Democratic Responsiveness and Saliant Policy in the United States over a Quarter Century: Mediaid Generosity

• In Event: 261 - Section on Political Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 05. Policy Determinants and Outcomes

Abstract

Do public attitudes influence policy? An influential series of studies in political science has identified strong correlations between public attitudes and policy. Yet political sociologists remain skeptical about a strong link between preferences and policy. In this study, I address theoretical and methodological barriers which lead to varied interpretations of existing research. Using recent advances in the estimation of state-level public opinion and two-way fixed effects models, I test democratic responsiveness theory against leading theories of policy formation derived from political sociology. Specifically, I ask if liberal-conservative ideology, preferences about the scope of government, policy-specific opinions, and racial resentment are associated with Medicaid generosity in the states net of non-attitudinal explanatory factors. I also test whether these factors predict changes in salient policy. Results support institutional theorists claim that pre-existing institutions are a key factor shaping future policy. There is also some evidence that racial resentment plays an important role in policy formation, though racial resentment is institutionalized over time. Finally, this study casts doubt on the claim that ideology independently produces decisive changes in policy over the short-run.

Author

• Daniel Lanford, Florida State University