Political Science Notes Congress 2 Worlds of Congress 1 World on Capitol Hill in D C the lawmaking Congress 2 World of the district where members relate to constituents the representing Congress Winning elections is the baseline of the relationship Congressional Paradox Congress has extremely low approval ratings but Power of incumbency incumbent members of Congress are re elected at extremely high rates why win almost all incumbents run for re election almost all Advantages of incumbency 1 Name recognition and relevant experience 2 Money 3 Campaign organization 4 Time challengers run a compressed campaign Kernell and Jacobson s Strategic Politicians Hypothesis Experienced politicians make strategic rational decisions about when to run for higher office Potential campaign contributors make strategic decisions about when and to whom to contribute Appearance of incumbent invincibility deters potential strong challengers Self fulfilling prophecy The more incumbents spend on their campaign the worse they do on Election Day In Congress The Electoral Connection David Mayhew discusses the Continuous Campaign of incumbents name recognition and service record Single minded seekers of re election 3 basic kinds of activities 1 Advertising members efforts to get their names and themselves in front of constituents in a positive light Trips home franking privilege 2 Credit claiming members claim personal responsibility for moving government to do things for the district and constituents Federal grants and e g pork barrel and earmarks concentrated benefits dispersed costs Casework help constituents via staff deal with government bureaucracy make friends and no enemies and non partisan Morris Fiorina s argument 3 Position taking take the right position and cast the right to vote on matters important to the district At a minimum cast an explainable vote Representation and Ir responsibility in Congress Familiar criticism of Congress is against members pursuit of particularized benefits programs projects earmarks and tax breaks targeted at constituents pork Members always tempted to over produce especially if primary concern is re election Mayhew Individual responsiveness to the district but danger problem of no collective responsibility on part of Congress Collective action problem each member pursues a rational individually productive strategy collective irresponsibility Influence of national conditions on congressional elections 2 tradional rules of thumb 1 Party of presidential winner picks up congressional seats in presidential year 8 on average in House 2 in Senate since 1980 2 President s party loses congressional seats in a midterm 1994 House Elections 52 for Reps 230 Reps 204 Dems 1 Ind 2010 House Elections 63 for Reps 193 Dems 242 Reps Occasionally many more incumbents lose than is typical in an election year When this happens most incumbent losers typically are from political party in power Anti party Wave election But even in these elections vast majority of incumbents are re elected Nature of representation Trustee member votes the way his her constituents Edmund Burke member listens to constituents but votes Instructed Delegate want his her own conscience Sociological do members share socio demographic characteristics of constituents Does Congress look like the nation No not too many females 1st World of Congress Congress as a lawmaking body How does anything get done in Congress Complex legislative process 5 000 bills introduced annually each session A seeming nightmare for collective action 2 chambers with 535 members Features that enable work to get done bills passed into law 1 Formal organization role of the committee system 2 Political parties and party leadership 3 Informal norms and rules of behavior 1 Committee System Committees serve as filters trap bills prevent overload Committees are where bills go to die 90 of bills die in committee Provides division of labor enables members to develop expertise and facilitates info provision Any potential drawbacks Yes 2 Political parties and leadership Leader of the House is Paul Ryan Speaker of the House Republican Majority party in House and in Senate controls Major leadership positions Committees and subcommittees and their chairs Floor debate more so in the House Among other things party leaders serve as traffic cops address potential coordination problems control the agenda and schedule floor business Coalition builders persuade other members to vote with the party Political parties serve as ready made coalitions reducing transaction costs If strong parties members lose some autonomy to party and party leaders ex Conformity costs However ultimately in the U S members may pursue own goals including re election party leaders don t control their electoral fate 3 Informal Norms and Rules of Behavior Norms of respect and institutional loyalty Norms of reciprocity be willing to bargain compromise work with others and logrolling vote trading But these norms have deteriorated across past 35 years Differences between House and Senate In the House relative to the Senate Party leaders tend to be stronger Greater specialization More limits on floor debate and amendment no Rules Committee in the Senate and the possibility of a Senate filibuster unless a Unanimous Consent Agreement UCA o Invoke cloture con bring a filibuster to an end but requires 60 out of 100 Senators so an effective working majority in Senate is actually 60 members 60 2 year terms relative to 6 year terms Presidency Traditional Presidency Modern Presidency Franklin Roosevelt s Presidency Clinton Rossiter s presidential roles Constitutional roles 1 Chief of State ceremonial symbolic 2 Chief Executive chief administrator 3 Chief Legislator 4 Chief Diplomat 5 Commander in Chief Extra constitutional roles 1 Chief of political party Barack Obama Democratic Party 2 Manager of the economy 3 Voice of the people 4 Protector of Peace 5 World leader Leader of the Free World 2 Questions to ask regarding the modern presidency Michael Nelson 1 How strong is the presidency empirical question 2 Is presidential strength good or bad normative question Answers to these two questions At least 3 models of modern presidency note model here refers to a normative view 1 Savior Model Heroic Superman or Textbook model 1940s 1960s Strong presidency is good Preference for activist liberal president Motivated Neustadt s Presidential Power 1960 Neustadt s Presidential Power 1960 how to manual for modern
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