Congress members and Constituents

Source: History Link

The economic principle I’m exploring is: Institutions are the “rules of the games” that influence choices.

My research question to help me study the economic principle is "In the US Government, how does the institutional design of the legislative and judicial branches shape and influence policymaking surrounding the hot topic of guns, as related to the recent school shootings"?

The article published in Quartz Magazine titled “A Harvard study identified the precise reason protests are an effective way to cause political change” demonstrates this economic principle because the US government is democratic by design, and allows for the freedom to protest. It also argues that increased member turnout in political protests helps spur political activity and to signal changes in legislation to Congress members.

First, the First Amendment in the US Constitution allows for the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. By this innate institutional design that the Founding Fathers of the United States has set, protests are allowed for to represent the people’s ideas and feelings in times of political fervent.

Second, the design of the legislative branch, the members of the House of Representatives and Senate are heavily dependent on their particular district’s voter turnout. The former serves two-year terms and the latter serve six-year terms, and are elected by direct popular vote from the local area-- whether it be the congressional district of state. By political science, Congress members are single-minded seekers of reelection: Congress members influence policy important to constituent interests and are willing to accept resources that enable policy making and encourage reelection from interest groups.

Third, research shows that on days with better weather, no rain, protests see larger turn outs. The article states that “researchers found that in places where it rained that day, the turnout was, on average, 60% lower than at other similar locations.” Furthermore, larger turnout for the initial protest had lasting effects on voting, political contributions, and ideology.

In my next blog post I will research:  Differing opinions on gun control by class