Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You decide to vote according to the feedback you've received
so far.
You vote against gun control in the legislature. Shortly after, your office
is flooded with calls and letters protesting your position.
You decide to conduct a poll. It reveals that, in reality, 82 percent of
your constituents are in favor of gun control. They just hadn't voiced
their opinion.
You've badly misread your constituents. This could come back to haunt
you at election time.
This doesn't mean you should always do what's popular, however.
"Sometimes it doesn't matter (what the polls say) because we have to make
a decision against what the citizens want," says Nan Whaley. She's a city
commissioner. She gives the example of a workplace non-discrimination provision
she supported, despite public opposition.
"That was an issue where I felt strongly, where I had to do the right thing,"
says Whaley. "That's why we have representative government -- you make that
decision, and if you go too far then they can throw you out."