2.3 - Interpretations and Debates Around Congress Flashcards
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Congress and domestic policy - An expansion of federal government
From 1933 to 1980, bipartisan legislation was regularly passed through Congress that expanded the role of the federal gov - EG Civil Rights Act 1964 and Voting Rights Act 1965
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Congress and domestic policy - LBJ’s administration
Of the 87 Bills that LBJ submitted to Congress in 1965, 84 were signed into law - this was arguably the most successful period in the passage of legislation in congressional history and was largely possible due to less ideological differences between the two parties making compromise a lot easier
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Congress and domestic policy - 1980s to date: party polarisation
From the 1980s to date the parties have become increasingly polarised in their ideological makeup - this has led to far less cooperation in Congress EG Reps not cooperating with Obama’s healthcare reforms and Dems not cooperation with Trump’s tax reforms
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Congress and domestic policy - Party polarisation - Pres appointments
Pres appointments also increasingly contreversial and polarising - EG Rep controlled Senate refused to consider Obama’s nominee of Merrick Garland to the SC and the support of Trump nominee Amy Coney was entirely on party lines with no one Dem supporting it
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Congress and foreign policy
The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war yet this has not been used since declaring war against Japan in 1941 - Nixon was conductiiing wars that Congress wasn’t even aware of - Congress attempted to reasert its authority with the War Powers Act but Pres is still dominant as he can carry out military operations for 90 days without Congress’ approval - Trump showed a lot of disdain for Congressional power EG his airstrike on Iranian genera; Qasem Soleimani in 2020
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Changing significance of parties in Congress
In the 1970s and 80s party discipline in US politics considered weak because there was little ideological difference and much bipartisanship making party affiliation less important - however today the rise of party polarisation party affiliation is now far more important in understanding how members work together and carry out their function
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Party leadership - Separation of powers
Separation of powers means that party leaders in Congress may hold little sway in the White House even when the Pres is a member of their party
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Party leadership - Federalism
Federalism means that party leaders in Congress have little to no control over what is going on in the 50 states across the country
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Party leadership - Bicameralism
Bicameralism means that party leaders operate only within their own chamber and may not always be on the same page as their counterparty in the other chamber
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Changing significance of parties - Exaggerated party decline
Death of the Reps forecast after Watergate and Nixon - Ford assumed office just 6 years later - death of Dems forecast after leftwards shift during the 60s, 70s, and 80s - back to the White House with Clinton-Gore in 1992
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Changing significance of parties - Nationalisation of campaigns
Increased party renewals has come with increased nationalisatin of campaigns - EG Reps ‘contract for America’ in 1994 and 2002 and Dems ‘Six for 06’ in 2006 - both assisted party cohesion and led to good performance in election with Reps gaining seats in 2002 in both houses for hte first time since 1934
Changing roles and powers of Congress - Changing significance of parties - Increased partisanship
In the 1980s there was huge ideological overlap between the parties, now they are very polarised - today the Dems are more liberal and the Reps are more conservative
