Giving the people what they want?

At times it can feel like public opinion does not matter in U.S. politics. When the U.S. Congress or state legislatures ignore issues that have broad public support, there seems to be a glaring gap between what people want and what politicians will deliver. But in due course, public opinion does sway elected officials, according to MIT political scientist Devin Caughey. Indeed, Caughey’s work has shown that at the state level in the U.S. over the last several decades, government policies have followed public views — often incrementally, but consistently….

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