The following article by Jan Leighley, Professor, Department of Government, American University, was posted on the Conversation website February 9, 2018:
Does citizen activism really affect the actions of elected officials?
Despite the ubiquitous role of money in campaigns, elections and policymaking, some citizens clearly still believe in the power of protest.
In the month of December 2017 alone, an organization called The Crowd Counting Consortium “tallied 796 protests, demonstrations, strikes, marches, sit-ins and rallies,” some of them featuring thousands of people, across the country. Over the past year, the offices of many members of Congress and other elected officials have been jammed with constituents voicing their opinions on the Affordable Care Act, the immigration program called DACA, abortion and sexual harassment, among others. Continue reading “Members of Congress respond to more than money – sometimes”