Media and gridlock

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Stone, Daniel F.
• 署名单位: Bowdoin College
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2013.02.008
• 发表日期: 2013
• 页码: 94-104
• 关键词: media; Gridlock; polarization; ELECTIONS; obstruction

摘要

I develop a model of the relation between the media environment and political obstructionism. I show that when voters are less informed by media, obstructionism becomes a more effective political signal for the minority party. The model thus implies that media change can cause gridlock via signaling: by contrast, the previous literature on causes of gridlock focuses on polarization and other factors. The model also makes several auxiliary predictions consistent with recent trends in U.S. politics. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.