Congress: Representative Pressures Jamie Monogan University of Georgia September 21, 2015

Objectives By the end of this meeting, participants should be able to: Debate how members of Congress can best represent constituents.

Constitutional Prerogatives: Powers of Congress Designed to be the most powerful branch Primary lawmaking body Article 1, Section 8, lists enumerated (or expressed) powers Also lists the necessary and proper (or “elastic”) clause, where the broadest power is found

Constitutional Prerogatives: Structure Representation through a bicameral legislature –Comprised of the House and Senate –Connecticut Compromise between large and small states House and Senate: contrast term lengths & percentage up for reelection Principal-agent problem: public representation

What is the Best Type of Representation? How does a member determine how best to represent her constituents? Edmund Burke proposed that sometimes members act like trustees and other times like delegates Most members try to balance these visions of representation

Redistricting The number of districts in each state is based on population, with each state getting at least one The total number of districts has been fixed at 435 since 1911 Most states redraw district lines every ten years even if they don’t lose or gain seats

Redistricting and “One Person, One Vote” Supreme Court put restrictions on the drawing of districts in the 1960s –Baker v. Carr (1962) –Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) –Reynolds v. Sims (1964) Districts must adhere to “one person, one vote” standard Forced states to draw districts with equal populations

Gerrymandering Politics easily intrudes into the drawing of districts By redistricting, states can manipulate representation Districts are frequently drawn in strange shapes to gain political advantage Texas, District 18 in 1992

Redistricting and Minority Representation Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the election of more minority candidates Section 2: No dilution of minority vote (no packing or cracking) Court scrutiny of congressional redistricting –Section 5 provision for preclearance –Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and Section 4(b) Federal examiners under Section 6 (expired 2006) Also a rise in the number of women elected, but Congress still does not demographically mirror the nation as a whole

Partisan and Racial Redistricting

Assignments Chapter 5 concept map exercise due at 11:59pm on Wednesday. –Login to ELC to complete Also for Wednesday: Read Kollman, pp For Friday: Read Bullock & Gaddie, Chapter 5

Additional Material

Causes of Individualism: Plurality & SMD Elections for the House and Senate use single-member districts (SMD) and plurality rule In single-member districts, each district/state chooses one representative Plurality means that whoever receives the most votes wins

Causes of Individualism: Primary Elections Candidates for office used to be determined by leaders in the party organization Primaries started as a way to nominate candidates in the early 20th century Primaries allow voters to choose who will appear under the party label on the general-election ballot

The Incumbency Advantage Members of Congress are reelected in very high numbers What causes this advantage? –Gerrymandering –Pork –Television access –Campaign finance –National party efforts