve the integrity of voter rights or an unfair burden on the poor?

How do the ideas and concerns of the people in whom the power rests make their way onto the government’s agenda? The answer to this question is through institutions such as the media, political parties, elections, and interest groups.