Congress Study Guide Essay

1.What is the riddle regarding sex act and public opinion? social intercourse is considered by many to be the systems broken branch. It has probably been the object of more plurality public distrust and more elite reform proposals than either the brass or the federal judiciary combined. This is true although well-nigh incumbent members usu everyy win re- pick and congress has consistently expanded programs and adopted policies that most citizens favor. 2. How does the mass describe partisan polarization in coition? What is the explanation for wherefore Congress today seems more polarized than it die up until the 1970s? The admit describes partisan polarization as a vote in which a absolute majority of voting democrats oppose a majority of voting republicans. Congress today seems more polarized than it was up until the 1970s beca aim of social set offs such as abortion. Democrats gos to be more liberal and republicans more conservative. 3. tote up the differences between Congress and a parliament and how these fundamental differences influence the character of the U.S. Congress.What were the main issues in the education of the Senate and how were these issues settled? Make sure that you understand what these terms tint to filibuster, cloture, normal 22.A person be go ups a candidate for representative or senator in the U.S. Congress by feed inning in a primary feather election. Except in a few places, political parties exercise fiddling control over the choice over who is nominated to run for congressional office. Voters select candidates in the primaries beca wasting disease of their personalities, positions on issues, or overall reputation. Parliament tends to be make up of people loyal to the national company issues. A congress tends to be make up of people who think of themselves as independent representatives of their districts who expect to vote as to their own constituents. Filibuster The use of the Senates tradition of unlimited debat e as a delaying simulated military operation to block a chronicle. Cloture shuts of the discussion on a notice.Rule 22 debate may be closed of on a bill if 16 senators sign a petition requesting it and if, after two years give way elapsed, three-fifths of the entire membership vote for cloture. 4)Why is Congress a decentralised institution and why is Congress inevitably unpopular with voters. Members of Congress be more concerned with their own constituents and c beers than with the interests of any organized party or program ofaction. Congress doesnt choose the president, they know that worrying closely the voters they represent is much more of the essence(p) than worrying close to whether the president succeed with his programs. Congress must worry about how voters feel, its fateful that on controversial issues that Congress will engage in sempiternal arguments, worry about interest groups, and work out compromise decisions.5) analyse through the six phases of the Hou se of Representatives so that you atomic number 18 clear about the rules changes and the balance of force between the loudspeaker system and committal chairmen. Briefly restart phases five-six. (It is not important for you to learn the evoke of individual Speakers except for newt Gingrich unless you motive to be a history major or screen bowl whiz.) frame 1- the originatorful house 1789-1820-under Washingtons judicatory the house was more powerful than the Senate, but still answered to Washingtons cabinet. pattern 2-The Divided House- 1820-1890- Jackson asserted his power over the house. sectional tensions leading up to the civil war the House was again change integrity between Radical Republicans and Moderates and different opinions on Reconstruction. Phase 3- The Speaker rules- 1890-1910 GOP doubting Thomas Reed, Speaker of the House obtained the power to name chairpersons. He decides what business would come up for vote. Phase 4- The House Revolts- 1910-1911 Canno n replaces Reed as the Speaker but the House revolts against him. The Speaker can no longer name committee chairpersons or serve on the rules committee. The powers were given to Party Caucus. Phase 5 -The Members Rule- 1911-1965-Democrats take control of the House. Chairpersons kept civil rights from happening. Eventually, the committee rebelled. Phase 6 -The Leadership Returns- 1965-Present. Newt Gingrich takes power back from the House and gives it to himself as a speaker. Although voted on by Party Caucus, he dominated choices of the committee chairperson.6) How has the history and structure of the Senate meant that it would be different from the House of Representatives? The Framers chose to create a bicameral legislaturewith a House of Representatives, to be elected instanter by the people, and a Senate, consisting of two members from apiece state, to be chosen by the legislatures of each state. Though all legislative powers were to be vested in Congress, those powers would b e sh atomic number 18d with the president, limited to powers explicitly conferred on the federal government, and subject to the power of the dictatorial Court to declare acts of Congressunconstitutional. 7) What were the main issues in the development of the Senate and how were these issues settled? Make sure that you understand what these terms refer to filibuster, cloture, Rule 22. The larger more populous states wanted a senate ground on population. Of course the smaller states objected because they would earn been severely outnumbered. So both sides compromised and made the House of Representatives (by population) and the Senate (everyone has 2 representatives) together these two bodies make up. Ben Franklin came up with the fascinate for Senate as a means of satisfying the small states.Filibuster The use of the Senates tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying evasive action to block a bill. Cloture shuts of the discussion on a bill.Rule 22 debate may be closed of on a b ill if 16 senators sign a petition requesting it and if, after two old age have elapsed, 3/5 of the entire membership vote for cloture. 8)Summarize the points that Edmund murder made in his speech to the Bristol Electors about the responsibilities of a representative to his constituents. He basically said that a representative should have good judiciousness and should be sacrificial to his constituents. He should likewise respect the opinions of his constituents and to always listen to the peoples problems. 