INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PUBLIC-INTEREST - THE DEFENSE OF DEADLOCK AND BEYOND

Many bemoan divided government and the consequent deadlock of democrac y. The logic of The Federalist arguably defends it, in ways heretofore unappreciated, by appeal to a least-common-denominator definition of the ''public interest.'' That quasi-Federalist logic is explored, and alternative political structures are assessed against the public inter est criterion to which it appeals. Another and more defensible notion of the public interest is introduced, and its very different political styles, institutions, and policies are adduced.