Congresswoman Betty McCollum has been representing the fourth congressional district since the turn of the century and has effectively represented the bias of her of constituents in the House of Representatives. McCollum has an “almost perfect liberal voting record” as illustrated in Fig 1.5 which is more progressively liberal than her Democratic predecessor, Bruce Vento (Almanac) (Govtrackus). On Betty McCollum’s personal campaign website, she boasts being a champion for the social liberal ideals of “full civil rights, LGBT, medicare, [and] earning an ‘F’ grade by the National Rifle Association (Website). Furthermore, being the second woman in Minnesota history to serve Congress after Amy Klobuchar illustrates the left-leaning current Minnesota
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Essentially through pork-barreling she not only minimized the scope of making political enemies through controversial legislation, she carefully tailored a successful reelection platform and strategy. Acting on what Firiona calls, the “self-interest axiom”, Betty McCollum’s light rail project was geared for her reelection and as expected her constituents will reflect their positive reaction through the voting polls (Firiona 325). McCollum acting on her own self interests can be further supported by the fact that she climbed the ranks to be a House member of the Appropriations Committee where she had an easier time explaining, delegating, and managing the light rail case to her committee peers (govtrackus). Nonetheless, the light rail project at one point garnered major backlash due to questions of whether to earmark or go through the regulatory budgetary process (Star Tribune). Although the light rail project was nearly jeopardized, through the cooperation and coalition of many political actors, (the most vocal and publicized voice happening to be McCollum), the light rail became a great tool for McCollum to utilize for credit claiming purposes. Although David R Mayhew points out that credit claiming is a particularized benefit that “allows for a single congress[person] to be recognized”, the connection between McCollum and the light rail is well advertised together that many of her constituents personally attribute its creation to her (MN Daily). This is further promoted on Betty McCollum’s website where she communicates to her constituencies that “following a decade of work and $1 billion dollar federal investments she welcomed the opening of the ‘Green-Line’ metro light rail” (House.Gov). Nevertheless, the rest of Betty McCollum’s politics heavily depends on social rights which she teeter-totters from domestic and
Essentially through pork-barreling she not only minimized the scope of making political enemies through controversial legislation, she carefully tailored a successful reelection platform and strategy. Acting on what Firiona calls, the “self-interest axiom”, Betty McCollum’s light rail project was geared for her reelection and as expected her constituents will reflect their positive reaction through the voting polls (Firiona 325). McCollum acting on her own self interests can be further supported by the fact that she climbed the ranks to be a House member of the Appropriations Committee where she had an easier time explaining, delegating, and managing the light rail case to her committee peers (govtrackus). Nonetheless, the light rail project at one point garnered major backlash due to questions of whether to earmark or go through the regulatory budgetary process (Star Tribune). Although the light rail project was nearly jeopardized, through the cooperation and coalition of many political actors, (the most vocal and publicized voice happening to be McCollum), the light rail became a great tool for McCollum to utilize for credit claiming purposes. Although David R Mayhew points out that credit claiming is a particularized benefit that “allows for a single congress[person] to be recognized”, the connection between McCollum and the light rail is well advertised together that many of her constituents personally attribute its creation to her (MN Daily). This is further promoted on Betty McCollum’s website where she communicates to her constituencies that “following a decade of work and $1 billion dollar federal investments she welcomed the opening of the ‘Green-Line’ metro light rail” (House.Gov). Nevertheless, the rest of Betty McCollum’s politics heavily depends on social rights which she teeter-totters from domestic and