04525nam 2200721 450 991046383280332120200520144314.00-691-16262-X1-4008-5266-810.1515/9781400852666(CKB)2670000000572419(SSID)ssj0001368176(PQKBManifestationID)12508227(PQKBTitleCode)TC0001368176(PQKBWorkID)11445542(PQKB)11183666(MiAaPQ)EBC1753617(StDuBDS)EDZ0001755601(OCoLC)893909903(MdBmJHUP)muse43211(DE-B1597)454042(OCoLC)984545576(DE-B1597)9781400852666(Au-PeEL)EBL1753617(CaPaEBR)ebr10960637(CaONFJC)MIL653542(OCoLC)894169662(EXLCZ)99267000000057241920141107h20152015 uy 0engurcnu||||||||txtccrThe impression of influence legislator communication, representation, and democratic accountability /Justin Grimmer, Sean J. Westwood, and Solomon MessingPilot project. eBook available to selected US libraries onlyPrinceton, New Jersey ;Oxfordshire, England :Princeton University Press,2015.©20151 online resource (221 pages) illustrations, tablesBibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph1-322-22262-2 0-691-16261-1 Includes bibliographical references and index.Frontmatter -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- List of Tables -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Representation, Spending, and the Personal Vote -- 2. Solving the Representative's Problem and Creating the Representative's Opportunity -- 3. How Legislators Create an Impression of Influence -- 4. Creating an Impression, Not Just Increasing Name Recognition -- 5. Cultivating an Impression of Influence with Actions and Small Expenditures -- 6. Credit, Deception, and Institutional Design -- 7. Criticism and Credit: How Deficit Implications Undermine Credit Allocation -- 8. Representation and the Impression of Influence -- 9. Text as Data: Methods Appendix -- Bibliography -- IndexConstituents often fail to hold their representatives accountable for federal spending decisions-even though those very choices have a pervasive influence on American life. Why does this happen? Breaking new ground in the study of representation, The Impression of Influence demonstrates how legislators skillfully inform constituents with strategic communication and how this facilitates or undermines accountability. Using a massive collection of Congressional texts and innovative experiments and methods, the book shows how legislators create an impression of influence through credit claiming messages.Anticipating constituents' reactions, legislators claim credit for programs that elicit a positive response, making constituents believe their legislator is effectively representing their district. This spurs legislators to create and defend projects popular with their constituents. Yet legislators claim credit for much more-they announce projects long before they begin, deceptively imply they deserve credit for expenditures they had little role in securing, and boast about minuscule projects. Unfortunately, legislators get away with seeking credit broadly because constituents evaluate the actions that are reported, rather than the size of the expenditures.The Impression of Influence raises critical questions about how citizens hold their political representatives accountable and when deception is allowable in a democracy.LegislatorsUnited StatesPublic opinionGovernment spending policyUnited StatesPublic opinionCommunication in politicsUnited StatesElectronic books.LegislatorsPublic opinion.Government spending policyPublic opinion.Communication in politics328.73Grimmer Justin1035594Westwood Sean J.Messing SolomonMiAaPQMiAaPQMiAaPQBOOK9910463832803321The impression of influence2455370UNINA