PS103 Lec Sept 1.docx

September, 1st 2009 PS 103: Lecture Class 1 Review Logistics Congress is a ?they? not an ?it? Think as a group of individual?s vs. single unit (I.e. a person). Group of individuals all pursuing their own goals. Think of subunits (i.e. political [attires] the same way. Implication?Congress isn?t very popular Rare that for more people to approve of congress than disapprove People on both sides of isle and center has reasons to be upset w Congress Dems. Mad ---i.e. Health care bill not going as smoothly, weaker stimulus GOP Mad---Don?t like Congress because they?re not a majority Independents Mad (Broad center of electorate)---won?t be happy because of polarization (see below) Polarization (reason why centrists aren?t happy) Reps have polarized more than their districts Parties are really aligned on either side of the center A lot of votes split the two parties (1976= liberal and cons peaks but some center, 1999-2001= bi modal, no center) View that this leg. Institution is failing us and not serving the interest of anyone. Misunderstood institution Both ^^^ can be messing internal workings of democracy Sometimes arguing makes us made even if it?s just process of democracy Class 2 Plan Theories of Representation Federal v Anti-Fed Debate Demographics of Modern Congress Theories of Representation---both are theories Trustee v. Delegate (votes directly how we want them to vote) Think of representatives as delegates, easy to get mad when they don?t vote your way Want politicians with principles. If you wanted a delegate, you?d want one who moved this way or that way. Want this responsiveness, but @ the same time want these principles Descriptive v. Substantive Descriptive---idea that you want to be represented by someone like you; same characteristics. I.e. Af. Am voters should be represented by Af. Am politicians Politicians are like those people and more likely to know the true interests of those people Must be trust because voters identify with their elected official Substantive---Doesn?t matter who you are as long as you represent the people of your district. Idea you can incentivize substantive representation with elections (contrast w. Descriptive, where you only need the right people) I.e. if your white in a large black district you?ll substantively rep. them bc you want to get elected Melancton Smith---Anti-federalist (writes after constitution written but before ratified) Will constitution elect ?natural aristocrats? or demagogues? Constituency size Arg: Problem w/ districts that are too big will favor natural aristocrats over middle class More easily able to form political parties, factions, etc. Unavoidable problems that our districts are going to be bigger and that it?ll be harder for the avg. guy to win Arg. Against more powerful fed gov. Don?t want too many small districts (hurts functionality) but doesn?t want districts to be (hurts avg. guy of being elected) Plurality elections Advantages of ?middling? class? Aristocrats in dirty word after Rev. in Am politics Trying to reject a strong federal government Populist argument that we see in both political parties over time I.e. Sarah Palin or Joe the Plummer?some of same concerns ^^ Instincts against elites from either party Smith: we?re making a gov. that will put the both in elite and not middle class Federalist 10 Factions What? Factions: are united in some interests but vs. common interests. I.e. build a dam in their district even Why? Worried about majority faction---ex. Propelled that majority faction will tax people. Too much and take away their property and that?s bad for the common wealth Issue of raising tariffs too high is bad for the commonwealth Concern of majority overpowering those who have property and money Reason for these argument, given the historical context (i.e. debtor?s rebellions) Can factions be eliminated? Madison dismisses: 1) Make everyone agree or 2) Expunge their liberty Can?t do either ^^ BUT we can mitigate with (1) Broad Republic and (2) Large enough districts (see below) Coalition of special interests Tyranny of the majority Broad republic Diverse inters so unlikely to have a common desire to do something. I.e. some states might want higher and lower tariffs but might differ on another issue that keeps them from coalescing around tariff issue. May agree of tax issues but disagree on social issues won?t mobilize Large enough districts Won?t be pushed in just one way. Pushed in many ways Think: Does Madison?s arg. Hold ^^? Yes, political parties but do they behave like a good majority faction (dems mad their party isn?t) Senators from small vs. large states have diff interests. Federalist 35 Legislature cannot represent every type Tradesman will elect merchants All property holders have common interests Expertise is necessary when it comes to taxation Not really disagreeing with Smith. Hamilton says stop worrying about avg. Joes. Bc tradesmen (avg Joe) will elect the merchant. No problem that you elect the cream of the crop, in fact advantages that will generate a better system/. Stop worrying about class bias and start worrying about getting good people into office. Federalist 53 Term Length Yearly elections not necessary for control Expertise essential for legislating Trustee argument Federalist 57 The electoral connection Gratitude and vanity Future advancement Frequent elections Size= choice Big districts give us choice and opportunity to select people good @ what they do and then kick them out if they don?t do what we want Federalists: On side of electoral connection and substantive representation. Propelled by concern that middle classes given too much power might use as an majority faction Anti-Federalists (Smith) Opposite side?.descriptive representation What now Federal Farmer? Wealth? 2002: 43% of incoming freshman were millionaires 2004: 123 of 435 millionaires, 45 out of 100 millionaires. Ex. Ted Kennedy =rich but spent whole live advocating interests of working people Size of districts? 1790-1800: 30k people 1800-1810: 33k 1900-1910: 194k 2000-2001: 640k Facts about 111th Congress (Evidence of fails of descriptive representation) There are 75 (17%) women in the House, 17 in the Senate ^^ BIG failing of descriptive representation There are 42 (9.5%) Af. Are members in the House, 1 Af? Am member of the Senate There are 25 (4.5%) Hispanic members of the House, 3 Hispanic members in the Senate There are 8 Asian members in the House, 3 Asian member s of the Senate These is one Native American member of the 11th Congress in the House More of discrepancy between rep and politician in the senate than in the House (usually bigger districts) More facts about 111th Congress The average age in the 111th Congress is 57. The average age of House members is 57. The average age of House members is 55.9; the avg age of senators is 61.7 Law degree helps 1