“All legislative Powers herein granted...”The CongressOct 29th and Nov 31stFounders gave the presidency certain powers- limitation, Need to manage the crisis- assure the people, will represent all of the people, Congress needs to act in local and national interest, rural and urban areasNeeds to be sensitive to people’s needs- what does the people want?? Public polls. Members of Washington can also campaign in their own district- go back home…talk to constutions Tuesday-Thursday club- go back home on the long weekendsPeople choose their representatives thus they have some influence on them. Informing on them on what we want. They fight for us in WashingtonEfficient and effective, create good programs that burden peopleHard for the majority and minority to agree- need the senate and congress. Effective is a goal but efficient is for the executive branch…congress takes forever!! Each member of congress have goals and motivations that conflict with other membersThree main goals: write good public policy…want to make things better, altruistic reasons…love power: progressive ambition (need to be reelect to write good laws)…reelection If we assume that the only goal was reelection then we will really understand what congressmen do…what is the motivation? to what extent and under what circumstances??Some people this goal is good- not all members of congress fear defeat at election time. Most districts are safe for the representative, at least 75% we knowEvery ten years there is census according to the constution- representatives are equal to the population of the state, each congressional district must have equal population. State legislature, including Georgia, draws the linesIdea situation- either democrat or republican, draw your party majorityGerrymandering- most of the districts are safe for one party or the other, cant favor on party overthe other and compact.Incumbency-people vote for the popular one. Recognize. so challenger have to campaign. Moneyhave to come from the interest groups- prefer the incumbents because they are gonna win and they have a vote in congress. Have all these advantagesConstitute services- casework- help individuals with problems with the federal government – representatives actually helpHave a franklin privilege- they don’t have to pay for postage when they send mail to individualsCreditate- anything good is from congress- legislation!! They work the news mediaMembers of congress start raising money as soon as they elected, while the newbies are still trying to figure out if they will run or not. Why pit the effort? So they get the weaker challenger, tend to loose. Senate- you’re don’t have to worry about reelection Representative- ideal types (two extremes). Trustee and delegate.Trustee- “chose me…why?. Think am capable and confident”, I will use these components to make descions.. am going to make it from what I think its right. Let them choose someone else. When the member feel strongly about the issue, but the people don’t know or care.Delegate- “to act as their spokesperson in congress” what do the people back home want?? Regardless of my own opinion. Member don’t have a strong opinion, people back at home care about the issue. Tell me how to vote.Delegatr and trustee- easiest oneMembers feel strongly but the people care and disagree- John f Kennedy presidency- 1950s voters against civil righters. Senator graham voted in favor, putting his reelection in danger. Vast majority of issues are not salient. 99%Agricultural subsidies- members don’t care or people don’t care, look at their field of forces-“cuetaking model” Consult with your party- takes a position on every issue…each has a leadership structure, speaker of the house, majority leader, minority leader, whips.keep tac how often you support or oppose the party. Rules committee, and ways of means in the house representatives, appropriations. Go to their part leaders to be in the chair. How many times did u vote for us?? Johnson tells Kennedy he wants his vote in the bill. Blackmail. Need to be in good graces in yourpartyConsult with other members who have the expertise or another party- other Georgia repress…either party can say if the bill is good for Georgia. Whats the president’s position? Politicians are hesitant to oppose the president of the United States. White house keeps track too. Who votes for, who votes against us? Every committee and member of congress have their own staff…research, investigate, and give advice. Any group that has an interest in legislation- interest groupCertain committees- very powerful, important to certain members, leadership assigns to a committee, then it will assign it a subcommittee, draws up a lesilation, gets through the conference commiteeStop from becoming a law- the subcommittee hates it , full hates it too, house or senate hates it, president vetoes it Differences in house and senate- the house is more bigger, senators tend to know their members, each member in the house of represenatives is in one committee- specialies in one small issue, senate- every member is on multiple…generalities. Bill passes sub, full, the rules committee…what are the rules that the bill will be debated… very limited. Will they allow amendments or not?.. if yes then it isn’t in your control. Enlarge or change it. Have to vote the whole package. Inthe senate however there is unlimited debate, purpose of delaying or killing legislation- filibuster!! It takes 60 votes to stop the filibuster. The similarities are importantStrong therman- 23hrs straight - stop civil
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