11: Congress
- Page ID
- 284321
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 11.0: Introduction
- This page emphasizes Congress's crucial role in the U.S. government as intended by the Constitution's framers, promoting democracy over presidential power. It outlines Congress's important functions, including budget oversight, legislation, and nominations, while addressing common public misunderstandings and criticisms. The chapter seeks to clarify how Congress operates, detailing the House and Senate structures, election processes, and legislative decision-making.
- 11.1: The Institutional Design of Congress
- This page outlines Congress's pivotal role in the U.S. constitutional system, highlighting bicameralism established by the Great Compromise, issues of gerrymandering, and seat apportionment. It addresses historical challenges like reapportionment and representation in Washington D.C., and the impact of majority-minority districts.
- 11.2: Congressional Elections
- This page discusses the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, focusing on their electoral processes, campaign finance, and nationalization of elections. It highlights the advantages incumbents have, especially in fundraising and recognition, while noting a significant shift to national issues over local ones in recent elections. Changes in the political landscape since the 1980s and 1990s are addressed, including regional shifts in party representation.
- 11.3: Congressional Representation
- This page examines the complexities of Congressional representation, presenting models like delegate and trustee approaches while emphasizing descriptive representation's significance. It discusses the challenges of balancing constituent interests with political pressures, as well as issues of diversity within Congress. Concerns around "pork-barrel politics" and the impact of low approval ratings, particularly post-9/11 and amidst national deficits, are highlighted.
- 11.4: House and Senate Organizations
- This page discusses the operation of Congress, emphasizing the roles of leadership and committees in the House and Senate. It highlights the power of the Speaker of the House and the absence of a Speaker in the Senate, replaced by majority and minority leaders. Various committee types are outlined, including standing, joint, conference, and special committees, which significantly influence legislative processes.
- 11.5: The Legislative Process
- This page discusses the U.S. Congress's bill-to-law process, detailing its traditional stages of drafting, committee evaluations, and voting, while noting significant recent changes. Key developments include the rise of the filibuster and budget reconciliation tactics, which have altered legislative dynamics, allowing for more streamlined processes through omnibus bills but increasing minority obstruction in the Senate.
- 11.6: Key Terms
- This page summarizes the United States legislative process, highlighting concepts such as apportionment, bicameralism, and representation models (delegate, descriptive, trustee). It explains parliamentary procedures (cloture, filibuster), roles of Congressional leaders, committee functions, government powers, oversight roles, and political strategies like pork-barrel politics and surge-and-decline theory in voter turnout.
- 11.7: Summary
- This page outlines the institutional design of Congress, established to address the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation, resulting in a bicameral legislature with the Senate and House. It examines Congressional powers, election dynamics, and representation models, while detailing leadership roles, particularly the significance of majority leaders and committee control.
- 11.8: Review Questions
- This page discusses the Great Compromise, which balances representation in Congress between large and small states through population-based House representation and equal Senate representation. It highlights issues like partisan redistricting, Congress's implied powers, and the complexities of removing incumbents.
- 11.9: Critical Thinking Questions
- This page examines the U.S. legislative process and constitutional design, questioning the Senate's role versus the House, Congress's power over interstate commerce, and the impact of descriptive representation. It also explores factors that have transformed traditional legislative methods, prompting reflection on the effectiveness and evolution of congressional representation and authority.
- 11.10: Suggestions for Further Study
- This page presents a selection of books and films that explore American politics, particularly focusing on the U.S. Congress. Notable works include Sarah Binder on minority rights, Davidson and Oleszek's studies on Congress, and Hofstadter's essay on political paranoia. Films like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "The Candidate," produced between 1939 and 1972, depict political themes related to the electoral process.