Evaluate The View That Congress Is ‘The Broken Branch’.(30) Flashcards
Paragraph One ➡️ Representation
- Against: Congress Isn’t The ‘Broken Branch’
Highly effective in representing the electorate, as Senators and Congresspeople place a lot of emphasis on representing the local interests of their district/state. Crucial for re-election.
- (Example): Regular town hall meetings - meet face to face with those they represent
-(Example): Avg representative holds nine town halls per 2 year Congress and the average Senator holds 7, according to Columbia Uni research
Paragraph One ➡️ Representation
-For: Congress Is The ‘Broken Branch’
Members of House of Representatives fail to represent the country as a whole effectively, they are focused on their relection.
- Unrepresentative (Example): 1/4 of members of the 118th Congress are non white, compared to US 41% are non white
- 28% of the 118th Congress are women, 51% of US population are women
- Undermines representation as their interests and views are less likely to be understood and acted on in Congress
– (Example): murder of George Floyd, BLM pushed for justice, wanted policy reform through addressing issues like chokeholds
– Failed to be passed by Senate, which is unrepresentative with black people, only 8 black senators
Para 2 - Lawmaking
For: Congress Is The ‘Broken Branch’
Congress has been unable to pass important piueces of legislation to due divided government, Over 10,000 bills are introduced in each Congress, however only a few hundred are passed.
- Filbuster - when a Senator continues to talk in debate to delay and prevent a vote taking place
– 60 votes needed to cut off a debate and get a vote, the minimum needed for passing legislation, allowing a minority to block important issues
–(Example) - under Obama administration - the DREAM Act, passed by House of Rep, was failed to be passed by Senate, as fillbuster vote to end was 55-41 - Important in providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to US as children
Para 2 - Lawmaking
- Against: Congress Isn’t The ‘Broken Branch’
Congress has been able to pass important pieces of bipartisan legislation despite significant partisanship in US Politics
- Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economics Security (CARES) Act, 2.2$ Trillion economic stimulus law in response to COVID was passed under divided gov in march 2020
- 2024, Congress passed a 95$Billion Foreign Aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan - despite major agreements - Passed Senate with vote of 79-18 - Parties can come together to pass key pieces of legislation to respond to crises
Paragraph Three ➡️ Oversight
Against: Congress Isn’t The ‘Broken Branch’
- Commitees in Congress play a central role in oversight of executive branch.
- Detailed scrutiny of President, if they breach they will be exposed by Congrress
– Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US President election shows detailed scrutiny by Congressional committees. Lasted 3 years investigating, interviewing 200 witnesses - No criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign
Paragraph Three ➡️ Oversight
- For: Congress is the ‘Broken Branch’
- Ineffective in carrying out oversight due to partisanship and political polarisation
- Divided gov means no effective scrutiny, but highly partisan, political attacks aimed at harming the President at the next election
- Trump, Clinton and Biden faced attempted impeachment. Biden profiting from his son Hunter Biden’s foreign business ventures while VP has no firm proof, shows that powers can be misused for party political reasons
