American Government

 Facts about Representatives:  Representatives must be 25 years old to serve in the House, they must be citizens of the United States for at least 7 years, and must be legal a resident of the state that elects them.  Representatives serve 2 year terms  The number of Representatives in each state is determined by the population of that state  Population for representation is determined every 10 years based upon the U.S. census

 Facts about Senators:  Senators must be at least 30 years old, citizens of the United States for at least 9 years and legal residents of the state they represent  Senators serve for 6 years terms  As originally laid out in the Constitution, Senators were chosen by their respective state legislatures  The system of how Senators were placed in office changed with the passage of the 17 th amendment  The 17 th amendment mandated that Senators be chosen by popular vote.  There are 2 Senate seats for each state regardless of population the population of the state  The Senate is referred to as a continuous body, as only 1/3 of the Senate is ever up for election at the same time

 Both Senators and Representatives make $174,000 a year (2013).  They also get franking privileges, travel allowances, low life and health insurance, a generous retirement plan, and funds for hiring a staff.  Franking privileges allow for congressmen to send work related mail for free.  This privilege is very important, as it provides a distinct advantage to incumbents as they run for re-election.  Longtime members can retire with an income of up to $150,000 or more.

 The Constitution states that:  Senators and Representatives “shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same.”

 The majority of Congressmen are white and protestant.  Almost all members are married, a few are divorced, and they have on average, two children.  Over half of Congressmen are lawyers, nearly all went to college, 4/5 have a college degree or advanced degrees.

 Incumbency is when you already hold a public office  Incumbency is a distinct advantage when running for re-election  This can be supported by the fact that fewer than 2 percent of incumbents are defeated in primaries and fewer then 7 percent lose general elections  This is all despite the fact that recent polls show that Congressional approval ratings are at about 10 percent  Incumbents have the advantage of:  Franking privileges, access to the media, and name recognition

 Trustees:  These are law makers who believe that each question must be decided on its merits  Partisans:  These are lawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their political party  They feel duty-bound to vote in line with the party platform and the wishes of their party’s leaders

 Delegates:  These are lawmakers who see themselves as agents of those who elected them. They believe that they should vote the way “the folks back home” would want  Politicos:  These are lawmakers who attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles  They try to balance these often conflicting factors: their own views of what is best for their constituents and/or nation as a whole, the political facts of life, and the peculiar pressures of the moment