CONGRESS In this chapter we will cover What s the Problem s with Congress Roots of the Legislative Branch The Constitution and the Legislative Branch The Law making Function of Congress How Members Make Decisions The Members of Congress How Congress is Organized Congress and the President Congress was the main institiution founding fathers focused on Capitol Building o Where congress is o Abraham Lincoln o Dome Jefferson Davis leader of the confederate army Vote Which Ohioan to Replace Allen in Capitol Rotunda Statue in front of the building is Ulysses S Grant James Ashley Thomas Edison Ulysses S Grant Jesse Owens Olympic gold medalist Judith Resnik Astronaut from Ohio Albert Sabin vaccine for polio Wright Brothers And the winner is Thomas Edison The Senate the greatest deliberative body in the world Congress and the American Public seem to be on Different Pages Americans Support expanding Social Security and increasing the minimum wage 70 favor stricter regulations on financial institutions 60 Banks Wall Street Raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations in order to expand Wanted to do something about gun control after Sandy Hook Conn And Congress has done nothing about any of these issues programs for the poor 54 massacre 92 Money permanent campaign and no time to work with opposition no What s wrong with Congress incentive to compromise no time to socialize Redistricting Redistricting in each state based on changing population Redistricting is redrawing Congressional House of Representative districts It is done every 10 years after the census It may be done differently in each state but typically it is done by the governor cabinet officers and state legislature Sounds boring But it helps explain the current problem now with the shutdown of the government demanded by Members of Congress who represent only 18 of the American people How is that possible Gerrymandering Gerrymandering If redistricting gets too political it is called gerrymandering Elbridge Gerry Governor of MA 1812 Redrew MA districts to favor his party Critics said one looked like a salamander Redistricting or Gerrymandering Redistricting has been called the dark art Do voters choose their legislators or legislators choose their voters America is the only democracy in the world that allows its politicians to draw their own district boundaries Ohio Redistricting after 2010 Census Done by OH governor and legislature Had to eliminate 2 districts from 18 to 16 Strengthened Republican hold on districts 13 Republicans and 5 Democrats in 2009 Ohio popular vote The problem with redistricting Governor 2010 49 47 Republican Presidential 2008 Obama 51 McCain 47 OH votes split nearly 50 50 between the parties battleground state But districts now 12 Repubs and 4 Dems 75 25 One Effect of Gerrymandering The loss of moderates as a result of gerrymandering means it is harder to get Result the do nothing Congresses legislation done 112th Congress 120 substantive bills 113th 55 in first session Projected 110 90th 800 Congress More Do Nothing More on Problems with Congress Recommend It s Even Worse Than It Looks by Ornstein and Mann Key historical figure Newt Gingrich former speaker of the house Congressional vs Parliamentary system A comparison Congressional Separation of institutions legislative and executive In one party rule much legislation could get passed In divided government different parties control different branches Possible results gridlock Wait until next election Or legislation through compromise Parliamentarian Majority party has legislative and executive control prime minister Opposition party no real power Loyal opposition makes speeches Result legislation passes until public outcry No real compromise until criticizes Wait for next election election Roots of the Legislative Branch The U S Congress was greatly influenced by the American colonial experience and by the first Constitution the Articles of Confederation Under the British colonial assemblies were chosen as advisory bodies to the royal governors These assemblies gradually assumed more power and authority in each colony eventually gaining responsibility over taxation and spending The weaknesses of the Articles led to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 The Constitution and the Legislative Branch of Government Article 1 creates a bicameral legislative branch of government The upper house is called the Senate in which each state receives 2 representatives The lower house is called the House of Representatives which is apportioned by population in districts determined from the Census Currently each member represents approximately 700 000 constituents The Senate has a 6 year term with 1 3 of the seats up for reelection every two years House members serve 2 year terms Constitutional Powers of Congress laws The most important constitutional power of Congress is the power to make This power is shared by the House and the Senate In order to become a law a bill must be passed by both houses of congress Checks and Balances Congress Congressional power is checked by the executive with veto It is checked by the Supreme Court through judicial review Congress can check the power of the president through passing a bill over a And the Judiciary through impeachment budget etc veto impeachment The Law Making Function of Congress Who can write a bill Who must introduce a bill Over 10 000 bills are proposed each year Fewer than 1 are enacted Most bills originate in the Executive Branch A bill must survive three stages to become a law committee the senate or Other governmental actions that carry the force of law house of Rep and the President A bill can die at any stage Presidential directives Bureaucratic regulation Supreme Court rulings Key DifferencesHouse Senate HOR initiate revenue formal 2 year term 435 members specialist public policy Senate advise and consent 6 year term 100 member relaxed generalist foreign policy Both houses Some Key Vocabulary for Congress Logrolling you voite for my bill and I will vote for yours Earmarks pork gone A member of Congress adds something to a bill Cardinals there are 3 parties in Congress those who are the for their state chairmen of corporations that have no money For the Senate and its interesting arcane rules out of date to stop a bill Filibuster supermajority cloture long speech intend arcane means Reconciliation Anonymous hold Any bill that could be held and do not come to the floor because someone says they do not want it