State of Democracy: Martin Gilens

Martin Gilens, professor of politics at Princeton University, will discuss inequality and political power and its consequences for American democracy during a talk in the Maxwell School Auditorium on Friday, March 20, at 4 p.m. Gilens’ State of Democracy Lecture will be followed by a panel discussion with Christopher Faricy and Spencer Piston, both assistant professors of political science, and Amy Ellen Schwartz, Moynihan Professor of Public Affairs.
Gilens’ talk will address his research on representation, public opinion, and mass media, especially in relation to inequality and public policy. “The ability of citizens to influence government policy is at the heart of democracy. But citizens are quite unequal in their ability to shape government policy to their liking,” Gilens says. “This vast discrepancy in government responsiveness to citizens with different incomes stands in stark contrast to the ideal of political equality that Americans hold dear. Although perfect political equality is an unrealistic goal, representational biases of this magnitude call into question the very democratic character of our society.”
Gilens’ has written extensively on these topics, including Affluence & Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America (2012, Princeton University Press) and Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (1999, University of Chicago Press). He has also written on political inequality, mass media, race, gender, and welfare politics in a number of major journals. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California Berkeley, and he taught at Yale University and UCLA before joining the faculty at Princeton.
The State of Democracy Lectures Series is organized and hosted by the Campbell Public Affairs Institute at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. It is dedicated to providing a forum for meaningful dialogue over public issues that cut across the disciplinary boundaries of the social sciences and enables the intellectual exploration of current events and issues while fostering discussion and debate, which is the heart of meaningful democratic citizenship.

[@P1915]

Wonderful discussion. Awfully interesting. Answering so many questions I have. Thank you Maxwell School for Keeping me in the loop off campus.

[@richardgardner9330]

Great discussion. Political power is not independent of economic power. America is an Oligarchy in my opinion..

[@JulieAnnRacino]

False claim that the minimum wage provides "a floor to our vulnerable populations" in this panel presentation (assumption that the 2008 recession did not result in the mental health population out from employment and business sites). "Policies of resentment around class" has a lot to do with the policies we have today"...I'll say, national science centers to bow to first immigrant student was in (yes, no legal or courts yet in 2015). And still in is "immigration policy and higher education policy" as totally undiscussed (in education, what science centers goes on?!) let alone addressed in the US. Decimation of civil service, attacks on unions, failure of the non-profits to follow adverse procedures in employment, and "robbing" of pension accounts have "affected income equality" in the US. There is a claim that the earned income tax credit applies to let's say an entry level clerk at Dollar Tree. Generally, not the case, but said again for the "working class". Keep the credit, yes. Enormous amount on health care in this country; a "redistributive policy". I will say redistribute to the managed care and health care group! That is not redistribution to the poor or lower class. Keep it, well, yes is still the answer. I'll stay near Charlie Rose and the PBS groups on income inequality in 2015-2016! Julie Ann Racino about.me/julieannracino

[@chuck_in_socal]

In my view the discussion at 28:00 is inaccurate. First, the 1%ers aren't the primary beneficiaries of the mortgage interest deduction. The tax codes are structured to phase out mortgage interest deduction with income and with mortgage size. The folks in the middle are the ones who benefit most from this so apparently this discussion is targeting the middle class for more taxation which I think is wrong. Let's hit the 1%ers. They are the ones with the big heaps of money. Also, I find it quite annoying to hear people speak of "all the money the govt is losing from mortgage interest deduction". This is nonsense. It's not the governments money to lose. What we're talking about when discussing elimination of mortgage tax deduction is not reclaiming govt money we are talking about increased taxation. You are all brain washed.