Political Science

Political Science 150 with Mycoff at University of Delaware

About this deck

By: Victoria True
Textbook:

Keeping the Republic: Power and Citizenship In American Politics, 4th Edition, the Essentials (Essentials (CQ Press))
Created: 2010-12-06
Size: 52 flashcards
Views: 57

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Why Americans have a conflicting relationship with congress

1. citizens have conflicting expectations when it comes to the operation of their national legislature

2. what may be the actual process is actually very long, which frustrates many Americans

Representation

efforts of elected officials to look out for interests of those who elected them

National Law making

the creation of policy to address the problems and needs of an entire nation

4 kinds of representation

1. policy representation

2. allocative representation

3. case work representation

4. Symbolic representation

Policy Representation

congressional work to advance the issues and ideological preferences of constituents

Allocative Representation

congressional work to secure projects, service and funds for the represented district

- Pork Barrel: benefits that are given/ enjoyed by just a few but payed for by all

Case work Representation

legislative work on behalf of individual constituents to solve thier problems with government agencies and programs

- Franking: free mail service to members of congress

Symbolic Representation

efforts of congress to stand for American ideals or identify with common constituency values

- they speak at graduations, attend town meetings

National Law making

- a lot of their time is spent in washington working with other representatices on the nation's problems

- as a nation we tend to reward member who focus locally

Congress

House reps and senate reps

Bicameral Legislature (2 houses)

- wanted so they could put restraints on each other

- house: 435 people/ 2 year rule/ 25 years old

- senate: 100 people/ 6 year rule/ 30 years old

Impeachment

-house impeaches or charges the public figure

- senate then tries them

Checks and Balances

- framers were most concerned with executive tyranny

- congress regulates commerce, raise and spend money for national gov/ power to provide for economic infrastructure. declare war/ ratify treaties/ raise support for armed forces

Congress and the President

congress has the responsibility for passing bills but the bills then need to be signed by the president

- or need to have a 2/3 majority vote to over-ride

Congressional Oversight

committees investigation of the executive and government agencies to ensure they are acting as congress intends

Reappointment

a reallocation of congressional seats among the states every then years, fllowing the census

- depends on where people have moved

Redistricting

redrawing of district lines in states with more than one representative

Gerrymandering

redistricting to benefit a particular party or group

1. pro incumbent

2. partisan: maximize the number of house representatives

3. Racial: district lines drawn to favor a racial or ethnic group

Strategic Politicians

office-seekers who base the decision to run on a rational calculation of whether they will be successful

1. is this the right state or district?

2. is there an incumbent advantage?

3. do i have the access to funds?

4. How are the national tide running

Coattail effect

added voted because of the winning presidential party

Midterm loss

tendency for the presidential party to lose congressional seats in off-year elections

- has to do with economy and president popularity

Descriptive Representation

the elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents

Occupations and representation

Republicans: tend to represent business and banking

Democrats: careers in pubic service

Education

almost all members of congress have a college degree so those members who don't have no representation

Majority Party

- party with the most seats in a house of congress

- will decide the rules for the chamber and gets the top leadership positions

- members have to advance in their party to advance in congress

- strong centralized leadership makes it more effective

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House

Presiding officer of the Senate

The Vice President

Whips

find out how people intend to vote so the leaders can adjust their ideas if need be

- for power: as much as the members give the leaders

Seniority System

accumulation of power and authority in conjunction with the length of time spent in office

The Committee System

work is broken into smaller groups or committees

- developed to meet the growing political demand

What committees do

- work to consider alternatives and drafting legislation

- primary information gatherers for congress

- check that executives are carrying out laws the way they are supposed to

Types of Committees

1. standing committee

2. House Rules committee

3. Select Committee

4. Joint committee

5. Conference Committee

Standing Committee

permanent committees responisble for legislation in particular policy areas (very powerful)

- 21 standing committees

House Rules Committee

the committee that determines how and when debate on a bill will take place

Select Committee

committee appointed to deal with an issue or problem not suited to a standing committee

- usually temporary

Joint Committees

combined House-Senate committees formed to coordinate activites and expedite legislationin a certain area

Confrenece committees

temporary committees formed to reconcile differences in House and Senate versions of a bill

3 goals for congressmen

1. reelection

2. law making

3. influence in congress

Congressional Resources

- over 26,000 people are employed by the federal government

- house has an 18 member staff each

- senate has a 36 member staff each

How Congress works

1. Separate Houses, Identical Bills: each bill has to pass a certain number of votes from each chamber

2. Fragmentation: legislation is broken down and then evaluated by specific committees

3. Norms of Conduct: informal rules that establish accepted ways of doing things

How a bill becomes a law

1. setting the agenda

2. legislative process

3. Getting it to the floor

4. Senate Rules

5. Final Challenges

Setting the Agenda

when a bill is proposed it must be important enough to turn attention to it

Setting the Agenda: LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

slate of proposals and issues that representatives think it worthwhile to act on

1. caused by public attention/state of the Union Address

2. triggered by a well know publicized event

3. issue of a members own interest

Legislative Process

- formal introduction: putting bill in the "hopper"

- then goes to a committee --> subcommittee (this is where most bills die)

- the bills with then have hearings

Getting to the Floor

starts at the STANDING Committee and then the rules committee

- can add changes/ amendments to each bill before its passes

Senate Rules

- No time limit/ "unlimited debate"

Senate Rules: FILIBUSTER

practice of unlimited debate in the Senate i order to prevent or delay a vote on a bill

Senate Rules: CLOTURE

a vote to end a filibuster, requires a 3/5 majority vote

Final Challenges

ROLL CALL VOTING: publicity recorded voted on bills on the floor if the House and Senate

- party affiliation is most important in decisions

If it passes though roll call it then goes to the president

Veto Override

reversal of a presidential veto by a 2/3 majority vote in congress

Pocket Veto

presidential authority to kill a bill submitted within 10 days of the end of a legislative by not signing it (just because congress isn't in session)

- there are way more possibilities of killing a bill rather than it actually becoming a law

Citizens and Congress

- increasing negative views about congress

1. changing nature of campaigns

2. negative media coverage

3. money in congressional elections

4. dissatisfaction with the practice of democracy (want to be more efficient)

About this deck

By: Victoria True
Textbook:

Keeping the Republic: Power and Citizenship In American Politics, 4th Edition, the Essentials (Essentials (CQ Press))
Created: 2010-12-06
Size: 52 flashcards
Views: 57

About StudyBlue

“Simply amazing. The flash cards are smooth, there are many different types of studying tools, and there is a great search engine. I praise you on the awesomeness.”
Dennis