PS103 Lec Sept 10.docx

September 10, 2009 PS103 Lecture Review: (Note, readings today and Tuesday= good amount of reading) Why separate powers? Mainly by Madison---following off of Montesquieu: unifying powers (leg, exec, and judicial) is the definition of tyranny. Whoever holds ^ power, holds all power. They would be lawmaker, law executer, and judge Would be tyranny Too much overlapping power right now How? Can?t separate by parchment barriers Just saying they are entirely separation Soln: Each power has some power over the other Institute a set of checks and balances Checks and Balances? Veto (check on Congress), Bi-Cameral (check on Congress) Leg, etc. A view from Today? Was Madison right? Should our primary concern be the legislature getting too powerful? A few yrs. Ago= no Bush was trying to expand executive power. Might have been something Madison didn?t catch about the strength of the executive in modern times. Checks and Balances Bicameral Structure ?The Great Compromise? Origin of tax bills Veto ?Presidential Clause? Vice-president presides Quorum requirement Express limits Taxation Apportionment Impeachment process House impeaches Senate convicts with 2/3s Judge own members Make own rules Senate approves nominees and treaties Express powers Necessary and Proper Clause General Welfare Clause Commerce Clause Health Care Debate Checks and Balances/Constitutional Structure Madison is after slowing down the sweep of the majority Congress has put in more checks than the constitution has required (filibuster and committee assignments) E.g. Senate Finance committee didn?t put out the bill yet so it?s harder to move forward Check to keep leg. action from happening but he wants something affirmative EX Clinton said he would veto any bill if it didn?t provide universal healthcare Party bc we have a system that makes it difficult to pass things like healthcare is one of the reasons why we don?t have it, even though many other industrialized countries have it Inevitably this is going to redistribute resources from those who have them to those who don?t (Madison?s fear) Bicameral legislature Weak role of President Make own rule Filibuster Committee Hard for Obama bc Obama wants to change things but the Constitution makes it hard for him to change things and easy to stop change Elections: Deciding to Run Run: Open field? Primary General Good year? Retire: Tough year? Scandal, Close Race Outside options? Open senate seat, lobbying (attracts people to leave) Inside opportunities? (lack of inside opportunities attracts people to leave) Committee Chair Elections: Putting together a Team Most people represent people who lose (Pollster, campaign manager, fundraiser, etc.) Pollster Consultant Fundraiser Campaign manager Volunteers The Constituency (Pheno) In some big sense, representation is working. Woolsey has a unique district, but has individual incentives Look @ constituents and think about what pressures the constituency puts on Ring Outer: Geographic Inner: Re-election Primary (people who will support you in primary challenge) Personal (close circle of friends in the district) Modifications for Today? What changes would be make 1