This chapter explores the topic of policy alignment and its relationship to representational alignment. It discusses how policies can be tailored to appeal to swing states, potentially resulting in misalignment with the preferences of the broader population. The chapter also examines the implications of the electoral college on policy alignment, highlighting its tendency to cater to a small number of states rather than the entire population.
Democracy reform needs a target. We can say things like "representative democracy must be representative," but what does that exactly mean? In this episode, we speak with Harvard Law Professor Nick Stephanopoulos about his conception of representativeness — "alignment" — and what that says about the reforms we should be pressing.