POLS 206 1st Edition Lecture 9 Outline of Last Lecture I Current Events a WDC Shooting Syria Government Shutdown II Why can t we get pork under control III Partisanship IV MCs particularize policy V Credit Claim 2 casework a MCs address constituent bureaucratic complaint i Passport processed TSA ect ii Word of mouth spread the word VI How are national concerns addressed VII Is pork really so bad a Greases the wheels helps to get laws passed i Federal spending b MCs dismiss pork as a minor concern a What do they do b Paid trips back home c Franking Privileges Outline of Current Lecture I Current Events a Government shutdown moves closer b House passed a continuing resolution with a defund obamacare provision II Institutions are Designed intentionally III Congress and Collective Responsibility IV Committee system a Most of the work of congress is done in committees b House c Congress d Approximately 20 standing committees V Committee system facilitates individualism VI Parties a Serve 2 purposes b Long term winning VII 2 Antagonistic Forms of Organization a Parties have to protect collective reputation Lecture 9 Notes VIII Current Events a Government shutdown moves closer b House passed a continuing resolution with a defund obamacare provision i This is sure to die in the senate ii Illustrates a lot of the themes discussed in class 1 Small minority of MCs can shutdown the government 2 GOPers are afraid of primary challenges from the right 3 Rational for individual GOPers to vote their district but it may hurt the collectivity 4 Figures in GOP are a direct consequence of our discussion of a collective action problem electoral laws and the constitution a What does it mean right now to be a republican IX Institutions are Designed intentionally a Never neutral b Protect own incumbency status incumbents write the laws because people in charge are happy with the status quo X Congress and Collective Responsibility a MCs deliver pork b MCs credit claim c Particularize goods not broad national problems d Preserves the incumbency advantage XI Committee system a Most of the work of congress is done in committees i Agenda setting ii Sources of expertise iii Resources to enhance re election help in the district b House i About 20 different subcommittees ii Broken down into more specialized groups in the house because there are more people c Congress i Broad and not as specialized ii Rough correspondence jurisdiction not as specific d Approximately 20 standing committees i Each one has about 5 7 sub committees ii Governed by party ratio iii Seniority system allows most senior majority leader to be the chair 1 The chair sets the agenda and decides whether a bill goes forward or not a Distributive purpose committees help MCs distribute benefits to the district i Committees aren t mentioned in the constitution ii MCs create committees to protect incumbency status generally members will get assigned to what they want at least to protect the incumbency status 1 Hard to kick them off once they get there a Larry Craig and William Jefferson 2 Enables MCs to credit claim a Houston member from outer space b Informational purpose law making is complex so it makes sense to consult the experts on a certain cause i Lawmaking is uncertain ii Large quantity of bills 1 10 000 bills every 2 year term only 200 ever pass 2 Division of labor and specialization a Politicians have a working knowledge because many come from former careers b Farmers agricultural c Bankers financial d Teachers educational XII Committee system facilitates individualism a MCs can specialize in areas important to their district and constituents allows them to enhance electoral prospects b Just another tool in arsenal to heighten incumbency advantage c Policy is particularistic it appeals to a narrow constituency d Is national interest served i Each party wants to protect their own brand XIII Parties a Serve 2 purposes i Long term winning coalition need to form parties to organize things ii Impose collective discipline on MCs when tempted to defect b Long term winning i Might agree on a couple of issues and disagree on others ii Transaction cost of winning coalition is just too high iii Parties cooperate on broad packages of issues 1 Rep low economic intervention high morality intervention 2 Democrats are the opposite iv v vi vii Parties control rsources that MCs want Grant or strip of chairmanship Fundraising for a candidate Encourages MCs to work together when they would be tempted to defect to their own interests XIV 2 Antagonistic Forms of Organization a Parties have to protect collective reputation i Don t want to engage in wasteful corrupt behavior ii Electorate may punish party in power iii 1 MC for small problem but might blame the party iv Parties produce uncontrollability on a national level 1 Reign in members 2 Do this by using key resources that keep MC faithful a Money b Power to assign strip from committee c Redistrict MCs 3 Always a natural antagonism between parties and individualism a Committees allow individualism b Parties ask for conformity not necessarily in the interest of the district i Protects the brand ii Parties are more diverse than any one member of congress 1 Have to maintain a big tent 2 Mod views to appeal to highest of the party 4 Whose argument is this a James Madison Federalists b Parties are factions i Yet more moderate collective thinking