Chapter 4 Flashcards
Describe the typical member of congress
A middle-aged white protestant male lawyer
What has gradually happened to this make-up of congress (typical make-up) over time?
They have become less male and less white
Read the first two paragraphs of the incumbency section and describe, in general terms, what change occurred between the 19th century and the mid to late 1900s.
Being in the congress became more of a career and people were in congress for more than one term
As people complained about “professional politicians” who were “out of touch with the people” some effort were made to impose limits on how many times someone could serve in congress. How successful were these attempts to impose term limits?
They were shut down-congress has no term limits
“Incumbents” are politicians who are already in office. For example, since Barack Obama is already President, he is running for President again as the “incumbent”. Mitt Romney is running as the “challenger.” In the election of 1994, what percentage of congressional incumbents who ran for reelection were reelected?
In the House: 90%
In the Senate: 92%
As we’ve discussed, the state of Michigan is divided up into 15 congressional districts to elect our 15 members of the House of Representatives. California, which has a much larger population, has 53 districts for their 53 Representatives. With this in mind 1) list and precisely describe the two terms that political scientists use to describe congressional 2) which is more common?
a. marginal districts: districts that have close elections, get less than 55% of the vote-incumbents win by a very small margin
b. safe districts: when incumbents win by large margins, get more than 55% of the vote
Safe districts are more common
The incumbency advantage is bigger for whom, senators or representatives?
Representattives
What are the three things that incumbents can do to familiarize voters with their name that challenges cannot?
a. can send free mailings
b. travel frequently
c. get their names in the newspapers-sponsoring bills
What is a final advantage that scholars argue incumbents have over challengers?
They can get programs passed or funds spent to benefit their district
List several examples of advantages that incumbents have over challengers.
a. keep an army base open
b. support building of a new highway
c. protect an industry or labor union
d. take credit for federal grants to local schools and hospitals
What is a “bicameral” legislature?
a law making body made up of two chambers or parts (congress)
What is a “unicameral” legislature?
A law making body made of one chamber or part
List each houses of our Congress and indicate how members of each house were originally elected.
a. house of representatives; elected directly by the people
b. senate; chosen by the legislatures of each state
Even though the Constitution gives Congress “all legislative powers”, list three ways that Congress’ legislative powers are actually limited in the Constitution.
a. presidential vetos
b. limited to enumerated powers
c. the supreme court can declare acts of congress unconstitutional
What has been a common complaint about congress for some time now?
they don’t plan or act quickly enough
In order for Congress to act more quickly, what conditions would have to be in place?
a. strong central leadership
b. restrictions on debate
c. few opportunities for stalling tactics
d. minimal committee interference
If, rather than having a quick Congress, we want a Congress in which individual members and the people they represent have more power, then what sort of circumstances must be in place?
a. weak leadership
b. rules allowing for delay and discussion
c. many opportunities for committee interference
Which of these two trends has dominated through most of the history of Congress?
decentralizing decision-making and enhancing the power of the individual member at the expense of congressional leadership
Originally, who chose our Senators?
state legislatures
Look at the political cartoon. what nickname did the Senate have at that time?
“Millionaires” club
Still looking at the cartoon, what criticism is the cartoons leveling against the senate?
anyone who had money could become a senator
What demand arose from the situation in the cartoon (“Millionaire club”)?
a new way to choose senators
What did some states have to threaten to do to get the Senate to approve of an Amendment to change the situation?
demand a new constitutional convention
What happened in 1913 and what change did it bring about?
the 17th amendment was approved, it required senators to win a popular vote
What is a “Filibuster”?
a technique by which a small number of senators attempt to defeat a measure by taking it to death-speaking continuously at such length that supporters drop it so they can move on
Fully explain Rule 22 including the revision.
Rule 22 allows for unlimited debate unless at least 60 senators agree to a motion to cut it off. Used to need 66 (2/3)
Re-apportionment
new number of representatives based on census
Does the senate or house have more formal rules when debating and passing laws?
House
How old do you have to be to be in congress?
Senate: 30
House: 25
How many years you have to be a US citizen before joining congress?
Senate: 9
House: 7
How long is a term in congress?
Senate: 6 years
House: 2 years
Does congress have a term limit?
No
4 pieces of evidence that prove the Senate was intended to be the upper house of congress.
- originally not selected by the people
- stricter qualifications
- fewer overall senators (more power per person)
- Longer terms
What was established to get rid of the problem of less people having the same number or representatives?
apportionment
As people moved away from farms to cities, the population of congressional districts became
unequal
according to supreme court justice Felix Frankfurt who wrote the decision in the case of Colegrove v Green, who is responsible for fixing apportionment problems?
State legislatures
Explain why didn’t members of the state legislatures fix the “mal-apportionment” problems?
They didn’t want to change it because it benefited them, it was easier/would be more likely to be voted again
In the case of Baker v Carr, if the supreme court ordered every legislature in the country to redistrict equally, they feared the public would react how?
The public would rebel as would legislatures
what amendment, which guarantees “equal protection under the laws,’ came into play in Baker V Carr
14th amendement
What was the outcome of Baker V Carr?
a. The courts had authority to decide apportionment issues
b. the state legislatures must still deal with apportionment issues
how many states faced redistricting lawsuits by the end of 1962?
34
what apportionment standard was set in the case of Gray v Sanders
one person, one vote
Reynolds v Sims said…
each district had to be relatively equal in size
what was the deadline set by the court in the Reynolds case for states to reapportion their districts equally?
by the 1966 election
By 1967, what effect did the court have on the size of voting districts in almost every state?
District population was equal
How did Justice Earl Warren feel about the Baker V Carr case?
It was the most important case they had while he was on the court
In the law-making or legislative process, what kind of bills get through Congress slowly?
