Exam Tip of the Day... there will NOT be a question from the “Congressional Reapportionment” section of the text (pp.215-7)there will NOT be a question from the “Congressional Reapportionment” section of the text (pp.215-7) Students with last names beginning with A-L will write the mid-term exam in MC All students with last names beginning M-Z will write in DWE 2527.Students with last names beginning with A-L will write the mid-term exam in MC All students with last names beginning M-Z will write in DWE note two new articles (#22 and #25) on course webpage!!note two new articles (#22 and #25) on course webpage!!

Mid-Term Exam – Thurs., Nov.3 two sectionstwo sections –lectures (66%) short paragraph (2x32%)short paragraph (2x32%) –Part A (choose one of two) –Part B (choose one of two) –readings/multimedia (34%) multiple choice (34 questions, 1% each)multiple choice (34 questions, 1% each) –12 questions on textbook readings »approx. 3 questions per chapter –16 questions on newsclippings »one per reading –6 questions on video presentations »one per day

THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS October 25, 2005

Legislates, Controls Budget, Approves Nominations and Treaties, Impeach, Override Veto Confirms Nominations, Impeach VETO! Declare Laws Unconstitutional

The Dynamics of Congressional Law-Making Inside CongressInside Congress –Within Each House –Between the Houses Congress and the PresidentCongress and the President

Inside Congress -- The Two Houses Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses? –different basis of representation representation of constituencies versus representation of statesrepresentation of constituencies versus representation of states different weight of states in each housedifferent weight of states in each house

Inside Congress -- The Two Houses Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses? –different basis of representation –different electoral time-frame House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives –constant campaign mode – responsive to current political demands SenateSenate –more removed from immediate political pressure –can take long-term view

Inside Congress -- The Two Houses Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses? –different basis of representation –different electoral time-frame –each plays a different role and represents different interests

Inside Congress -- The Two Houses House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives –unique powers introducing money billsintroducing money bills SenateSenate –unique powers ratification of presidential appointmentsratification of presidential appointments ratification of treatiesratification of treaties both play a role in routine law-makingboth play a role in routine law-making

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives Factors Effecting Voting in the House of RepresentativesFactors Effecting Voting in the House of Representatives –party influence –district influence –ideological influence –special interest influence

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives party disciplineparty discipline –party leadership SpeakerSpeaker –“The most powerful Republican outside the White House is also the most anonymous. Few seem to notice the existence let alone the large and growing influence of House -- Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.” David S. Broder, Washington Post Majority Leader/Minority LeaderMajority Leader/Minority Leader

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives party disciplineparty discipline –party leadership SpeakerSpeaker –“The most powerful Republican outside the White House is also the most anonymous. Few seem to notice the existence let alone the large and growing influence of House -- Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.” David S. Broder, Washington Post Majority Leader/Minority LeaderMajority Leader/Minority Leader Majority Whip/Minority WhipMajority Whip/Minority Whip weak party disciplineweak party discipline

Party Unity – House of Representatives HOUSE SUPPORT RepublicansDemocrats Boehner, OH 99% Coyne, PA 99% Bonilla, TX 99% Filner, CA 99% Callahan, AL 99% Schakowsky CA 99% Crane, IL 99% Solis, CA 99% Oxley, OH 99% Brown, OH 98%

Party Unity – House of Representatives (Support for Republicans) Highest (D) and Lowest (R) RepublicansDemocrats Morella, MD 61% Traficant, OH 91% Leach, IO 73% Hall, TX 75% Shays, CT 75% Lucas, KY 53% Gilman, NY 76% Cramer, AL 50% Johnson, CT 76% John, LA 48%

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives weak party disciplineweak party discipline –individual members are more open to outside influence responsiveresponsive can be controlled by outside interestscan be controlled by outside interests –importance of log-rolling broad benefits, compromisebroad benefits, compromise hard to get things donehard to get things done sometimes described as briberysometimes described as bribery

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives committee systemcommittee system –important – most important organizational feature of congress role of standing committeesrole of standing committees make-up of standing committeesmake-up of standing committees importance of committee chairmanshipsimportance of committee chairmanships –traditionally dominated according to seniority make-up/chairmanshipmake-up/chairmanship recent changesrecent changes –party caucus approval (1971) –committee chair/Speaker term limits (1995)

