Distribution of Power in Congress Flashcards
What is the main distribution distinction?
Between the committee chairs and the party positions
What are the main part leadership positions in congress?
Speaker of the HoR and the Majority and Minority leaders of both houses
Compare the speaker of the HoC and the HoR
Unlike the speaker of the HoC the speaker of the HoR is a party political player
In essence, what is the speaker of the House?
the leader of the majority party in the house
What can, if a different party to the president, the speaker of the House act as?
A major spokesperson for the party, a quasi ‘leader of the opposition’
What must the speaker of the house use their power for?
To try and advance and pass legislation that their party wants them to
What power of the Speaker of the House means that they chair house debates?
they are the ‘Presiding officer of the house’
How does the Speaker’s power as ‘presiding officer of the house’ manifest itself?
Interprets and enforces the rules of the house, declining on points of order
To what can the speaker refer bills to?
Committees
What does the seal select and appoint?
1) Selects and appoints conference committee chairs
2) Appoint major party members of the House Rules Committee
over what does the Speaker of the House exercise considerable influence?
the flow of legislation through the house
What does the Speaker of the House chair within their party?
the party’s steering committee to decide what to advance through the house
How is the speaker of the house selected and by what majority?
They are voted on by congressmen on the first day of each new congress, with an overall majority needed
How far is the speaker of the house away from the President?
3rd in Line to the presidency
If a member of the house does not vote for ‘their guy’ for the Speaker elections, what punishment may they face?
Loss of seniority
What is it common that the Speaker will have been before they became speaker? (3)
The minority leader before a switch of control in the house or the majority leader under a previous speaker. They could also have been chair of an important committee
Who was Speaker of the house in 1980, between which dates did he serve and what is notable about him?
Tip O’Niel 1977-87 was the focus of the 1980 and 82 GOP campaigns
Who was the first female speaker?
Nancy Pelosi
What is the similarity between Pelosi and O’Niel?
Both the focus of GOP campaigns against them
How did the GOP campaign against pelosi?
2010 “fire pelosi” bus tour
How was Pelosi a key ally of Obama?
Helped him pass Obamacare
When and under who did the GOP regain control of the House?
2010 under John Boehner
What did John Boehner do?
Decentralise power within the House by empowering standing committees
What was Boehner’s relationship with Obama?
Though he himself was less keen to pitch fights with the Presidency, his Tea Party Association often forced him to
What will Boehner’s legacy be?
The 2013 budget impasse that led to a government shutdown
What are the majority and minority leaders?
The leaders of the two largest parties in each house
In which house are the majority and minority leaders more important?
Senate
Why are the majority and minority leader more important in the house than they are in the Senate?
The Senate doesn’t have a separate, important speaker
How are the majority and minority leaders of each house selected?
Elected by their congressional party every two years at the start of every congress
What latin phrase describes the Majority leader of the Senate?
President Pro Tempore
What is President Pro Tempore?
The person acting as chair of the Senate in the absence of VP
What are the three roles of the President Pro Tempore?
1) Manage and schedule the business of the Senate
2) Spokesperson for the party of that House
3) Act as a liaison between the house/senate and white house
What is the special power of the President Pro Tempore?
They have priority speaking on the house floor
How does the President Pro Tempore act as the spokesperson for that part of the House?
They can hold press briefings about their party’s political agenda
What are the President Pro Tempore’s assistants called?
Majority and minority whip
In what two ways do the majority and minority whips work?
Deputy and in organising and securing party loyalty
Who is the current minority leader of the house?
Nancy Pelosi
Who is the current majority leader of the house?
Kevin McCarthy
Who is the current majority whip of the house?
Steve Scales
Who is the current minority whip of the house?
Steny Hoyer
Which minority House leader orchestrated the contract with America and when was this?
Newt Gingrich 1994
What is the 1994 Contract with America?
An unusual attempt at national party unity
What did the 1994 Contract with America’s success do to Newt?
Got him elected as speaker of the house
Newt’s battle with Clinton resulted in government shutdowns when?
1995 and 1996
What happened as a result of the government shutdowns in 1995 and 1996
Clinton emerged as Victor, Newt was weakened and he faced a revolt from his party. He did not run again after the 1998 mid terms
