America’s Elected Officials, Pt. III
September 12, 2007Constituent Views: Strict Directives or Suggested Guidelines?
Lecture by Larry Sabato
16 min
Summary:
Members of congress face pressure from many different sources – including their constituents, political party, the president, interest groups, and their own ideological views – on how to vote on the issues placed before them. In deciding how to vote, members must determine if they will act as a delegate – basing their decisions on what their supporters want now – or as a trustee – making what they feel to be the best decisions for the future of their constituents, party, and country.
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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.
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