Congress and the People's Will
...ndidate wins the primary and election and thus earns a spot in Congress, they do not always represent what the people want. Constituents reelect over ninety percent of incumbent House members, and newly elected members have the sophomore surge to their advantage. Thus, most members do not need to worry all the time about their voting record. Therefore, depending on how well they did in their district, Congressmen enjoy freedom in voting and do not always need to explain votes that may not please constituents. And, once in office, Congressmen decide if they would rather act as a delegate and do what their district wants or act as a trustee and use their own judgment. The people vote for the candidate that matches most of their beliefs; however, once in office, the Congress member has some freedom to do as they please, but they cannot completely ignore their constituents. Committees play a crucial role in the operation of the Congress. A Congressman, while serving on a specific committee, can push through policies that would help his district. For example, if a district’s Congressman serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, that state has a better chance of getting a new bridge or canal compared to a state that does not have a representative on this committee. Many Congressmen think of their constituents when creating legislation rather than doing what is best for the entire nation. Staff members play a vital role in helping a senator or representative learn what their constituents want the most. They help constituents with their problems, and in effect, help their Congress members get reelected. The staffers help the people’s wishes get to the Congressmen. Finally, the voting behavior of Congressmen reflects the people’s will, although not at all times. If a Congressman votes according to the representational view, then he votes according to his constituents’ beliefs, thus representing them well. This works the best with civil rights and social welfare bills where the people may have strong opinions. The Congressman may not always follow what his constituents believe, but if he continually votes against what the people want, he risks losing in the next election. If a Congressmen votes in line with the organizational view, members of Congress listen to what their colleagues or party suggests. This happens when constituency interests are not at stake, so it becomes less dangerous to listen to someone other than the voters. Finally, Congressmen can vote with the attitudinal view. Here, again, the Congress members do...