February 7, 2005 Who’s here? Matthews What is representation? Congress as an institution for Representation

Who’s Here? Annette Foster Aurora Torres Ben Kidder Beth Trask Betsy Hosler Brad Rosen Brooke Brody-Waite Carie Lemack Carolyn Kousky Christopher Reichert Cynthia Smith Dan McKee Edward Novakoff Elizabeth Walentin Ellen Knebel Francis Spangenberg Jason Campbell Jason Jennaru Jeff Adler Jeremy Neuner John A. Atilano II John Cadoux Joyce Hayes Jules Delaune Justin Oliver Kara Stein Kassia Yanosek Kate Ferguson Katherine Elliott Kent Grasso Kevin Crawford Kwang Ryu Lance Jasper Lance Pierce Larry Harris, Jr. Liz Montoya Lonsdale Green Lori Ehrlich Luke Leininger Meredith Fascett Patrick Purcell Rebekah Rodriguez Lynn Robert Schwartz Rosemary Marotta Ryan Raffaelli Sara Dawes Scott Gallaway Seth Pendleton Shawn Murphy Shermon Williams Stephen Aldridge Tim Heis Tony Pipa Trenton Hamilton Will Fitzgerald Yasmina Vinci Zeb Portanova

Matthews All Politics is Local It’s Better to Receive than to Give Dance with the One that Brung Ya Keep your Enemies in Front of You Don’t Get Mad; Don’t Get Even; Get Ahead Leave No Shot Unanswered Hang a Lantern on your Problem

What is Representation?

The Big Questions What is truth? What is justice? What is fair? Who decides?

“Perceptions of the Constituency” Richard F. Fenno, Jr.

Concentric Constituencies Geographic Reelection Primary Personal

Geographical Constituency “The District” –Physical: specified by boundaries –Internal Demographic and Political Variables: socioeconomic status, ethnicity, ideology, partisanship, religion, diversity, etc. Heterogeneity v. Homogeneity: variable that seems to determine members’ perceptions of their districts

Reelection Constituency “The Supporters” –Who she thinks will vote for her –Reference points in determining reelection constituency 1.Cross-Sectional 2.Longitudinal –Partisans, Cross-Party, Least-Likely –“Last Time” v. “This Time” –Challenger has greatest potential for altering the size and composition of reelection constituency –Issues can alter reelection constituency

Primary Constituency “The Strongest Supporters” –Weak supporters: follow routines (straight party) or are temporary (waiting for alternative) –Strong supporters: more political activity, will not support any challenger –Difficult to delineate primary constituency in some cases, members who recently emerged from a primary election can determine their primary constituency

Personal Constituency “The Intimates” –Few individuals: closest advisors and confidants, sometimes a spouse (“Kitchen Cabinet”) –Usually the people who have been by an official since their first race –Thought of as “friends”

Conceptions of Representation Policy/IssueCollective Service/ Allocational Symbolic/ Descriptive YesNo High Low District-Based Conception Policy Content

Policy/Issues Style –Delegate: follow the mandate of constituents –Trustee: exercise independent judgment –“Politico”: switches roles or may engage be a delegate and trustee at same time Focus –The constituency that is being represented

Policy/Issue Studies Wahlke et al (1952): divide members into trustee, delegate, and “politico” Miller & Stokes (1958): attempt to link constituent opinions to legislator’s behavior –Social Welfare: Vote by Party –Civil Rights: Delegate Role –Foreign Affairs: Deference to Executive Fenno (1977): “home style”; members convince constituents that they represent them regardless of the extent of agreement

Policy/Issue Studies Continued Browne (1995): constituents influence vote on agricultural legislation Hall (1987, 1996): district influences legislator membership on committees

Service/Allocational Obtaining projects that help the district (“pork) or interceding in the bureacracy (“cutting through red tape) Motives –Sense of duty –Grateful constituents = Reelection Studies on impact of pork for reelection mixed Issues: necessary for constituents to have help?, votes for district at expense of nation?

Symbolic/Descriptive Legislator as “symbol” that represents public Representation may extend beyond geographic boundaries of the district –Individual Examples: female legislator as advocate for women nationally, minority legislator as advocate for minorities nationally –Group Example: legislative caucuses

Collective Represent constituents with a more collective view –political parties –Congress as representative of the nation as a whole May lead to conflict with district constituents

The Great Divide Trustee Representation (Burkean) Delegate Representation

Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process Walter J. Oleszek

The Constitutional Context  Limited Government  Separation of Powers  Checks and Balances  Federalism

Functions of Rules and Procedures Stability (and predictability) Legitimacy Division of Labor Protection of Minority Rights Conflict Resolution Distribution of Power

Rules and Policy Making in Congress Procedure and Policy Procedures affect outcomes. Procedural moves express policy decisions. The nature of policy determines the use of procedure. Procedural expertise helps members impact policy. Conventional versus Unconventional Lawmaking “I’m just a bill…” Precedents and Folkways Precedents: “…the accumulated past decisions on matters of procedure…” Folkways: “…unwritten norms of behavior that members are expected to observe.”

Congressional Decision Making Decentralized Power Structure Political and structural realities More than 200 committees and subcommittees Parties can provide cohesion. Multiple Decision Points Bargaining and Coalition Building Logrolling Compromise Nonlegislative Favors The Congressional Cycle Two-Year Deadline

House versus Senate The Big Three Size of Body Size of District Length of Term Complexity of Rules House More rules and precedent constrict members “Subordination of the individual to the necessities of the whole…” Key members impact legislation. Majority rule Senate “…Rules maximize freedom of expression...” “…More personal and individualistic All Senators participate actively. Often slower Supermajoritarian

House versus Senate continued Policy Incubation Specialists versus Generalists Distribution of Power More even in Senate Similarities Equal power Lawmaking, oversight and representation Heavy workloads Decentralized committee and party structures Dependence on staff

Pressures on Members President & Executive Branch The Fourth Estate Constituent Pressures Washington Lobbyists

Credits Adrian Rodriguez & Alex Theodoridis Presentation based on: Weisberg, Herbert F., Eric S. Heberlig and Lisa M. Campoli, Classics in Congressional Politics “What is Representation?”, Weisberg et al eds. (Glenview: Longman 1999) pp Image on Cover from: The Architect of the Capitol Concepts of Representation slide based on: Table 5.1 in Weisberg et al, p. 74. Presentation based on: Fenno, Jr., Richard F., Home Style: House Members in their Districts (Glenview: Little, Brown & Company 1978), “Perceptions of the Constituency”, pp Image on Cover from: US Environmental Protection Agency