PART ONE THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK CHAPTER 4*REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT 79 78 The Continuing Debate over the Majority's Role The United States today has a hybrid system of representation which combines original countermajoritarian elements with newer majoritarian aspects.Popular majorities still encounter barriers to infuence in the elaborate system of divided ,个 powers,staggered terms of office,and separate constituencies devised by the Framers.Although Americans take these devices for granted,most democracies do not have them.In Great Britain,for example,executive and legislative authority are combined in a single institution,the House of Commons,whose members are all chosen at the same time and for terms of the same length.A British national election normally produces a clear-cut majority:the victorious party gains control of government.As we noted at the beginning of this chapter, the U.S.experience is different:in the past four decades,control of the presidency and of one or both houses of Congress has been split between the Republican and Democratic parties for more years than it has been in a single party's hands.In other words,it has been common in recent years for the United Senator Robert Kasten (R-Wis) States to have no governing majority party. holds a press. However,the U.S.political system also has its majoritarian features.Holders of all national offices-representatives,senators,and president-are now television as a means of chosen by popular vote."Moreover,no democracy conducts elections for its cammunicating with the public. (Photri) Cnebe or the the ently,it is still possible for the wirner of the popular vote to lose the Advances in public opinion polling have also promoted popular infuence. Until scientific polling was developed several decades ago,representatives 收正ED could always argue that their views were shared by a majority of the people. STATF5 COMFARES Now it is largely polls that identify majority opinion.While officeholders do not such as Great Britain's, the translation of electoral always follow the polls in deciding what to do,they are at least mindful of what Electing and Governing All der mjorites Into governing polls indicate the public is thinking and are especially wary of taking a stand on characterized by free and oppo ity foe majorities,popular influence issues about which majority opinion is intense.(Public opinion polling is open elections,but not all can be lookedt inh discussed in detail in Chapter 8.) democracies have the same elections.Vaters choose the ways.One wayk electoral sysbemns.The United legislators,who then choose whether control of Stales has a senaradon of one of their members to be government shifts completely the prime minister,who or partially from one party to another as a result of legislators.The result in five of the last six presidential power are thas combined in HOW THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SYSTEM WAS MADE MORE elections has been a divided one institation,the control of hands of one party,either the RESPONSIVE TO POPULAR MAJORITIES which is determined in each wel oe more ley and one or both houses of 6 Congreas held by the other. government is not necessarily When such a division occurs at slake in a natonal eecton events.From this perspective, CONSTITUTION OF 1787 SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS Boose elections take place the U.S.system is responsive to electoral majoritles.In Separation of powers,as a mears of dividing authority and Polltical parties,as a means of uniting authorities and linking t and a Democr言tic-cUt在0le odld's dem blunting passionate majorities. them with popular majorlties. every four yeam,and Cangress in 1988,for senators are clected at Indirect election of all national officials exept House members, voting for president (linked to of xmple.Amercans in a two-year intervals to six-year elections frequently result ir as a means of buffering offcials from popular infuence increasing popular control af officinls a change in party control of Although the U.S.system