How to Reform Lobbying: Transparency
Opinion: Let’s make lobbyists — and anyone else wanting to influence the U.S. government — post their intentions on a public website.
Lee Drutman
Lee Drutman is a senior fellow in the political reform program at New America. He is the author of The Business of America Is Lobbying and winner of the 2016 American Political Science Association's Robert A. Dahl Award, given for "scholarship of the highest quality on the subject of democracy."
Anger, Politics and the Wisdom of Uncertainty
Angry citizens, new research confirms, are motivated citizens. But they are not motivated to seek out new information. But anxious citizens do.
Why bin Laden Death Photos Won't Change Minds
Whether it’s Osama’s death throes or Obama’s birthplace, a wealth of academic research shows that people believe today what they believed yesterday — even increasingly outlandish conspiracy theories.
Government Programs Help Many Who Don't Realize It
A welter of tax credits, breaks and incentives help Americans out in ways they don't understand or appreciate. This ignorance could have real consequences in debates about tax reform and deficit reduction.
‘Conservative’ Means Different Things to Different Conservatives
Voters self-identify as conservatives for several reasons, only one of which is that it reflects their politics
We Should Care This Much About Earmarks? Really?
Earmarks are not a big deal, say political scientists. Most are perfectly justifiable, and they definitely aren't to blame for the "eruption of spending" from Washington.
Voters in the Middle See Representatives Leapfrog to Edges
Americans hoping to triangulate their votes to chart a course between the extremes of ideology find their representatives are sailing even faster to the fringes.
Dismissing Gridlock: A Case for Parliamentary Systems
One system of democratic government is consistently better, say two political scientists, and it's not the one we have in the United States.
Political Activism May Increase Happiness
Political activists — even the angry ones, but not the daring ones — are happier than the average person.
Which Came First: Conservatism or Status Quo?
Conservative ideas, like support for the status quo and justifications for inequality, can make the world seem like a more secure place for those who don't like uncertainty.
What is the Color of Sin?
Two psychologists show that our concepts of morality and sin are mentally associated with lightness and darkness, with potentially troubling implications for criminal justice.
Is the House of Representatives Too Small?
The U.S. House of Representatives has been at 435 members since 1911, when the country was a third of its current population. Research suggests that districts may now be getting too big for adequate representation.
Where Does Innovation Come From?
A new book by W. Brian Arthur, a pioneer in the area of positive feedback in economics, argues that genius is overrated and technology drives its own innovations.
How Could They Have Stayed Behind?
A group of psychologists argue that during Hurricane Katrina, those who stayed in New Orleans had a very different sense of their options than those who oversaw the evacuations or those watching from afar.
What If It's Not Raining Men?
Guys wait longer to get married where women are in abundance, but get hitched sooner when females are scarcer.
The Potential Militant Extremist Inside Each of Us
The fanatical thinking that leads to militant extremism is a seductive narrative that may have a surprisingly widespread low-level resonance in the general population, finds one study.
Why is Immigration Coverage Often So Negative?
Close to the border, local papers serve up what they think their readers want — a hefty dose of crime-laden, anti-immigrant news and views.
Can You Run a Government With Prediction Markets?
Prediction markets aren't just for forecasting election outcomes, argues a law professor. They actually might be quite useful for all kinds of political and business decisions.
How the Poorest Americans Dropped Out of Politics
New research suggests that as America has become more segregated by class, the power of place has exacerbated the participatory bias in American politics.
The Truthiness of The Colbert Report ...
... Is in the eyes of the beholder, who, it turns out, sees what the beholder wants its eyes to see.
Politics Without the Media?
If politicians spoke directly to the American people, what would happen? New research suggests people might actually feel a little better about politics. But does that mean we should fire all the journalists?
Researchers not Buying the Wal-Mart Effect
The knock that Wal-Mart destroys communities is much overstated, say a pair of economics professors. Just look at the data.
Does Old Glory Have a Dark Side?
Research suggests that seeing the flag doesn't make Americans feel more patriotic. But it does make them feel more nationalistic and more superior to non-Americans.
Old and Happy? It’s a Matter of Attitude
Researchers find that as people age, declining health and declining mental function don't make people any less happy. But having the right attitude seems to matter a lot.
Is al-Qaeda Still a Threat?
A new study suggests that the dangers of terrorist networks have been greatly overstated.
Conservative and Liberal Methods Fighting Crime
A new study finds that both more police officers and more community building are essential in reducing crime.
Alaska: Land of Contradictions
The politics of the Last Frontier are a strange brew of libertarianism, moralism, privacy and a love of government handouts.
Are Polls Overstating Obama’s Support?
There is a long history of black Democratic candidates doing worse than pre-election polling would suggest. Two recent studies disagree on whether this problem is still with us.
APSA: Death to the Fifth Republic! Long Live the Sixth!
In general, political science conferences tend to be staid, sober affairs.
The Rise of the Political Donor Class
As congressional elections become more and more expensive, a handful of wealthy ZIP codes are increasingly picking up the tab.
The Wheel of Political Fortune Keeps Spinning
Democrats may be ascendant now, but don't expect permanence. One recent study gives them about 13 years in power.
Congress Not Always Responsive to Electronic World
The percentage of citizens contacting their members of Congress has more than doubled, but both groups view each other with 'mutual skepticism.' What should be done?
Older Voters Are Not Always Wiser Voters
Once people hit 70, their ability to evaluate candidates declines. As the population continues to age, could this be a problem?
No Argument Here: Americans Talk Politics
Two scholars say most Americans get a healthy dose of political disagreement in their lives because, like moths to a flame, they can't help themselves.
Reinventing Turnover in a Hollowed-Out Public Sector
With the public sector facing a potential staffing crisis, two scholars have some basic advice for reducing turnover: help public-sector employees like and trust each other more.
The Minority Legislative Gap
Despite increasing representation in the U.S. Congress, minority representatives still lag behind their white colleagues in legislative activity — and minority-majority districts set up to increase their power may contribute to the lag.
Simple Ways to Increase Voter Turnout
Two political science experiments suggest that a prick of social pressure and a dash of old-fashioned Election Day partying could go a long way toward getting America voting again.