Representation, Continued

How can you ensure that MC’s pay attention to their constituents? Choose people of good character Strict anti-corruption rules Align their personal interests with the interests of their constituents by forcing them to go before the voters on a regular basis to keep their job

General representational behaviors Visiting the district Communicating with constituents (media, newsletters, advertising) Legislative behaviors Voting Introducing bills Working in committee Overseeing the executive Purely Electoral Behaviors Raising Money Campaigning

BehaviorElectoral Reward Raising MoneyBetter campaign, more votes

BehaviorElectoral Reward Raising MoneyBetter campaign, more votes CampaigningMore votes

BehaviorElectoral Reward Raising MoneyBetter campaign, more votes CampaigningMore votes Visiting the districtAdvertising  more votes

BehaviorElectoral Reward Raising MoneyBetter campaign, more votes CampaigningMore votes Visiting the districtAdvertising  more votes Communicating with constituents Advertising  more votes

When a member of Congress has to cast a roll-call vote, what does she think about?

How do members of Congress make decisions? DeterminativeMajor importance Minor importance Not important Constituents7%31%51%12% Fellow MC’s5%42%28%25% Party leaders0%5%32%63% Interest groups1%25%40%35% Administration4%14%21%61% Staff1%8%26%66%

Who does an MC worry most about? Potential opponents (“Instigators”) BOTH Attentive and Inattentive publics

Attentive and Inattentive Publics Attentive Publics: citizens who know about an issue and have firm preferences about how Congress should act Inattentive Publics: have neither firm policy preferences nor knowledge of what Congress is doing

So WHEN will a member of Congress pay attention to the “median voter” (inattentive public) in the district? (And when will she pay attention to the “attentive publics”?)

When will an MC pay attention to the inattentive public? When the inattentive public might notice what they do. Which is? When voting on bills that get a lot of media attention When voting on symbolic issues

What about the attentive publics? When do they win? On votes that are complex On votes that are not covered by the media On tax and regulatory bills more than spending bills On committee votes On procedural votes They can also affect how hard a member works

BehaviorElectoral Reward Voting on the floorVote with constituents, don’t miss too many votes  don’t antagonize a potential opponent

BehaviorElectoral Reward Voting on the floorVote with constituents, don’t miss too many votes  don’t antagonize a potential opponent Introducing billsLook like you’re working hard, without putting in all that much effort  placate active publics

BehaviorElectoral Reward Voting on the floorVote with constituents, don’t miss too many votes  don’t antagonize a potential opponent Introducing billsLook like you’re working hard, without putting in all that much effort  placate active publics Working in committee Can be a lot of effort, might be able to claim credit for some piece of a bill, someday  one more line on the website???

BehaviorElectoral Reward Overseeing the executive Placates extremely attentive publics; extreme publics, but electoral reward???

So does Congress do a good job representing our collective preferences? Does it do a good job governing?

Given re-election motive, Congress as an institution will… Be an ombudsman Expresses constituency preferences, not necessarily national preferences (common good) Pass legislation that contains particularized benefits Pass legislation that will not impose large, direct costs on constituents

Given re-election motive, Congress as an institution will… Pass legislation that embodies a good “end” even if means are poorly tailored to achieve it Balance attentive with inattentive publics on high profile issues Serve attentive publics on low profile issues Express symbolic policy preferences, not necessarily follow through Not check and/or balance the executive branch