A portrait of the people
While reading Paul Krugman's column today, I was reminded of John Adams's thoughts on the role of a representative assembly ( from Thoughts on Government):
It should be in miniature an exact portrait of the people at large. It should think, feel, reason, and act like them. That it may be the interest of this assembly to do strict justice at all times, it should be an equal representation, or, in other words, equal interests among the people should have equal interests in it.
Krugman interestingly notes that state assemblies, in stark contrast to Congress, have recently taken progressive stances on "social safety net" issues.
Could the reason be that state assemblies are far more likely to be representative of the people at large -- more likely to be middle class and attuned to the needs of the average citizen -- than members of Congress?
6:15:31 PM 
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