does congress perform its representative function effectively Flashcards
What percentage of respondents approved of Congress’s job handling in 2023 according to Gallup polling?
Under 20%
This reflects a general dissatisfaction with the US Congress across the population.
How often are elections held for the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Every 2 years for the House; 1/3 of the Senate every 2 years
This frequent election cycle allows voters to hold representatives accountable.
What model of representation do Senators typically follow?
Trustee model
Senators are insulated from short-term public views, allowing them to uphold constitutional principles.
What model of representation do Congresspeople typically follow?
Delegate model
Congresspeople represent short-term changes in the electorate’s opinion.
What is a significant reason for the success of incumbents in Congressional elections?
Prevalence of safe seats
Safe seats are often a result of politically motivated gerrymandering.
True or False: Members of Congress are elected every 2 years.
True
This frequent election cycle can lead to a focus on fundraising over representation.
What percentage of the 118th Congress members are women?
28%
This is considerably lower than the 51% of women in the US population.
What is the average age of Congress members in the 118th Congress?
58 years old
This contrasts with the median adult age of the US population being 38.8 years old.
What can be said about the racial representation in the 118th Congress compared to the US population?
Less representative
Only 25% of Congress is non-white compared to 41% of the US population.
What has improved in Congress’s descriptive representation over the last decade?
Increase in non-white members and women
The 118th Congress has 137 non-white members and 150 women, compared to 86 and 100, respectively, in the 113th Congress.
How many town halls does the average Representative hold per 2-year Congress?
Nine town halls
This reflects their efforts to engage with constituents.
What is one argument against Congress being effective in representing national interests?
Focus on local interests and fundraising
This can impair their ability to pass major legislation.
What is the estimated amount of time members of Congress may spend on fundraising activities?
Up to half of their working hours
This is especially true during election years and reduces time for legislative work.
Fill in the blank: The 118th Congress has ________ identifying as LGBT.
2%
This is significantly lower than the 6.5% of the US population.
What is a consequence of the highly partisan nature of US politics in Congress?
Failure to compromise
This leads to fewer legislative achievements.
What is one reason for Congress’s failure to pass radical legislation?
Lack of diversity in Congress
The demographics of Congress do not reflect the broader population’s views.
What percentage of the 118th Congress are non-white members?
25%
This is significantly lower than the 41% of the US population.
What is one way Congresspeople seek to represent local interests?
Voting for bills that benefit their constituency
They also introduce pork-barrel legislation and sit on relevant committees.
What is the significance of majority-minority districts?
Helps effective representation of minority interests
31% of House districts are majority-minority according to the 2020 US census.
