Discuss the general relationship between public opinion and the policy actions of government.

What will be an ideal response?

Public opinion has a powerful though inexact influence on government. Although public opinion rarely determines exactly what government will do, public opinion serves to constrain the policy choices of officials. Some policy actions are beyond the range of possibility because the public will not accept change in existing policy or will not support policy that clearly conflicts with basic values. Many policy issues are sufficiently complex to limit public understanding of their intricacies, and thus elected officials may not be able to rely on wider public opinion. In addition, officials must anticipate the public response to policy, since people may react negatively to policies that fail or are followed by unfavorable developments. Evidence indicates officials are reasonably attentive to public opinion, particularly on highly visible issues of public policy.