This paper examines some neglected implications of altruism in deterministic voting models in settings where voters differ in their altruistic propensities. Of particular interest is the extent to which relatively small groups of altruistic voters can affect electoral outcomes by simply casting...

Technological advance has been a primary driver of healthcare expenditures in the twentieth century and continues to be so. This paper models the electoral politics of government support for R&D. A forward-looking median voter has to take account of a wide variety of interdependencies even in a...

This paper develops a model of self-interested norm-driven behavior and uses it to analyze public policy formation within a democracy. If voters are concerned with broad normative issues, politicians will take policy positions in part to advance voter interests in "virtue" or "the public...