2.2: functions of congress; oversight

Question 1

oversight

what is oversight?

Answer 1

• the ability of a branch of government to supervise and check action of another branch of the government

Question 2

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president: what are they?

theres 7

Answer 2

1. party control
2. policy area
3. presidential poll ratings
4. partisanship
5. election cycle
6. national events

Question 3

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

party control

Answer 3

• when the gov is united: its harder to see the congress is checking the president effecitively
• historically, the president has used the veto less during times of unified government
• this could suggest congress is more responsive to the presidents wishes when the government is unified
• less scrutiny?

Question 4

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

policy area

Answer 4

• more oversight in domestic affairs than foreign affairs
• Eg. the senate protested over the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal, Obama still enacted it with little oversight
• Eg. Trump failed to get funding for his s silly wall
• Eg. Biden struggled to advance his social security and infrastructure parts of built back better

Question 5

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

presidential poll ratings

Answer 5

congress has more influence when the poll ratings are low for a president.
- Eg. Obama passed the Affordable Care act in 2010 with little trouble
- Eg. Despite repulican reservations over obamacare, they were unable to repeal and replace it in 2018 under Trump
- Eg. Obama’s ratings in 2010 were 50% whereas Trumps in 2017 were around 40%

Question 6

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

partisanship

Answer 6

has made compromise in congress much harder to achieve
- which can strain the relationship with the president, due to moderates in both parties becoming a rarity

Question 7

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

election cycle

Answer 7

when midterms are coming up, members are much more likely to be interested in pleasing their constituents rather than the president
- this is exemplified if the president is unpopular, where it can be useful for members to present their distance or oppostion to the president.

Question 8

Factors that influence the relationship between congress and president

National Events

Answer 8

• in the case of national emergencies, congress acts with deference and looks for short-term direction from the president
• Eg. when passing the USA Patriot Act in 2001 in response to 9/11
• Eg. funding following Hurricane Katrina.
• the president will exercise more power in the event of an emergency

deference: the practice of handing over power; congress acts with deference towards the president, allowing them to exercise considerable power in times of crisis