American politics Term Paper

Democratic theory presupposes at least some link between the decisions made by elected officials and the policy preferences of their constituents. How strong that relationship should be, however, depends in part on the ability of those constituents to make informed political judgments and decisions.

In a 6-7 page essay, discuss how strong you think that link should be. First, describe to what extent
Bartels argues that this link actually exists between members of Congress and the public, at least on
matters of income inequality. Then, draw upon the selections from Berelson et al., Popkin, and Bartels to discuss whether the average citizen is sufficiently interested, knowledgeable, and engaged to make
informed political judgments and decisions. Given your description of the political capacities of the
average citizen, is the level of responsiveness detailed by Bartels appropriate? To what extent should
members of Congress adopt representation tactics more in line with the delegate or trustee model of
representation than those they currently employ?

In writing, your paper should have a clear thesis that states toward which model of representation
members of Congress should shift. You may also draw on ideas and concepts from class lectures and
readings, but you should not do outside research for this paper.

You must submit your paper electronically as a Word document through iLearn, and it will checked via
SafeAssign. The paper must be submitted by 12pm on Monday, May 25th. Grades will be based on the
knowledge of course materials, the originality and thoughtfulness of the arguments, and writing
mechanics (e.g., spelling, grammar, organization, clarity, and proper citations where necessary). Papers
should be double spaced with 1 inch margins and use size 12 Times New Roman font.