Congress

Question 1

How has public opinion fluctuated?

Answer 1

in 1975 it spiked and then dropped but was pretty much in the same area so stableish, but began to increase and then around 2002 spiked high but dropped from there.

Question 2

What are the constitutional requirements for the House?

Answer 2

representation based on population
directly elected, 2 year terms
25 years old, resident of states
435 members, fixed by statute, 1911

Question 3

What are the constitutional requirements for the Senate?

Answer 3

2 senators per state which is permanently fixed in constitution
indirectly elected, 6 year terms, staggered elections [17th amendment 1913 provided for direct elections]

Question 4

What do the differences mean for constitutional requirements for both the House and Senate?

Answer 4

differences reflect framers’ preference to “moderate” policy outcomes

Question 5

COngressional Districts

Answer 5

reapportionment after census
redistricting–states responsible for drawing district boundaries and “line drawing” highly political process
political incentives vs. important legal constraint
gerrymandering

Question 6

What is gerrymandering?

Answer 6

1.Manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

Question 7

Politics of gerrymandering?

Answer 7

partisan gerrymandering alive and well; courts unwilling to restrain partisan gerrymanders; race and redistricting?–race cannot be overriding consideration and creation of majority minority districts

Question 8

Congress and Electoral Politics?

Answer 8

Members hold multiple goals; congress organized to meet goals of members; members very good at getting reelected

Question 9

Members hold multiple goals consists of….?

Answer 9

creation of good policy, advancement within institution and reelection

Question 10

What is the Incumbency advantage?

Answer 10

House incumbents winning more often by larger margins…members work hard to win because they believe their actions in office affect reelection prospects.

Question 11

Why the Incumbency advantage?

Answer 11

“running scared and “unsafe at any margin”…. already in office… if doing a good job why replace?

Question 12

Why are the Senate elections more competitive?

Answer 12

Only 2 slots per state
more diverse
partisan balance
quality challengers
more media coverage/exposure
more readily associated with divisive issues

Question 13

What are the elements of teh Incunbency Advantage?

Answer 13

members work hard to maintain sear
name recognition
"credit claiming"
position taking
constituency service
fundraising ability
home style

Question 14

What are the levels of Fenno’s House Constituencies?

Answer 14

Geographic[outermost ring]
reelectiong
primary
personal[innermost ring]

Question 15

How does a bill become a law?

Answer 15

look at chart on slideshow or print-out

Question 16

What falls under Congressional Organization?

Answer 16

Comittee system and committee power

Question 17

What is a committee system?

Answer 17

“little legislatures”

Question 18

What is committee power?

Answer 18

Jurisdiction[turf];gatekeeping;mark-up and information acquisition

Question 19

What are conference committees?

Answer 19

“third house of congress”

composed of relevant committee members from H and S

Question 20

What do conference committees do?

Answer 20

reconcile house-senate differences

Question 21

What is the power of conference committees?

Answer 21

take-it-or-leave-it offers to both champers [post veto]

Question 22

Committee Assignment Process?

Answer 22

Committee Hierarchy- some committees more valuable than others
Party Margins- majority party has majority of committee seats
Selection of Committee Chairs- seniority; party caucuses; chairs have important control over committee business

Question 23

Committee Assignments- Individuals?

Answer 23

Assignment decisions–members request seats on specific commitees…party leaders + committee on committees
Assignment Criteria–requests; local concerns; expertise; party loyalty

Question 24

Why did members create committees?

Answer 24

efficiency argument; distributive theories; informational theory; partisan theory

Question 25

What is the efficiency argument?

Answer 25

Division of labor, benefit from delegation of workload

Question 26

What is distributive theories?

Answer 26

high demanders seek to distribute pork

Question 27

What is informational theory?

Answer 27

encourages members to develop expertise

Question 28

What is partisan theory?

Answer 28

Keep divisive issues off agenda; preserve party cohesion

Question 29

Congressional Leadership–what are two sources of leadership positions?

Answer 29

constitution and parties

Question 30

Congressional Leadership–House?

Answer 30

speaker of the House; Floor Leaders 9Maj. and Min.); Whips (Maj. and Min)

Question 31

Congressional Leadership–Senate?

Answer 31

Vice President; President Pro Tempore; Floor Leaders and Whips

Question 32

How are leaders selected for congressional leadership?

Answer 32

Party caucuses

Question 33

House Leadership?

Answer 33

Speaker and Majority Party–very powerful and restricitve rules make majority influential

Question 34

Floor Debate for House?

Answer 34

Importance of rules committee–open vs. closed rules and amendments must be germane

Question 35

Senate Leadership?

Answer 35

Senate leadership less powerful– more egalitarian and few restrictions on debate.

Question 36

Floor debate for Senate?

Answer 36

senate agenda product of negotiation; filibuster; cloture; unanimouse consent agreements; no germaneness rule

Question 37

Does levels of partisanship varies and waht is current era marked by?

Answer 37

Yes; high polarization and strong party cohesion

Question 38

Ideologically, are parties homogeneous?

Answer 38

Yes– party members agree on lots of stuff, changes in the south and no moderates

Question 39

Partisanship in Congress?

Answer 39

Strong party leaders; rules written to advantage majority party; polarization and compromise

Question 40

Texas Legislature

Answer 40

HofR=150 members; 2 terms; resident of state for 2 years, district 1 yr
S= 31 members; 4 year terms; resident of state 5 yrs, district 1 yr

Question 41

What is the legislative session? TX

Answer 41

Convenes biennally, max length of session is 140 days and special sessions last for 30 days when called by governor

Question 42

Legislative Leadership-House TX?

Answer 42

Speaker of the House is not as partisan as US House; speaker makes most committee assignments; names chairs–chairs may come from both parties.

Question 43

Legislative Leadership-Senate TX?

Answer 43

Lt. Governor presides over senate, powers comparable to House Speaker, power to make committee assignments and may not vote on senate business except for case of tie vote.