Kollman Readings

Question 1

2.1 - James Madison The Federalist, No. 10 summary

Answer 1

You can’t eliminate the causes of faction without eliminating freedoms. Since factions will exist, we need to mitigate them. The constitution does so, both by its (federal and representative) institutions and by the larger polity that unification would create.

Question 2

What are the problems with factions according to Madison (Federalist 10)?

Answer 2

1. If a faction grew large enough, it could impose its will on an entire nation, resulting in a tyranny of the majority
2. cannot eliminate factions. To do so would require either denying civil liberties (worse than having factions) or enforcing conformity (impracticable).
3. BUT we can mitigate them instead.

Question 3

2.2 - James Madison, The Federalist, No. 51 summary

Answer 3

1. The importance of checks and balances.
2. “Men are not angels” - if they were, we wouldn’t need government.
3. We must give our representatives sufficient power to govern us, yet prevent them from using this power against us
4. Separation of powers solves this

Question 4

2.3 - Brutus, The Antifederalist, No. 1 summary

Answer 4

xxxxxxx

Question 5

3.3 - Arizona v. United States (2012)

Answer 5

Arizona intended to give state police greater powers to enforce laws regarding immigration status.

• US has already passed laws regulating immigration, so Arizona can’t make their own.
• Overruled by Supremacy Clause

Question 6

5.1 - Mayhew, The Electoral Connection summary

Answer 6

If it is assumed that Members of Congress (MCs) are single-minded seekers of reelection, then we would predict that MCs would devote substantial resources to three basic activities:

1. Advertising
2. Credit-Claiming
3. Position Taking

Mayhew does not actually claim that MCs are motivated exclusively by reelection; his goal is only to deduce the behaviors that we would expect if this assumption were true

Question 7

5.2 - Fenno, Home Style: House Members in their Districts summary

Answer 7

How does an elected representative’s view of his/her constituency affect his or her political behavior?

1. Geographic constituency = largest
2. Re-election constituency
3. Primary constituency
4. Personal constituency = smallest

Styles that MCs use in their districts to get re-elected.

Question 8

5.4 - Cox and McCubbins, Setting the Agenda: Responsible Party Government in the US HoR summary

Answer 8

Procedural cartel theory: xxxx

Question 9

6.1 - Neustadt, Presidential Power

Answer 9

President’s main power is persuasion and bargaining: he’s influential when he gets people on his side (SCOTUS and Congress) but can’t do much on his own.
Persuasion and bargaining are the means that presidents use to influence policy.

Question 10

6.2 - Cameron, Veto Bargaining

Answer 10

1. The veto enables presidents to influence legislative outcomes
2. Divided government does not make governing impossible, it simply encourages more inter-branch bargaining.
   * **veto rates are affected by unified or divided government as well as the relative importance of a piece of legislation. Cameron finds that vetoes on both major and minor legislation are rare under unified government.

Question 11

6.3 - Canes-Wrone,

Answer 11

xxxxxx

Question 12

6.4 - Howell, Power without Persuasion summary

Answer 12

a. President is powerful unilateral actor, president has been able to act alone executive orders, mandates, etc. Because President is just one person, he doesn’t face collective action issues. Because he has unilateral ability to make decisions – he is incredibly powerful.

Question 13

6.5 - Kernell, Going Public summary

Answer 13

• American presidents have come to rely on “going public”–that is, on making direct appeals to voters in order to scare Congress into passing legislation that the president wants.
• Divided government makes bargaining a less appealing and successful strategy, forcing presidents into their public appeals.