Congress vs parliment Flashcards
When we compare legislature we look at 4 areas, what are these?
Legislation
Oversight and scrutiny
Representation
Recruitment
What is legislation?
Considering the legislative bills and out before it and passing them into law and rejecting them
What is oversight and scrutiny?
Checks and balances on other branches of givt
Executive (president or pm/cabinet) and judiciary (moniter criticise, disciplines)
What is representation?
Who do they represent as elected members (voters party) resemblance theory, demographic representation of different groups in society
What is recruitment?
How effectively be they encourage individuals to stand for the election to the legislature
do they recruit high office
What is parliaments key strengths- oversight and scrutiny?
-ability to question members of executive directly (pmq)
-Geowing expertise in the HOC
What is parliaments key strengths-legislation?
Govt can implant it’s programe with relative ease
What is parliaments key strengths- Representation?
Increased diversity in the HOC
A range of parties are represented in the HOC
Growing expertise in the HOL
What is parliaments key strengths- recruitment?
Growing expertise in HOL
All pm in 20th century served as backbench mp
What is congress key strengths- oversight and scrutiny?
A strong and well established committee system
-Two powerful chambers which reduces the chances of one party dominating over the executives
-Several important checks on the executive such as veto overrides and arvufe and concent
What is congress key strengths- Recruitments?
14/16 or the most recent vp nominations for democrate have been senetors
2/3 most recent president have been senetors
What is congress key strengths- representation?
-Twi powerful chambers which refuces the chance of one party dominating over the executive
Two year old election cycles improve accountability to voters
What is parl key criticisms- oversight and scrutiny?
Does not provide an effective check on the govt
a the second chamber (HOL) is weak
It’s comitte remains either dominated by party (public committee) or relatively ruthless (select committee)
What is parliaments key criticisms- legislation?
Fails the olson rule in that it passes more then 90% of legislation it considers into law (passes 98%)
What is the olson rule?
Legislation should pass into law more then90% or the bills it considers into law it is get do they are not scrutinising it m but rubber stamp decisions made by executives
What is parliaments key criticisms- representation?
The seconded chamber is unelected
What is congress key criticisms- oversight and scrutiny?
Impeachment has never been used against a president
String influences of powerful interest groups on individual members of congress and committee
What is congress key criticisms- legislation?
Congress is too often a ‘bastion of negotiation and negotiate’ meaning it’s very effective (only passes 2%)
What is congress key criticisms- Representation?
Strong influence of powerful interest groups on individual members of congress and a committee
- ‘revolving door’ in the house of representation
-Senete is exceptionally
unrepresentative it the USW we a whole
-Effectivly only 2 partys represented
What is congress key criticisms- recruitment?
Revolving door in house of representatives
Congressional carters is a rare out towards the presidency
a high levels of incumbency especially in the senete