Show of Hands

They should vote according to voters. They have a responsibility to represent the nation and put aside their own personal opinions.

Well said!

Voters...why the fuck else would we have elections?

Or, here's a radical idea...have them, AND We the People, READ the bills before voting on them!!! (referencing Obamacare)

However, they should be open-minded enough to listen to their constituents stories and needs, how those issues affect their constituents lives, be willing to evaluate how that affects their principles, and be willing to change their minds and evolve on an issue.

The politicians are supposed to vote their principles, while taking input from the people. The people are supposed to elect leaders with principles. The people have failed many times.

Wishful thinking

If you simply want the majority to get their way on legislation, then we don't need a Representative democracy at all. All we'd need is online voting. The only point to having Representatives is so that they will vote their conscious after examining an issue to an extent that most of us don't

.....and the other problem is the compromise of those principles to appease the other side. I'm sorry, but appeasement is cowardice.

They should attempt to vote in a manner consistend with those they represent.

Without principles you have noting! Goes back to that whole if your friend jumped off a cliff would you saying. Not using or teaching principals is why our country is in the trouble we're in.

Because if the government were to really wait until EVERYBODY'S vote to be cast and counted on EVERY piece of legislation, sh!t would NEVER get done.

If they just vote for what we want why the hell even have a congress?

.....and how can you tell if a lawyer/politician is lying??? THEIR LIPS ARE MOVING

This country is SUPPOSED to be a Democratic REPUBLIC, meaning Elected Representatives that speak on behalf of the people. Unfortunately, Washington is run by politicians who were LAWYERS first.....

truly believed in them*

I'd rather have a politician who voted because he/she truly believed in it, then because he/she was drawn in because of $$$$$$
and he/she would be voting for their constituents because he/she truly believed it right??

we voted the politicians in who share the principles of the majority. it should be one and the same for most issues hopefully.

Voters. You're there to represent the people not yourself

If they actually had any principles.......

Huehuehue

We elect them to keep us fro our own rash decisions. You vet their moral judgement during their elections, and then you let them Ollie their morals once they are there, if there is something major, and they are split, then vote with the majority opinion of your constituents, but only then.

Majority does not make things right. Otherwise slavery should have been legal.

I for one want a politician will moral principles not one who will simply do what ever it takes to get reelected (which is whatever he thinks most of his voters want).

That's what I like about DeFazio he voted his conscious I'm not a tree hugger at all but I'd like him.

If they only voted by majority there would be no United States. Took some statesman voting against what their constituents wanted to get us going.

Fine - haha... There

I'm referring to republicans in this case

Incorrect, constituents are all of those in a representative's district. Otherwise, we would have significant sections of the populace legally without representation. I add legally because it's already the de facto case in some areas (conservatives in California, for instance).

They should represent their constituents in almost every instance. However, if it's something that's directly contrary to their principles, they should vote present.

The LAST place we want people thinking intelligently and independently is in Congress, God forbid.
Rather they act like lemmings for partisan's sake.

I'm pretty sure members of Congress set aside their principles the moment they began to vote raises and long-term benefits for themselves. And then repeated the trend annually.

you are naive.

I wish there was a neither choice I prefer them to use logical reasoning and intelligent choices not personal beliefs and party affiliations

Constituents... duh.

We don't elect these people do just do things that benefit themselves.

Politicians know what's best for the country? LOL at that. Yah, that's why we are in this terrible economy, because of the responsible decisions of those who supposedly represent us.

They are a representation of the voice of the voters...hence the term "representative."

Congressman should listen to the voters on certain situations, but he should also vote on his party principles

That was my reasoning, too. I was surprised to see the poll results...

"Constituents" refers to the people who voted for the elected official, not necessarily the entire population of his/her district.

They were voted in for their beliefs. If they vote in congress on someone else's principles, theyre just betraying the people who got them elected in the first place.

Just to say, a lot of that I Jay only shows the funny interviews where they give obviously wrong answers or get camera-shy. I have a friend that was interviewed, knew the more obvious ones and just admitted he didn't on the stranger questions, so of course wasn't shown.

George washington himself said to never form factions (political parties). Look how the democrats and the republicans divide us today, why does it have to be like this? We're a nation, we need to start acting the part.

I liked both your comments as encouragement.

They were voted in based on their principles, therefore they should vote based on their principles.

Does EVERY comments section have to have an insult in it? It would be really nice, if we could simply debate, without insulting each other.

I say this as an independent, not aligned with either "side."

This won't work for liberals...they have no principles except spend other people's money while holding their hands out.
Pathetic

@Okie67, Amen! So with you on this for a host of reasons, the influence (control?!) of lobbyists among them.

So? That was over 200 years ago. Back then people they considered the stupidity of people by not allowing everyone to vote and by having the representatives do what they think was best FOR THE PEOPLE.

According to the writers of the constitution, you're wrong. I don't have the exact Federalist Paper citation to give you, but they're supposed to vote their own opinion. They're elected by the people on the basis that their values and principles generally align with the people's.