CONGRESS - what influences relationship between Congress and President? Flashcards
PARTY CONTROL
senate control
oversight is most effective when the President’s Party does not have control of the Senate.
Bush’s 2003-2007 was REP in the House and Senate - between 2003-4, the House Armed Services Committee held one hearing in Afghanistan and 18 in Iraq
BUT, in the 110th Congress, Bush faced a DEM majority - there were 100+ oversight hearings on Iraq alone in March 2007.
PARTY POLARISATION
scrutiny of legislation
bipartisan infrastructure bill $1 trillion -
only 19 Reps in the Senate joined all 50 Dems in supporting its passage illustrating the party=line vote.
POLICY AREA
main strength of domestic policy
no evi
both Obama and Trump struggled to pass policies - gun control, immigration, and repeal of Obamacare respectively.
ELECTION CYCLE
congress-members’ loyalties
no evi
these lie with their constituents and not with the president, because during or near to an election cycle, members are concerned with their own re-election.
PRESIDENT APPROVAL RATING
Biden
his polling has plummeted (March 2022) with his response to Ukraine.
It is currently at 37%.
for comparison, Trump’s presidency ended at 38.6%
CONGRESS APPROVAL RATING
‘broken branch’
2020 July Gallup poll - Trump was facing an impeachment trial, the Covid pandemic was still raging, and this was during a political climate right after George Floyd died.
Trump had a popularity rating of 41%.
Congress’ approval rating, at the same time, was 18%
NATIONAL EVENTS
and their relation to popularity of the president
people lean on president when they are in need, NOT CONGRESS.
2001 - following 9/11, he had an approval rating of 90%. Congress’ relationship with him was subservient, and he passed the Patriot Act, and he began the war on terror.
In 2005, however, Gallop poll indicated he only had an approval rating of 35% in relation to social security reform – he was unable to pass social security reform.
