Public opinion research demonstrates that citizens' opinions depend on elite rhetoric and interpersonal conversations. Yet we continue to have little idea about how these two forces interact with one another. In this paper, the authors address this issue by experimentally examining how interpersonal conversations affect (prior) elite framing effects. Focusing on opinions about campaign finance reform, the authors find that conversations among like-minded people have no effect on elite framing, but conversations that include conflicting perspectives eliminate elite framing effects. (continue)

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to the issue book: The bad habit of deficit spending is more apparent than ever, and pressures on the federal budget will soon get worse. It is not enough to support deficit reduction in principle. The challenge is to see what changes most Americans are willing to accept as the best way out of a difficult situation. This 32-page National Issues Forums issue book includes an overview of the problem of deficit spending, three possible approaches to the problem, and a two-page post-forum questionnaire for forum participants. (continue)