Broad but shallow public sentiment lets well-placed minorities block national policy change

Evidence

In this case, as in many others, the status quo survived blow after blow for two related reasons. Despite the militancy of certain groups, the immigration issue was not yet deeply felt throughout the country as a whole. Restriction sentiment, though general, was not generally intense; a substantial part of the American population seemed to regard the question as one of secondary importance. And in the absence of an imperious, nation-wide clamor, strategically situated minorities could prevent either of the major political parties from committing itself resolutely on the issue. — John Higham, Strangers in the Land, 1109

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A small motivated minority can sway narrow-margin elections with disinformation — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 219; The U.S. system displays strong status-quo bias against pro-change public majorities.; Lobbying over forum quality blocks abolition of federal diversity jurisdiction. (+1 more)