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Current congressional makeup
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Presidency controlled by Democrat
112th Congress controlled by:
- House: Republicans
- Republican: 244
- Democrat: 191
- Senate: Democrats
- Republican: 47
- Democrat: 51
- Independent: 2
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A bicameral legislature
Reapportionment of the House every 10 years
Minimum requirements for seeking office
Law-making powers
- Enumerated powers in Section 8:
- Declare war
- Collect taxes
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Legislators as rational actors
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Three activities of legislators
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legislators want to be reelected, and they advertise, credit claim, and take positions to ensure this (Mayhew).
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Maintain visibility to constituents through frequent trips home and mailings (e-mail)
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Let people know what you’ve done
Service to individuals in their district.
- Casework: specifically helping constituents get what they think they have a right to.
- Pork Barrel: federal projects, grants, etc. made available in a congressional district or state.
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- Portray selves as hard working, dedicated individuals
- Take public stands on issues
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Higher chance of winning
Those already holding office, who typically win reelection
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Incumbency advantage; and reasons for
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Legislators perform the three activities well
Name recognition
Party Identification: Most incumbents already represent the majority party in their district
Weak Opponents: Most opponents are inexperienced in politics, unorganized, and underfunded
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Defeating incumbents; and ways how
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- Scandals or other complications in office weaken the incumbency advantage
- Often, the incumbent will withdraw and leave a seat “open”
- A legislator may be “drawn out” of their district
- She now represents a new set of voters
- They may face massive voter retaliation
- More likely for senators than representatives
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Legislators must spend money to win reelection
- But spending lots of money does not guarantee a win
- More money spent equals more competitive race
- Open seats are most expensive
- Candidates “run scared”
Political Action Committees do not “buy” candidates
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Congressional organization; house v. senate
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- Incumbents winning provides stability in Congress.
- But, it makes it more difficult to change Congress through elections.
- Term limits may force member turnover
- Increase instability in Congress
- Disadvantageous unless Congress limits itself
- Besides, most disapprove of Congress, even though they typically approve of their member
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Congressional leadership; names
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The House
- Speaker of the House: elected by members, and of majority party
- Speaker presides over House, and has major role in committee assignments and legislation.
The Senate
- Officially led by Vice President.
- Really led by Majority Leader: chosen by party members.
- Must work with Minority leader.
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Four types of committees:
Standing committees: committees handle different policy areas.
Joint committees: few policy areas, made up of House & Senate members.
Conference committees: resolve differences in House and Senate bills.
Select committees: created for a specific purpose.
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Standing committees; task and type
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Legislation
- Committees work on 11,000 bills every year.
- Committees hold hearings on legislation.
- Committees serve as a cue or voting reference for other members.
Senate
- agriculture, nutrition and, forestry
- Appropreation
- armed forces
- Banking, housing, and urban affairs
- Budget
- Commerce, sciece, and tranceportation
- energy and natural resources
- enviroment and publc works
- finance
- foreign relationships
- health labor education and pention
- homeland security, and govermant affairs
- judiciary
- rule and administration
- small business and entrepreneurship
- veterans affairs
- House Committees
- Agriculture
- appropriations
- armed services
- budget
- Education and labor
- energy and commerce
- financial services
- foreign affairs
- homeland security
- house administraion
- judiclary
- natural resources
- Oversight and govermental reform
- rules
- science and technology
- small business
- standards of official coduct
- transportation and official infastructure
- veterans affairs
- ways and means
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Oversight involves hearings and other methods of pressuring the executive branch into action.
As size of government grows, oversight grows too.
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- House
- Bill is introduced, committee action(subcommittee,committee,rules committe), floor action(full house) ,president decides.
Senate
Bill is introduced, committee action(subcommittee,committee,leadership), floor action(full senate) ,president decides.
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Four factors that influence legislators’ votes
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Presidents,Approval, bargaining, leadership, speeches, to succeed in congress president most win several battles in each house, presiental veto.
- Party and ideology.
- Constituents
- Interest groups
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Party polarization and effects
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