Bills to spend a lot of money
Examples of bills that go through congress slowly
health care, tax laws, energy conservation, foreign trade, and appropriation bills
What kind of laws get through congress quickly?
Bills that embody a clear appealing idea
examples of fast moving bills
reduce drug use, reform defense department, end mandatory retirement age, help disabled
In order to get a bill passed, a member of congress must do one of what two possible things?
a. assemble a majority coalition
b. take advantage of temporary enthusiasm
the senate
the “upper” house of congress with 100 total members elected “at large” by the entire state they serve
The house of representatives
the house on congress with 435 members of congress elected in special congressional districts throughout the states they serve
congressional committee
groups of congressmen who focus on particular areas of legislation. Most lawmaking work is done in these groups, and most bills die in them also
introduction
the first phase of the legislative process in which a “sponsor(s)” introduce a bill and it is sent to the presiding officer of that particular house to the appropriate committee
committee action
the second phase of the legislative process in which a bill many or may not be sent to a subcommittee. Hearing are held, and the bull is changes, passed, or killed
entire house deals with the bill
the third phase of the legislative process after committee action
conference committee
a special joint committee of congress that meets when each house passes different versions of the same bill. It consists of members of the committees that worked on the bill, chosen by the chairmen of those committees.
quick congress
a congress with strong centralized leadership and many restrictions on individual members ability to debate and obstruct the legislative process
slow congress
a congress with decentralized leadership and fewer restrictions on individual members ability to debate and obstruct the legislative process. the kind of congress we have
17th amendment
it provided for the direct election of senators rather than having the state legislatures choose them as they previously did
filibuster
the tactic of literally taking a bill to death in the Senate, speaking endlessly during debate so that a final vote can never take place
cloture
established under rule 22, this can be invoked to end a filibuster if 60 senators vote in favor of it, previously 67 senators were needed to invoke it
marginal districts
districts in which representatives win their elections by less than 55% of the vote
safe districts
districts in which representatives win their elections by 55% of the vote or more. This is more common
incumbency
the state of having the position already, it is the single biggest determinant of who will win a congressional election for a number of reasons
joint resolution
essentially the same as a law, these resolutions require the approval of both houses of congress and the signature of the president
ways and means committee
powerful house committee where all bills to raise or lower taxes are sent
mark up session
these are committee meetings held after hearings in which members make changes to bills they are working on
discharge petition
a way to prevent pigeonholing from killing a bill. Issuing “this” forces the bill our of committee and on to the floor for consideration
House rules committee
just like it sounds like, this issues different of “rules” governing how debate will be done in the house
quorum call
a request to determine if the minimum number of members is present in order for the house to conduct business it is usually done to stall proceedings so that members can discuss strategy
voice vote
an anonymous method of voting in congress in which members simply shout “yea” or “nay” on a bill
Division vote
an anonymous method of voting in which members stand to be counted as “yea” or “nay”
teller vote
a method of voting in which individual members votes are recorded, members pass between two tellers, the yeas fist and the nays second
roll-call vote
a method of voting in which individual members votes are recorded, individuals answer “yea” or “nay” when their names are called, since 1973 it is done electronically
Who can introduce a bill?
any member of congress
how are bills introduced in the house of representatives?
Handing it to a clerk or dropping it in a box called the hopper
how are bills introduced in the senate?
by being recognized by the presiding officer
private bills
a legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters
public bill
a legislative bill that deals what matters of general concern
what happens to a bill that is not passed by both houses and signed by the president during the life of congress
it doesn’t carry over
what is the only way a president can introduce legislation
he must get a member of congress to do it for him
simple resolution
an expression of opinion either in the house or the senate to settle procedural matters in either body
current resolution
an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the house and the senate, but not the president
joint resolution
a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses and by the president (constitutional amendments)
once a bill is introduced, who refers it to the appropriate committee in each house
the speaker of the house or the presiding officer of the senate
how can the speaker of the house use this power to his advantage?
don’t have to refer it to a committee
according to the constitution, bills to raise revenue must originate in which house?
house of representatives
name and define the other kinds of bills that, in practice, ask originate in the house
appropriation bills-setting aside money
what is the name of the powerful house committee where tax bills and spending bills are sent?
the ways and means committee
what happens to most bills?
they die in committee
bills that do not die in committee are schedules for hearings. what happens at these hearings?
witnesses appear, evidence is taken, and questions are asked
what ordinarily happens if the committee does not report the bill out favorably to the full house or senate to consider?
it dies
discharge petition
a device by which any member of the house after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor
are discharge petitions common?
no
closed rule
an order from the house rules committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor
open rule
an order from the house rules committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor
restrictive rule
order from the HRC that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill
quorum
minimum number of representatives needed-100
although the committee of the whole debates and amends bills can it pass them?
no
who or what must pass bills
the hosue
amendments must be germane in the house, what does this mean?
they must be relevant to the bill
why might members of congress ask for a quorum call
to strategize (think of it as a timeout, what is a timeout used for?)
what is the official purpose of a quorum call
find out if the minimum number of representatives is present
what are riders?
a provision added to a piece of legislation that is not germane
what do we call a bill that has a lot of riders?
a christmas tree bill (ornaments on a tree)
what is a cloture?
a rules used by the senate to end or limit a debate
what can be done to allow the senate to get on with other business while a filibuster is occurring
double tracking
what has happened to the number or filibusters because of double-tracking and the fact that senators don’t actually need to speak on the floor?
they have increased
what does the mere threat of a filibuster mean in practice?
neither political party can control the senate unless is has 60 votes
if a bill passes each house with major difference, members of both houses must come together in a what to create a final version for each house to pass?
to reconcile
what fraction of each house is necessary to override a presidential veto and make the bill become a law still?
2/3
