XI - Congress Flashcards
Congress
Legislative branch composed of 535 members responsible for policy making
Senate
Upper chamber
Designed to represent states equally
Direct popular election
100 members serving 6 year terms
House of Representatives
Lower chamber
Representation based on population
Direct popular election
435 members serving 2 year terms
Senate requiremnts
Age 30+
Citizen for 9 years
Must live in the state you decide to represent
House of Rep requirements
Age 25+
Citizen for 7 years
Must live in the state you decide to represent
Representation in Congress
Both women & minorities are underrepresented
Congressional elections tend to be won by
incumbents
incumbents
Holder of an office or position
Stats on incumbents
House -> 90% won by incumbents
Elections for Senate tend to be more competitive
Why is it unusual for incumbents to lose election even though voters disapprove of Congress?
Advertising/ visibility Credit claiming Position taking Weak opponents Campaign spending
Advertising/ visibility of Congress
Members able to freely mail to constituents of a district/ state
Credit Claiming
Casework
Pork barrel projects
Casework
Service to individual constituents
Food stamps, paperwork
Pork barrel projects
Federal money for projects within district or state
Position taking
Taking a strong position on an issue knowing how most of the constituents feel
Weak opponents
No funding
No recognition
No experience
Congressional districts
Typically controlled by one political party
State legislatures redraw districts
every 10 years based on population census
District demographics are often redrawn to
ensure safe Congressional seats for party in control
Gerrymandering
Manipulating district boundaries to help ensure a political advantage for one party over another
Modern Gerrymanders districts
Florida 14th Illinois 4th Maryland 2nd Pennsylvania 7th Texas 35th
How to defeat incumbents?
Bad economy, political/personal scandal
Changes in midterms from shifting public mood
Redistricting
Open seat
Changes in midterms from shifting public mood
The party that holds the presidency tends to lose seats in Congress
Redistricting
Every 10 years Congressional districts are redrawn to deal with population changes reflected in census
Open seat
Incumbent is not running for re-elections often due to retirement
Pro incumbents winning re-elections
Experience
Expertise
Con incumbents winning re-election
Career politicians in safe seats
Framer set up a
bicameral legislature
What compromise led to the bicameral Congress?
Connecticut Compromise
In order for a bill to become law, it has to
pass both houses
Enumerated & implied powers of Congress
Passing federal budget Raising revenue Coining money Declaring war Passing laws that deal with wide variety of issues
Reserved power for House in Representatives
Revenue bills start here
Power to impeach
Rules Committee
schedules when a bill will be voted & amount of debate time allowed
Reserved powers to Senate
Confirmation of many president nomination
Ratification of treaties
Impeachment trials
filibuster
When an opponent of a bill takes the floor in a debate and keeps talking in order to delay or prevent a vote
Cloture
If 60 Senators vote to halt the debate a filibuster can be ended and a vote will be held
Leadership in Senate
VP-> President
President Pro Tempore
Majority & Minority leader
Majority & Minority whips
Leadership in House of Representatives
Speaker of the House
Majority & Minority leader
Majority & Minority whips
Congressional leadership positions are chosen by
Political parties
What impact the policy making process?
Chamber rules
Majority leader
Convince own party to vote according to party lines
Whips
communicating between parties to ensure stability
Minority leader
Leader of the party with lesser seats
Committee chairs
Those who head a committee
Speaker of the House
Chosen by majority party
Powerful position
Main leadership role
Appoint Committee chairs
Vice President
Serves as head of Senate
Only votes when there is a tie
Committees
Determine congressional agenda
Help create legislation
Conduct hearings
Debate bills
Standing committees
Deal with bills in different legislative areas
Committees examples
House - Agriculture, Rules, Armed Services, Ethics
Senate - Appropriations, Budget, Veterans’ Affairs, Finance
Joint committees
Members from both House & Senate serve
Conference committees
Created to reconcile competing versions of same bill passed by House & Senate
Select committees
Created to deal with specific policy issue
Discharge petitions in House
Way to force a bull out of committee to the house floor for a vote
Why is getting on committee important to Congressional leaders?
Create policy for constituents/ areas they are passionate about
Gain influence in Congress
Help with reelection
Committee chairs
Influence committees’ agenda, schedule, hearing, etc.
Gate keeping role
Seniority system
Largely influential when selecting committee assignments & leadership positions
Informal organization of Congress
is through caucuses
Congressional caucuses
Basically congressional interest groups consisting of members of similar ideology, demographics, geography or interests
Caucuses examples
Congressional Black Caucus
House Freedom Caucus
Caucuses can influence policies by
Working toward advancing policies they support/ towards opposing laws they think are bad
Who support the work of Congress?
Large networks of Congressional staff & interns
Congressional staff & intern responsibilities
Work with constituents, draft legislation, meet with lobbyists, summarize bills, prep legislators for committees, etc.
Who can introduce a bill?
Only a member of Congress
How can the President try to persuade Congress to take up a specific legislative agenda?
Propose bill
Lobby Congressional leaders
How can Congress choose to remain indepedent?
Refusal to confirm appointments of “lame duck” presidents of opposing party
Who holds legislators accountable?
Congressional leaders constituents at ballot box
Polarization of politics
Many votes are split firmly along party lines
Different views of role of representatives
Trustee model
Instructed delegates
Polico model
Trustee model
Legislators should use their best judgment as to what is in the best interest for the people
Instructed delegate model
Legislatures should match policy choices of their constituents
Politico model
Hybrid of Trustee & Instructed delegates
Lobbyists & interest groups seek to
Influence Congressional leaders
Why is the US a representative democracy?
Large size
Direct democracy is impractical
How is Congress unrepresentative?
Largely elites
Racial, gender, socio-economic groups underrepresented
Members of Congress may
Look out for needs of their constituents vs those of national interest
Logrolling affect
If you help vote for a bill I support, I will vote for a vote you support.
