ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how well the American political system achieves this difficult balancing act by looking at what public opinion is, how it is measured, where it comes from, and the central role it plays in the American political system. Public opinion is the sum of individual attitudes or beliefs about an issue or question. The element of stability is the likelihood of changes in the direction of public opinion. People with strong pro-choice or pro-life views, for example, tend to be very firm in their beliefs and are resistant to arguments or information coming from the other side. Salience refers to the prominence and visibility of an issue and how important that issue is to the public. Individuals differ in their opinions about what issues are most important—or salient. The appropriate role of public opinion in democratic government has been the subject of debate for a long time.
