Functions Of Congress Flashcards
What are the 3 main functions of congress?
Representation, legislation, oversight
How does the high frequency of elections impact how representativ the system is?
Affords voters high levels of representation as votes are held every 2 years
Why are mid terms important?
Act as a referendum for the previous two years of presidency, major impact on power if majority is lost in either chambers, harder to pass legislation
How have the importance of issues nationally changed in mid-terms?
Increase in nation-based agendas, eroding candidates ability to develop their own individual policy platform.
What has been the most common outcome for the results of mid terms?
The opposition party to the president gain seets adn take a majority from the incumbent party in congress
What has been the only occasion when a president has won a majority in both chambers?
Clinton in 1998, Democrat
What are the incumbency rates in congress?
95% In the house, 90% in the senate
What are the factors that may lead to high re-election rates for incumbents?
Use of office (using their place in offiece to establish support), safe seats, gerrymandering (parties drawinig up congressional district boundaries to favour themselves), pork-barrel legislation (propose legislation that will benefit their constituents to gain reelection), financial advantage (attract more money)
How do high incumbency rates threaten democracy?
Ineffective level of representation as reps arent held accountable and the sytem remains stagnant
What is the trustee model of representation, what examples are there of it in use?
Where reps. Usetheir mature judgement to make decisions on behalf of their voters e.g., 3 republican senators prevented repeal of obamacare as there was no suitable alternative
What is the delegate model of representation, what examples are there of it in use?
Reps. Do not act as a free agent and act in direct accordance with the electorate’s wishes e.g., some democrats voted against trumps impeachment as they had large amounts of republican supporters ‘back home’
What factors are there that affect the way that reps vote in congress?
Party affiliation/ caucuses, priorities of the executive (pressured to vote in favour of the gov’t if theyre from their party), demands of consituents (may face being voted out at the next eection if they dont), pressure groups, lobbyists
What examples are there of when the voting behavioir (constituency, party, interest group) of congress people has been pressured?
Constituency: democrats swithced their position over obamacare after constituent opposition
Party: no republicans voted for obama’s stimulus in 2009
Interest groups: NRI opposed Obama’s legislation on gun limits in 2012, influenced Conservative congresspersons.
