Political Science 1100, Introduction to American Politics, March 13, 2013

 

Congress

 

Why doesn't Congress work better?

Let's look at it from two points of view

    - From a Member's point of view

    - From the Institution's point of view

 

Congress from a Member's Point of View

1.The Job 

 

2. Getting the Job

     Remember: Most members run a candidate-centered campaign

3. Why do Incumbents win?

    A. Because they act in a way that helps them win

1)      Claiming credit

2)      Providing Services

3)      Taking Popular Positions

 

    B. Because the organization of Congress helps incumbents

 

   C. Because incumbency helps them raise money and build a warchest
 

- Early Fundraising Discourages Good Opponents

 

    D. How do Incumbents lose?
 

- Changed Constituencies

 

- Misconduct

 

- Mid-term Election waves against incumbents
   

  

 

 

Congress: From the Institution's Point of View

- Congress was designed to be the heart and soul of American national government

The Problem:
    How can you make an institution work when all its members "go it alone" and often resist cooperation?

- Parties and Leaders help make members cooperate and make it work

- But Committees, Rules, and Norms often frustrate leaders and
   make it even harder for members to cooperate 
 

1. The Problem: How do you get individual members of Congress to cooperate? 

 

    Remember, to pass a law,
    you have to get majority approval in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
        - and in identical form

 

 

2. The Leaders of the Political Parties in Congress
    must make Congress work and members cooperate  
 

- 1). Congressional Leaders are Political Party Leaders (but the parties are weaker)
 

 

- 2). What do leaders use to control the organization

 

- a) Persuasion


- b) Agenda Setting


- c) Committee Assignments


- d) Information: The Whip System


- e) Logrolling


- f) Access To The President

 

        - 3). Party Discipline
 
 

Congressional Leaders, 112th Congress
 

	Majority	Minority
House of Representatives (Republican Majority)	Speaker: John Boehner (Ohio) Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (Virginia)	Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (California)
Senate (Democratic Majority)	Majority Leader: Harry Reid (Nevada)	Minority Leader:   Mitch McConnell (Kentucky)

 

 

3. Committees And Subcommittees

 

    a) Most of Congress's work is divided up and given to
        Committees And Subcommittees

 

    b) Committees And Subcommittees therefore
       are Central to The Law-Making Process

 

   c) Standing Committees

 

   

   d) Other Committees

 

 

   e) Committees And Subcommittees Decentralize Congress

      often make cooperation very difficult because they resist control  
 
 

4. Rules

    a) Rules Make It Easy To Obstruct The Law-Making Process

        Examples: Senate Filibusters

    b) Rules That Overcome Congressional Obstacles Are Hard To Use

        Examples: Cloture
 
 

5. Conclusions About Congress

    A. Keystone Of A "Washington Establishment" ?

    B. Policy-Making Biases

        1) Parochialism

        2) Incrementalism

        3) Driven by Crisis

     C. Bad People, or Normal People In A Peculiar Institution?
 

We Distrust Congress, But We Tend To Like Our Individual Representatives

    D. These biases can be overcome  -- with Leadership And Public Support