Chap. 11 Congress

Question 1

Factors influencing the outcome in congressional elections

Answer 1

• most decide to run for reelection and incumbents usually win, but can loose if the district change.
• senators tend to draw more skilled and visible challengers.
• such challengers have huge financial backing.
• elected representatives vote on important policy issues.
• most citizens have trouble recalling their congressional representatives.
• members of congress don’t gain or loose many voters as a result of the ups and down of the economy.
• likely to face weak components.
  Money buys them name recognition and a chance to be heard.
  -the candidate spending the most money usually wins.

Question 2

Compare and contrast house and senate.

Answer 2

More than 4 times large, more centralize and disciplined. Party loyalty to leadership. Just seen and not heard.

Conform important presidential nomination, more liberal. Equally in power.

Question 3

Committees and subcommittee

Answer 3

Work: guide legislation, investigate problems and oversee the executive branch.
-control congressional agenda to send off to the president for his signature.

Question 4

Getting on a committee

Answer 4

• constituent needs
• appealing to leadership
• help achieve; reflection, influence in congress and the opportunity to make policy in areas they think are important.

Question 5

Informal organization of congress

Answer 5

Important as formal structure, dominated by caucuses: group of congress who share some interest or characteristics.

Question 6

Congressional staff

Answer 6

Personal- spend their time in case work. Legislative functions, help solve problem.

Committee- house and senate employ another 2,20 staff members. Legislative overnight.

Staff agencies- (CRS) composed of research, makes information about bills.
(GAO) help congress perform its oversight function by reviewing branch. (CBO) analyze president budget.

Question 7

How many staff members does congress employ to help it do its job?

Answer 7

More than 11,00

Question 8

Congressional process and decision making

Answer 8

Agenda: persuade congress , based on their party’s platform and electoral.

• work at the margins but usually win: try influence members directly. They go to staff members better.
• congress is quite independent branch of gov. To achieve policy change.

Question 9

Party constituency and ideology

Answer 9

Constituency opinion vs. member ideology. Trustees vs. instructed delegates. Presidents come and go.

Question 10

Lobbyists and interest groups

Answer 10

2013 lobbyists spent more than $3 billion: d.c crawling.

• lobbyist persuade legislator with crucial policy info. Provide promises of money. Ghostwrite legislation. Status quo usually wins
• Disclosure requirements who want to influence their votes

Question 11

Understand congress

Answer 11

Demi. Depends upon successful representation ( can’t hold every policy issue)
- congress unrepresentative
Members are elites
Leadership chosen, not elected
Senate based on states, not population.
-obstacles to good representation
Constitution service, reelection campaigns
- representatives vs. effectiveness
Making effective public policy. Taking decisive action to deal with difficult problem. Congress can’t please all its critics.

Question 12

Congress and scope gov.

Answer 12

Big gov. Help members of congress get reflected and gives them good reason to support making it bigger.
Pork barrel spending
Gov. Is the problem.
-contradictory preference: against large gov., for individual programs.

Question 13

How does the senate undermine demo. Representation?

Answer 13

It represents states rather then people.

Question 14

Why aren’t there more people in congress

Answer 14

Fewer women running because they have kids and are sensitive

Question 15

Advantages of incumbency

Answer 15

Advertising, credit claiming (case work), position taking, weak opponents

Question 16

Defeating incumbents

Answer 16

Challengers are naive, redistributing, public mood.

Question 17

Characterize backgrounds members of congress &a assess their impact on ability of members of congress, represent average Americans.

Answer 17

535 members,most in representatives.

• 14 hrs. Spent dashing from one meeting to the next.
• make key decisions about important matters of public policy.
• Hispanics 17%
• background can be more important if they influence how they prioritize and vote on issues.
• on average: women legislators seem to be more active than men in pursuing the interest of women.
• representatives are more pro-business.
• if they don’t share their constituents perspectives, find it difficult to keep their seats on election time.