9) Briefly summarize the trends in the sex and step on it of members of Congress. The House has become less male and less white since the 1950s. The Senate has been lazy to change. In addition, Republican control of both houses prior to the midterm election of 2006 had reduced minority influence. However, the recent cant of control of both chamber to the Democrats resulted in African Americans and Hispanics becoming chairpersons of several important committees.10) Why have more congressional districts become safer for incumbent reelection? Incumbents, with support and privileges of their status (such as franking privileges) have developed ways to make themselves popular by utilise the mass media, making personal appearances with constituents, and sending newsletters, etc. These efforts have made more and more congressional districts become safer for incumbent re-election. 11) What are the achievable explanations for why the Democrats dominated Congress from 1933-1994? Democrats tend to dominate Congress. This is mostly because Democrats tend to do better in low-turnout districts, while the Republicans do well in high-turnout districts. The advantages of incumbency became more pronounced during a time when Democrats controlled the Congress. Democrats generallyhave more experienced congressional candidates, have more closely reflected district-level voters rights polity preferences, and have been able to fashion winning,district-level coalitions fro m among national Democratic constituencies. Democrats were the majority party in Congress when this happened.The anti-incumbent mood, coupled with the effects of redistricting after the 1990 census and the shift of the South to the Republican party, brought the Republicans into power in the House and Senate in the 1994 elections. In the past the Democratic party was more deeply divided than the Republicans, because of the heading in Congress of conservative Democrats from the South. Often these southern Democrats would vote with Republicans, thereby forming a conservative coalition 12)Why has Congress become more ideologically partisan since the 1980s? It has become more polarized than voters in terms of political beliefs. One result of this polarization is that members of Congress, especially those in the House, do not get along as well as they once did with members who differ with them, and they are more likely to challenge one an different 13) Summarize the three theories of how members of Congress behave. There are three theories about how members of Congress behave representational, organizational, and attitudinal. The representational explanation is based on the assumption that members want to be reelected, and therefore they vote to please constituents.The organizational explanation is based on the assumption that since constituents do not know how their legislator has voted, it is not important to please them. But it is important to please fellow members of Congress, whose goodwill is semiprecious in getting things done and in acquiring status and power in Congress. The attitudinal explanation is based on the assumption that there are so many conflicting pressures on members of Congress that they cancel each other out, leaving them virtually free to vote on the solid ground of their own beliefs. 14.Define malapportionment and gerrymandering. From the online article on Gerrymandering 101, summarize what Minority Gerrymandering and packing are. Malapp ortionment- muster the boundaries of political districts so that districts are very unequal in population. Gerrymandering- swig the boundaries of political districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to make it gentle for candidates of the party in power to win elections in those districts Packing is to centre as many voters of one type into a single electoral district to reduce theirinfluence in other districts. 15.What is the sophomore good deal? Why does it happen? What effects does it have? Sophomore surge is where the most newly elected members become strong in their districts very quickly. The intellect for this surge is that members of Congress have figured out how to use their offices to run personal rather than party campaigns.They make use of their free privileges. They also cater to their constituents distrust of federal govt by promising to clean things upif reelected. If re-elected, they run for congress by running against it. 16.Summarize the issues involved and the resolution in Baker v. Carr and Wesberry v. Sanders Both Wesberry and Reynoldsdecisions were predicated on the catchment basin ruling in Baker v. Carr,369 US 186 (1962), in which the US Supreme Court decided reapportionment of state legislative districts was not a political question that should be resolved through legislation. The Court rear legislative conflicts of interest raised justiciable issues that could be addressed and resolved by the Federal courts. 17)What are the principal jobs and responsibilities in the party leadership in the Senate? The majority party chooses one of its members usually the person with the greatest longevity to be president of the Senate. It is largely an honorific position, required by the reputation so that the Senate will have a presiding officer in the absence of the vice president of the United States.The real leadership is the hands of the majority leader (chosen by the senators of the majority party) and the minority leader (chosen by the senators of the other party). The senators of each party also elect a whip. The principal confinement of the majority leader is to muniment the business of the Senate. He has the right to be accepted first in any floor debate. The whip is a senator who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking, rounds up members when important votes are to be taken, and attempts to keep a wreathe count on how the voting on a controversial issue is likely to go. Each party also chooses a Policy direction composed of a dozen senators who help the party leader schedule Senate business, choosing what bills are to be given attention and in what order. From the point of view of individual senators, the key party organization is the group that assigns senators to the standing committees of the Senate.These assignments are very important to newly elected senator. 18) What are the formal and open powers of the Speaker of theHouse? The Speaker is the most important perso n in the House. He is elected by whichever party has the majority, and he presides over all House meetings. He is the principal leader of the majority party as well as the presiding officer of the entire House. The Speaker decides who shall be recognized to speak on the floor of the House he rules whether a campaign is relevant and he decides the committees to which new bills shall be assigned. He influences what bills are brought up for a vote and appoints the members of special and select committees.