Presidential Mandates: How Elections Shape the National Agenda (American Politics and Political Economy Series) [Paperback]

Patricia Heidotting Conley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0226114848 | ISBN-13: 978-0226114842 | Edition: 1

Presidents have claimed popular mandates for more than 150 years. How can they make such claims when surveys show that voters are uninformed about the issues? In this groundbreaking book, Patricia Conley argues that mandates are not mere statements of fact about the preferences of voters. By examining election outcomes from the politicians' viewpoint, Conley uncovers the inferences and strategies—the politics—that translate those outcomes into the national policy agenda.

Presidents claim mandates, Conley shows, only when they can mobilize voters and members of Congress to make a major policy change: the margin of victory, the voting behavior of specific groups, and the composition of Congress all affect their decisions. Using data on elections since 1828 and case studies from Truman to Clinton, she demonstrates that it is possible to accurately predict which presidents will ask for major policy changes at the start of their term. Ultimately, she provides a new understanding of the concept of mandates by changing how we think about the relationship between elections and policy-making.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The existence or absence of a "mandate" from the American people was one of the core issues activating demonstrators in Florida (and around the country) as the results of the 2000 presidential election were slowly and complicatedly determined. Northwestern University political scientist Conley demonstrates that there is a distinct pattern to the behavior of new presidents in claiming mandates. Analyzing election data since 1828 and a number of twentieth-century case studies, she argues that "a president claims a mandate when the election signals strong public support for his agenda or when doing battle with Congress will shift policy outcomes closer to his ideal point." In addition, she maintains, "Elections constrain politicians by signaling the boundaries of public opinion." Conley contrasts elections that produced popular mandates (1952, 1964, 1980) with victories that did not include mandates (1960, 1976, 1988) and with "bargained mandates" (1948, 1992). An enlightening study that substitutes thoughtful analysis for the easy generalizations of the TV chat shows. Mary Carroll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

For more than 150 years, newly elected presidents have been claiming popular mandates, even though surveys show that voters are often uninformed about the issues. In this groundbreaking book, Patricia Conley argues that mandates should not be taken simply as statements of facts about voters' preferences. As political elites have always known, any inferences they make about election outcomes need to be understood in the context of political psychology and agenda-setting strategy. Presidents claim mandates, Conley shows, only when they believe they can mobilize voters and members of Congress to make a major policy change: the margin of victory, the voting behavior of specific groups, and the composition of Congress all affect their decisions. Drawing on election data since 1828 and presenting case studies from Truman to Clinton, she demonstrates that it is possible to accurately predict which presidents will ask for major policy changes at the start of their term and which will not. Ultimately, by illuminating the critical relationship between elections and policy-making, comely transforms out understanding of presidential mandates.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226114848
• ISBN-13: 978-0226114842
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,812,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST HAVE for anyone studying the presidency, March 9, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Presidential Mandates: How Elections Shape the National Agenda (American Politics and Political Economy Series) (Paperback)

Patricia Conley's book provides a must needed boost to presidential scholarship, which has unfortunately experienced a decline in popularity among academics (excepting, of course, the clamor to publish anything related to Bush v. Gore).
Conley shows that there ARE STILL interesting aspects of the presidency that have yet to be researched. In the long run, the book's most valuable contribution may be its potential for explaining the early legislative successes of President Bush (who by any reasonable standard had no mandate whatsoever).
Conley has also managed to write a book that is accessible AND interesting to a variety of readers. Her book is well written, with enough substantive information to pique the interest of undergrads and casual readers but with enough well designed statistical analyses to satisfy even the most ardent of number crunchers.