Policy and Performance: Responsiveness and Accountability

1
Policy and Performance Responsiveness and
Accountability

• Government is based on the consent of the
  governed. Thats the reason why public officials
  are so concerned about the meaning of the
  election and why they may even claim it to be a
  mandate from the voters. That meaning or claim
  ties elections to government in three ways

2

• Elections should provide direction for public
  officials
• Elections can help generate popular support for
  achieving election-based goals and more specific
  campaign promises.
• Elections reaffirm the legitimacy of government,
  and to a large extent, what it does.

3
Do elections serve government?

• Do they renew and reinforce the link between the
  elected and the electorate?
• Do they contribute to policy direction, coalition
  building, and legitimacy for and accountability
  in government?

4
Goals of Democracy

• Popular Sovereignty
• Liberty
• Equality

5
An Agenda for Reform?
6
Separation of Power

• Congress and President run as a team
• Congress in Cabinet
• voting reforms
• public financing of campaigns

7
Radical Individualism

• Build a communitarian outlook

8
Citizen Participaton

• Build local grassroots movements

9
Trivialized Elections

• Promote democratic deliberation

10
Privileged Position of Business

• Rebuild Parties and Labor Unions

11
Inequality

• New programs
• Healthcare
• Childcare
• expand retirement
• raise minimum wage
• education opportunities

12
Selection Web Sites

• http//www.cpn.org/index.html
• http//www.livingdemocracy.org/
• http//www.ned.org/
• http//www.democracyonline.org/