Chapter 10 Notes Section 1 and 2 Section 2, Part 2 Section 3 and 4

Jumpstart Assignment Describe the political cartoon below.

Why bicameralism? What are the advantages to a bicameral government? What are the disadvantages to a bicameral legislature?

House of Representatives 435 Members (a # which is set by Congress) The original House of Representatives had only 65 members. House members serve 2 year terms Why 2 years?

House Apportionment Reps. are apportioned based on state pop. They are reapportioned every 10 years based on the national census. The Reapportionment Act of 1929 set the “permanent” size of the House at 435

Off-Year Elections Off-year elections are those congressional elections held between presidential elections.

Today’s Plan Jumpstart Assignment: Why do you suppose the President’s political party seems to do so poorly in off-year elections throughout most of America’s history? Reading Minute Notes: Section 2 Assignment: Who Represents Me

Districts The House of Reps. has single member districts. Under the single-member district arrangement, the voters in each district elect one of the State’s representatives. The general-ticket system, no longer in use, provided that all of a State’s seats were filled at-large.

Gerrymandering Districts are drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the State’s legislature. Wesberry v. Sanders – established “one-person, one-vote” districts

Qualifications 25 years old Citizen for 7 yrs. Inhabitant of the state where he/she is elected The realities of politics also require some informal qualifications, such as party identification, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, and political experience.

Today’s Plan Jumpstart Assignment How should a member of Congress make a decision on a vote, based on views of the people, their own consciences, or based on their political parties view? Explain your answer. Gerrymandering Activity Notes: Ch. 10, Section 3 and 4 Comparing the House and Senate

The Senate 2 Senators per state (100 total) Serve 6 year terms (1/3 of the Senate is up for re-election every 2 years) Until the 17th Amendment (1913), Senators were elected by State Legislatures The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at the same time.

Senate Qualifications 30 years old Citizen for 9 years Inhabitant of the state where elected (though not for any specific period of time)

Job of Congress Members Work in committee to screen proposed laws Oversight Function – a way to check agencies of the Executive Branch Represent the people (constituents) Law Making Serving their constituents

Voting Options Trustees – believe that each question they face must be decided on its merit Delegates – see themselves as agents of the people they represent Partisans – lawmakers who see their allegiance to their political party as being the most important Politicos – attempt to combine all three

Compensation House and Senate - $174,000 Pay is set by Congress The franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free Office budget

Senate House Qualifications (age, citizenship) Terms Pay Number Who they represent?