Discuss why some constituents are less represented than others by their elected representatives. How does this affect legislative outcomes?
What will be an ideal response?
An ideal response will:
1, Explain that some constituents are less important because they cannot vote and therefore have fewer opportunities to influence the outcome of an election. Older Americans tend to monitor the behavior of members of Congress quite closely and to vote in high numbers. Children, by contrast, pay little attention to politics. And even if they wanted to, children could not vote until they officially become adults at age eighteen.
2, Discuss that members of Congress tend to work harder on behalf of the elderly than they do on behalf of children. For every federal dollar spent to reduce poverty and poor health among children, four dollars are spent to accomplish the same objectives among the elderly.
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More than three-fourths of American counties have fewer than _____ inhabitants
a. 60,000 b. 250,000 c. 100,000 d. 150,000
Direct techniques used by interest groups include which of the following?
A. Using YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to generate influence B. Using public relations firms to polish their image with the public C. Building alliances with other groups to increase their collective effectiveness D. Using constituents to lobby Congress on behalf of an issue E. Staging demonstrations, marches, and boycotts