ag90 New Jersey
12/24/12 9:44 am
They should vote according to voters. They have a responsibility to represent the nation and put aside their own personal opinions.
micah535 Missouri
12/20/12 9:14 pm
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.
2ndafe Flat lands of Ohio
12/20/12 1:21 pm
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.
NYevo NY
12/20/12 4:02 am
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
4yourhealth Washington
12/19/12 6:39 pm
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.
Threeper301 Gilbert, AZ
12/19/12 1:50 pm
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.....
ladyniner81 I hate people
12/19/12 11:21 am
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??
swasden Springville, UT
12/18/12 11:46 pm
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.
ELATeacher
12/18/12 8:57 pm
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).
pinkyusuck The Carribean. I wish.
12/18/12 6:00 pm
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).
chile safer than congress
12/18/12 5:38 pm
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.
chemist2016
12/18/12 4:59 pm
I wish there was a neither choice I prefer them to use logical reasoning and intelligent choices not personal beliefs and party affiliations
fourwinds box of rain
12/18/12 4:03 pm
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.
fara9977
12/18/12 2:44 pm
"Constituents" refers to the people who voted for the elected official, not necessarily the entire population of his/her district.
meeksb11
12/18/12 2:17 pm
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.
Jabes
12/18/12 1:31 pm
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.
satiricalnick meh
12/18/12 1:22 pm
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.
GrandmaALiCE
12/18/12 12:09 pm
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."
CommonCent
12/18/12 11:58 am
This won't work for liberals...they have no principles except spend other people's money while holding their hands out.
Pathetic
pcfz
12/18/12 10:45 am
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.
TempName14 Everywhere but nowhere
12/18/12 10:37 am
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.
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