Inside Congress -- Inside the House of Representatives committee systemcommittee system –trade-off of strong leadership (Speaker, committee chairmanship) decreases influence/role of individual representativedecreases influence/role of individual representative increases collective influence of House of Representativesincreases collective influence of House of Representatives –helps business get done »ability to get things done is crucial in strengthening the House of Represenatives vis-a-vis President/Senate

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate party leadershipparty leadership –Vice President/Presidet Pro Tempore –Majority Leader/Minority Leader

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate party leadershipparty leadership –Vice President/Presidet Pro Tempore –Majority Leader/Minority Leader –Majority Whip/Minority Whip

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privilegesthe Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privileges

Party Unity – The Senate SENATE SUPPORT RepublicansDemocrats Allard, CO 98% Dayton, MN 99% Helms, NC 98% Reed, RI 99% Kyl, AZ 98% Daschle, SD 98% Lott, MS 98% Kerry, MA 98% McConnell, KY 98% Levin, MI 98%

Party Unity – Senate (Support for Republicans) Highest (D) and Lowest (R) RepublicansDemocrats Chafee, RI 50% Miller, GA 58% Specter, PA 60% Nelson, NB 42% Snowe, ME 64% Breaux, LA 41% Collins, ME 67% Baucus, MT 33% McCain, AZ 67% Cleland, GA 22%

Inside Congress -- Inside the Senate the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privilegesthe Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial Privileges Cloture and the FilibusterCloture and the Filibuster record – Thurmond, civil rights, 1957record – Thurmond, civil rights, 1957 McCain/Feingold, McCain/Feingold, the committee systemthe committee system –important –committee chair term limits (1995)

Inside Congress -- Between the Houses A Congress Divided?A Congress Divided?

Inside Congress -- Between the Houses A Congress Divided?A Congress Divided? Differences between the HousesDifferences between the Houses –electoral time-frames –representational concerns –dynamics of operation balancing different interestsbalancing different interests

Congress and the President Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress

Party Unity – House Presidential Support Highest (D) and Lowest (R) RepublicansDemocrats Paul, TX 49% Hall, TX 86% Morella, MD 53% Lucas, KY 81% Leach, IO 60% John, LA 69% Gilman, NY 62% Cramer, AL 67% Ramstad, MN 65% Shows, MS 64%

Party Unity – Senate Presidential Support Highest (D) and Lowest (R) RepublicansDemocrats Chafee, RI 84% Miller, GA 82% Snowe, ME 84% Breaux, LA 77% Specter, PA 87% Landrieu, LA 74% Collins, ME 88% Nelson, NB 74% McCain, AZ 91% Baucus, MT 71%

Congress and the President Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government –frequency

United and Divided Government, Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D Nixon/Ford, Sen.=D*, Rep=D Nixon/Ford, Sen.=D*, Rep=D Carter, Sen.=D*, Rep=D Carter, Sen.=D*, Rep=D Carter, Sen.=D, Rep=D Carter, Sen.=D, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D Bush, Sen.=D, Rep=D Bush, Sen.=D, Rep.=D Clinton, Sen.=D, Rep=D Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R *senate supermajority Total Years=36Total Years Divided Gov’t=26Total Years United Gov’t=10

Congress and the President Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government –frequency –causes of divided government non-synchronized electionsnon-synchronized elections different basis of representationdifferent basis of representation split-ticket votingsplit-ticket voting

Congress and the President Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government –frequency –causes of divided government –effects of divided vs. united government

Congress and the President Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government –frequency –causes of divided government –effects of divided vs. united government

Presidential Vetoes and Congressional Overrides

Congressional Override of Presidential Veto

Clinton (2)Clinton (2) –line-item veto of appropriations for 38 military construction projects –tort reform bill

Congress and the President Main Point!Main Point! –the degree to which Congress and the President have to work together is determined politically public demands that Congress and President work together!public demands that Congress and President work together!

Congress -- Main Point! the American Constitution deliberately makes it difficult to get legislation passedthe American Constitution deliberately makes it difficult to get legislation passed –the two houses of Congress are designed to act as a check on each other –Congress acts as a check on Presidency and vice versa the effect is that less gets donethe effect is that less gets done –however, to get things done requires a broad consensus politics demands that the two Houses and two branches (Congress and Presidency) work toegherpolitics demands that the two Houses and two branches (Congress and Presidency) work toegher