Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. William Berry from the Department of Political Science
Tag: diffusion
How Legislators Use State Constitutions to Block Policy Changes They Oppose
Despite the potential gains and minimized costs, not all state-based policymakers should pursue constitutional amendments as legislative goals. Constitutional amendments require significant time and political capital to ensure success. Policymakers that do not expect reelection, therefore should avoid this process. Instead these legislators should use what little political capital they have to quickly enact general legislation in an attempt to codify their own policy preference rather than be subject to the preferences of those that will replace them.