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8/14/2019 Gov 141 Congress
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CongressCongressThe National LegislatureThe National Legislature
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Congressional PowerCongressional Power
Derives From Article I, U.S.Derives From Article I, U.S.
ConstitutionConstitution
Article I, Section 8, EnumeratedArticle I, Section 8, EnumeratedPowersPowers
Elastic, or Necessary and ProperElastic, or Necessary and Proper
ClauseClause
Congress is at the center of FederalCongress is at the center of Federal
Policy making processPolicy making process
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Congressional RestraintsCongressional Restraints
Article I, Section 9: Prohibits Bills ofArticle I, Section 9: Prohibits Bills ofAttainder, Ex Post Facto laws,Attainder, Ex Post Facto laws,Suspension of Habeus Corpus.Suspension of Habeus Corpus.
Bicameral: Senate and HouseBicameral: Senate and House States elected Senators, PopularStates elected Senators, Popular
elections for Houseelections for House
Two Senators from every state,Two Senators from every state,Congressmen tied to populationCongressmen tied to populationTeacup and the Saucer: House theTeacup and the Saucer: House the
teacup, Senate the Saucerteacup, Senate the Saucer
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Congressional RestraintsCongressional Restraints
Bill of RightsBill of Rights
Checks and balances between statesChecks and balances between states
and federal government, branches ofand federal government, branches offederal governmentfederal government
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CongressCongress
435 Congressional Seats435 Congressional Seats Apportioned to states by population.Apportioned to states by population.
Each state has at least 1.Each state has at least 1.
States draw House boundaries inStates draw House boundaries in
accordance with federal lawsaccordance with federal laws
Entire membership elected every twoEntire membership elected every two
yearsyears Unique Powers: Brings actions ofUnique Powers: Brings actions of
impeachment, Spending/Appropriationsimpeachment, Spending/Appropriations
Bills Originate in HouseBills Originate in House
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SenateSenate
1/31/3rdrd of all Senators elected everyof all Senators elected everytwo years for 6 year termstwo years for 6 year terms
Formerly elected by states but sinceFormerly elected by states but since
constitutional amendment in theconstitutional amendment in the1910s elected by popular vote1910s elected by popular vote
2 Senators per state2 Senators per state
Unique Powers: Advice and ConsentUnique Powers: Advice and Consentfor upper level Presidential appmts.for upper level Presidential appmts.and treaties. Tries impeachmentand treaties. Tries impeachmentcasescases
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FederalismFederalism
Remember: Power in America isRemember: Power in America issharply divided along two kinds ofsharply divided along two kinds oflineslines Seperation of Powers between theSeperation of Powers between the
branches Supreme Court, Congressbranches Supreme Court, Congressand President theoretically coequaland President theoretically coequalbranchesbranches
Federalism is the division betweenFederalism is the division betweenstates and federal governmentstates and federal government
Remember U.S. v. Lopez: Guns aroundRemember U.S. v. Lopez: Guns aroundschools isnt a federal issue. Fedsschools isnt a federal issue. Feds
argued, unsuccessfully, commerceargued, unsuccessfully, commerce
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Three Ways of Looking at Role ofThree Ways of Looking at Role of
Congressmen and SenatorsCongressmen and Senators
Edmund BurkeEdmund Burke Delegate: An elected rep. who acts inDelegate: An elected rep. who acts in
perfect accord with the wishes of his/herperfect accord with the wishes of his/her
own constituentsown constituentsTrustee: Believes his/her own judgmentTrustee: Believes his/her own judgment
should be used to make decisions.should be used to make decisions.
Middle Road: The way most, if not all,Middle Road: The way most, if not all,Senators, Reps behaveSenators, Reps behave
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Minority RepresentationMinority Representation
Ethnic minorities, womenEthnic minorities, women
underrepresented statisticallyunderrepresented statistically
speaking in Congressspeaking in Congress
African Americans approachAfrican Americans approach
statistical parity in House of Reps.statistical parity in House of Reps.
Only 1 Af American, 3 Hispanics inOnly 1 Af American, 3 Hispanics in
Senate despite 25% of population.Senate despite 25% of population.
However, high profile minorities onHowever, high profile minorities on
the political bench.the political bench.
