Essay Sample on Politics and Government: Exploring Terms and Their Significance

Introduction

In the field of political science, the politics and behavior of a government are studied. These help campaign for elections, analyze the patterns of voting, as well as come up with models that would predict future trends in politics. The field has a range of terms that require clear definition, and their examples brought forth clearly. These terms include bias, Executive Office of the Presidency, Horse Race Coverage, and Pack Journalism. It would also be efficient to explain the importance of these terms.

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Slant/ Bias

Definition

Bias in politics involves altering the information to help make political positions, and candidates seem attractive. In the political context, the bias would emerge in situations where people engage a sense of unwillingness to establish some opposing views in politics. The bias transcends as individuals interact and undertake daily activities. The media may also slant or skew facts so that a given political position looks more attractive for an individual.

Significance

Political bias leads to the inability of servants in the public sector to conduct their official duties impartially. As such, neutrality in the political context tends to lack. At circumstances, individuals come up with responses to challenge this aspect of bias when it assists some political ideologies. Additionally, media coverage may generate accusations for political actions that limit neutrality. It may either challenge or enhance a particular ideology.

Examples

An example of bias can be seen where President Donald Trump believes the media to be biased towards him. Trump is discriminated against unfavorable coverage by the media based on unjustified prejudice. The press termed Trump as a racist. The media also reported that Trump had removed Martin Luther King, Jr's bust, which was later found to be in the office after investigation.

Pack Journalism

Definition

Pack journalism entails the process of reporting news where reporters from varying news outlets come together and collaborate so that they cover a similar story. In this aspect, the reporting of news becomes homogenous. The reporters also use the same information sources as they cover various stories. As the reporters cover a given account, they crowd together in masses and move from one place to another to get comments from people at the scene of crime. This type of reporting is prominent and common among organizations that disseminate news to the public.

Significance

Pack journalism tends to depict a significant connection with journalism in the political context. As reporters from different news outlets take similar steps regarding a particular story, this kind of reporting makes the news to be unvaried in the practical aspect. It also causes a lazier technique as news reporters do not have to undertake own compilation of the information since other reporters have compiled the news. Consequently, several news organizations publish similar and identical stories. As similar perspectives and quotes are used when covering a story, the news may not vary in any way whatsoever. Minor stories may also form national headlines due to their widespread on the public that leads to loss of sight of the critical stories. Pack journalism leads to competition as news organizations have to compete over breaking news. As such, the viewers and readers of this news may not consider the type of reporting to be serious and feel that the information is from an unreliable source.

Examples

A news organization may decide to make a given story the headline when they see other news outlets doing the same. An example of pack journalism is where political journalists ignore some of the compelling stories, which involve issues dominating the national debate and focus on stories of the campaign process. For instance, a mother may have a teenage son diagnosed with colon cancer and ask political candidates to invest in more cancer research. However, news reporters may fail to cover such a vital issue. Another example is evident as journalists fail to cover news on the adverse effect that a particular disease may have on the healthcare system of a nation and cover minor issues as top stories. The news reporters need to feed numerous media platforms with day-to-day updates and full stories as they happen, which will help probe genuinely into compelling and complex stories.

Executive Office of the Presidency

Definition

It encompasses the agencies that support the executive branch of the government to undertake its functions. The Executive Office of the Presidency supports whatever the president is expected to accomplish. The staff work directly for the president and report to him. The closest advisers of the president also form part of these agencies. Due to technological advances, the offices that help the executive perform its functions effectively may expand and include even policy experts who will address various issues in the modern world.

Significance

In the U.S, the president executes and enforces the laws that Congress creates. The Office of the Presidency ensures daily administration of how the federal government works through the executive departments, which have been created. There are immediate staff members and other support staff who report to the president to enhance effective operations. Moreover, the Presidency has to organize and coordinate the business of the government. The leadership role in the executive arm of the government is technical hence effective and efficient operations require appropriate policy formulation and decision-making. This have a decisive impact on how all the public sectors perform. Therefore, this requires proper coordination and collaboration by all the staff in the Executive Office of the Presidency. It also has the Counsel who advises the president on legal matters that concern the executive branch.

Examples

An example is the United States Executive Office of the Presidency, also known as the EOP. The office is led by the head of staff of White House. It comprises of the senior staff, second-level, and third-level staff. The Senate does not have to confirm the appointments of the staff made by the president to join the EOP. However, there might be some few exceptions to the confirmation of appointments made. The office has different agencies, each of which is governed by a principal executive who oversees the subordinate staff.

Horse Race Coverage

Definition

Horse race coverage involves reporting on political issues using sports metaphors. It is mostly used in the coverage of election campaigns in which opinion polls are established. The coverage resembles horse-races coverage as it focuses on the perception of the public at the expense of the policy of the candidate. It reports on the differences of a candidate compared to other candidates and fails to cover the similarities that may be evident. The metaphor of horse race gives journalists a framework and platform to conduct their analysis. Usually, horses are not judged by their speed and skills, but rather the comparison comes in the aspect of loss or win. In the political context, this may show that a win would be the essential thing for a candidate notwithstanding the means those candidates used to win the elections.

Significance

Horse-race coverage reduces the substantive knowledge of citizens regarding political matters. As such, the citizens may fail to understand the policies of a given candidate or even the positions they may be contesting to occupy. A sense of political alienation is also fostered in the process. The coverage only shows the poll standings but does not display the strengths and weaknesses of a politician. In most cases, media outlets tend to use horse race coverage to make elections appear competitive thereby making it more likely to gain a broad audience as the campaigns on elections are covered. In the process, strong candidates are always handicapped as the weak contenders are hyped when the cycles of election begin. The strong candidates are seen as a threat and maybe discouraged through every means so that they lose elections. This form used to cover political campaigns is negative in the context of politics.

Examples

One of the examples in the U.S presidential polls of 1988 in which horse race coverage was used to report the news. In the election, Democratic candidates were affected by how the media created negative portrayals of the contestants. The media implied that the Democrats had lost political support even though they had the upper hand to win the elections. Another example is the presidential polls of 1992 in the United States in which horse race coverage was also used. The media failed to cover issues and focused on the elections through the horse-race means. The coverage implied that the strong candidates lost political ground hence influencing the opinions of voters.