factors that affect voting behaviour within congress - parties

Question 1

parties in congress aren’t as united as they are

Answer 1

in the Uk HoC

Question 2

traditionally voting along party lines is less common than it is in the UK with only around a

Answer 2

half of all votes in the first few years off the 21st century being party votes

Question 3

this is largely because party leaders in the US congress aren’t part of the government and therefore

Answer 3

don’t have as strong powers of patronage with which to incentivise/punish members of congress

Question 4

there is still significant pressure from the party leadership to vote with the view o the majority of the party however

Answer 4

including through majority and minority whips which try to keep the party in line

Question 5

every week the party caucuses meet to try and unite support behind their proposals and leaders do have some limited powers of patronage such as

Answer 5

promising chairmanship of committees
pork barreling
supporting a candidate against a primary challenger

Question 6

importantly in the past decade US politics and society has become more partisan and

Answer 6

clearly divided along party lines with the republicans and democrats further apart then ever , and far fewer moderates in congress

Question 7

this has led to the influence of the party increasing and voting along

Answer 7

party lines increasing too

Question 8

no democrats voted for trumps tax cuts and jobs act 2017 whilst just

Answer 8

13 voted against

Question 9

no republicans voted for bidens inflation reduction act 2022 which just one

Answer 9

democrat voted against