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Those Who Are RepresentedThose Who Are Represented
Constituents: Those who live in aConstituents: Those who live in a
Congressmans District/SenatorsCongressmans District/Senators
StateState
Constituence: Generic term used toConstituence: Generic term used to
describe entire districts/statesdescribe entire districts/states
electorate or some sub-group thereinelectorate or some sub-group therein
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Electoral DistrictsElectoral Districts
Reapportionment after every CensusReapportionment after every Census
(10 years)(10 years)
In reapportionment, some states loseIn reapportionment, some states lose
seats, some gain seatsseats, some gain seats
KY lost 1 seat after 1990 censusKY lost 1 seat after 1990 census
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RedistrictingRedistricting
States internal redrawing of CongressionalStates internal redrawing of Congressional
boundariesboundaries
Must be consistent with federal law,Must be consistent with federal law,
particularly where minorities areparticularly where minorities areconcernedconcerned
Gerrymandering: State LegislaturesGerrymandering: State Legislatures
Attempts to Draw Boundaries According toAttempts to Draw Boundaries According to
Partisan, Political LogicPartisan, Political Logic
The curious case of TXThe curious case of TX
Kentuckys 1Kentuckys 1stst Congressional DistrictCongressional District
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Majority Minority DistrictsMajority Minority Districts
Districts whose boundaries are drawnDistricts whose boundaries are drawn
in such a way that ensures a racialin such a way that ensures a racial
minority constitutes a majority of theminority constitutes a majority of the
districtdistrict 24 currently (15 Af Americans, 924 currently (15 Af Americans, 9
Hispanics)Hispanics)
May dilute DemocraticMay dilute Democratic
representationrepresentation
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Money and PoliticsMoney and Politics
$5 Million to run for U.S. Senate$5 Million to run for U.S. Senate
>$1 Million to run for U.S. House>$1 Million to run for U.S. House
Committee Seats Afford Reps. andCommittee Seats Afford Reps. andSenators a chance to haul in $$$Senators a chance to haul in $$$
Power of incumbencyPower of incumbency
Open Seats: Retirements vs. SuddenOpen Seats: Retirements vs. Suddenvaccanciesvaccancies
All politics are local.??All politics are local.??
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Congressional DutiesCongressional Duties
Vote on legislationVote on legislation
Oversight of PresidentOversight of President
InvestigationsInvestigations Franking Privilege: Power to sendFranking Privilege: Power to send
mail to constituents on Congress'smail to constituents on Congress's
dimedime Constituent Services: HelpingConstituent Services: Helping
Constituents navigate the federalConstituents navigate the federal
bureaucracybureaucracy
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How Congress WorksHow Congress Works
100 days in this past Congress100 days in this past Congress
Leadership: Herding CatsLeadership: Herding Cats
Senate much more deliberativeSenate much more deliberative House much more majoritarianHouse much more majoritarian
Political Caucuses Very PowerfulPolitical Caucuses Very Powerful
Determine Committee MembershipsDetermine Committee Memberships Can Support, Oppose its own MembersCan Support, Oppose its own Members
Party Voting Trending UpwardsParty Voting Trending Upwards (11.6, Pg(11.6, Pg331)331)
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Reasons for Rise in PartisanshipReasons for Rise in Partisanship
Multi-regional party blocsMulti-regional party blocs
disappearingdisappearing
Moderates Losing, Retiring (seeModerates Losing, Retiring (see
above)above)
Political Pressure from below to holdPolitical Pressure from below to hold
the (partisan) linethe (partisan) line
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The Cat HerdersThe Cat Herders
In the HouseIn the House Speaker of the House vs. the MinoritySpeaker of the House vs. the Minority
LeaderLeader
House Majority LeaderHouse Majority Leader Majority WhipMajority Whip
In the SenateIn the Senate
Senate Majority Leader (KYs SenatorSenate Majority Leader (KYs SenatorMcConnell 08?)McConnell 08?) Senate PresidentSenate President Senate Majority Whip (SenatorSenate Majority Whip (Senator
McConnell 06)McConnell 06)
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Speakers PowerSpeakers Power
33rdrd Most Powerful Person in D.C.?Most Powerful Person in D.C.?
House is MajoritarianHouse is Majoritarian
Ebbs and Flows According to CaucusEbbs and Flows According to Caucus
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WhipWhip
The Vote Counter, Getter,The Vote Counter, Getter,
Disciplinarian(?)Disciplinarian(?)
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Senate LeadershipSenate Leadership
Much less majoritarianMuch less majoritarian
One Senator can derail legislativeOne Senator can derail legislative
processprocess
President of the Senate is the VicePresident of the Senate is the Vice
President of the United StatesPresident of the United States Only votes to break tiesOnly votes to break ties
Senate Majority Leader does haveSenate Majority Leader does have
powers of visibility, persuasion. Morepowers of visibility, persuasion. More
personal than institutional.personal than institutional.