BIOM 121 1nd EditionExam # 3 Study Guide Lectures: 14-19Part I CongressCongress in the ConstitutionApportionment- The House Based on each state’s population More people=more representatives Cut into districts- The Senate Each state gets two representativesRules- Article 1 section 5 The House and the Senate and determine their own rules for procedureEvery member gets one voteSpeaker doesn’t have to be a member of the HouseQualifications for Office- House Atleast 25 years old U.S. citizen for 7 years Residents of the state they are representing- Senate Atleast 30 years old U.S. citizen for 9 years  Resident of the state they are representing- U.S. Term Limits vs. Thornton The only qualifications for these positions Cant add or subtract qualifications Only a Constitutional amendment will let you change anythingPowers of Congress- Article 1 section 2 The House of Representatives can choose their own leaders The House of Representatives can impeach executive and judicial officers- Article 1 section 3 The Senate is required to judge and jury a trial when the House impeaches- Article 1 section 5  The House and Senate can judge the qualifications of their own members Not all members need to be present unless there is a “quorum call” This doesn’t happen very often Usually only happens during corruption- Article 1 section 6 Congressmen get paid by the government at a salary, that they set themselves Congressmen can’t get arrested for anything they say that the president doesn’t like They can only be arrested if they commit treason or any serious crimePowers of Congress-Article 1 section 8- What Congress is allowed to legislate about- Sets out most of the main powers held within Congress- Main powers of the federal government- Federal government is limited Nothing that is specifically allowed is not okCongress Shall Hove the Power to…- Main powers within Article 1 section 8 Constitution lays it all out Regulate interstate and foreign commerce Make all laws function the way they should so that other laws run smoothly (or as intended)Elastic Clause- McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819) U.S. vs. Lopez (1995)- Interstate Commerce Used commonly for this purpose Congress can regulate commerce among several states- Are you allowed to do what you’re trying to do?- Is your method against the law?- Is the method chosen “stupid or “irrational”?Powers Forbidden to Congress (Original Constitution)- Banning slave importation until 1808- Bills of attainder  Punishment for no reason- Ex post facto laws Laws that make something illegal after you did it- Suspension of writ of habeas corpus You have to know why you are arrested and have a trial- No tax on exports- No title of nobility and limits in foreign ones- Impeachment punishment limited You lose office, they can bar you from Senate for the rest of your life- Treason defined, punishment limited You need either a confession or multiple witnesses for treason Treason is when you make war against the U.S. or comfort people making war against the U.S.Congressional Elections- Strategic politicians - Deterrence- Congressional campaign is at the end- The action happens before the campaign actually beginsKinds of Challenges- Quality challengers- Seriousness or strategic amateur- Low quality challenger- There tend to be high re-election rates because of low quality challengersStrategic politicians and Deterrence- Question for the challengers: What can I do to scare off the other people running who might beat me?- Send a message to the other opponents: Let them know they’re weakDeterring Serious Opposition- Make the quality challenger think the odds of winning are too low  Gerrymandering Pork and casework- Make quality challengers think that running against you will be really intenseGerrymandering- Safe seats for one party favors the other party- Drawing district lines to favor or hurt someone Lines drawn by state legislatures- Cracking Taking people of the other party and making them the minority of every district- Packing Taking people of the same party and placing them in the same district so that they have less power in other districtsPork and Casework- Pork Spending whose costs are larger than the benefits Example: A new, unneeded bridge- Casework Helping constituents deal with the federal government Example: Someone needs a passport- People aware are more likely to vote for the incumbentFundraising- Why would it be a deterrent? Incumbent can use a lot of money against me Sign that incumbent is a tough campaigner Fundraising is not liked by many because it is rough work So, people who do a lot of it are going to do well and are willing to sacrifice their jobs This makes them a tough campaignerCongressional Parties- Party leadership and committees- Organized groups of legislatorsWho are the Parties?- Caucus (or conference)- everyone in the party (member of Congress) “Backbenchers” “Rank-and-file”- LeadersCurrent House Leaders- Speaker-John Boehner (OH) Big picture-strategy, not tactics What do we want to accomplish?- Majority leader-Eric Cantor (VA) Tactics, not strategy Floor leader Figure out how to pass the Bill- Majority whip-Kevin McCarthy (CA) Executes tactics Go out and do it- Minority leader-Nancy Pelosi (CA)- Minority whip-Steny Hoyer (MD)Current Senate Leaders- Majority leader-Harry Reid (NV) Combines roles of Speaker and House majority leader- Majority whip-Dick Durbin (IL)- Minority leader-Mitch McConnell (KY)- Minority Whip-John Cornyn (TX)- Less important positions: President of the Senate-Joe Biden [VP] (DE) President pro tempore-Pat Leahy (VT)What do parties and Leaders do in the House?- Leadership structure debate, builds agenda A lot of “choosing-how-to-choose” Affects what wins and loses A lot depends on the Rules CommitteeWhy Have Parties?- Nobody forces the house or Senate to have parties- What’s in it for the members? They can stop you from doing things that you would do if you were left alone Collective action problemParties and Collective Action- Parties solve these problems somewhat They can say no to vote on it- Party leaders are hired enforcers- Creates