1. Warm Up: Why do you think the number of bills passed by Congress during the session was a record low number?

2. Friday, March 29, 2019
Objective: Students will be able to analyze the reasons Congress has been unproductive in recent years.
Purpose: Dysfunction of Congress occurs due to several things, but most importantly, due to people not voting.

4. Why Congress Has Been Unproductive
Gerrymandering
More concern about primary elections than general elections
Election of candidates who do not want to compromise
Lack of moderates in both the Republican and Democratic parties

5. Dysfunction in the 1990s 1994 Midterm Elections
Republicans win control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954
Contract with America: reforms failed, which led to Republican obstruction against President Clinton’s agenda
2 government shutdowns, which happened because of disagreements on spending for healthcare, education, and environmental protection
Many Americans blamed the shutdowns on Republicans in Congress

10. Dysfunction Today
Hastert Rule: a bill only is voted on by the entire House if a majority of the members of the largest party support it
Freedom Caucus/Tea Party
members have not compromised on legislation
Played a key role in forcing John Boehner’s resignation as Speaker of the House
Budget battles over Obamacare, debt ceiling
Republicans have tried to use these as leverage to get concessions from President Obama

13. Other Issues with Congress
Gerrymandered districts
Misuse of the power to investigate (Benghazi, controversies surrounding Devin Nunes’ role on House Intelligence Committee)
Low approval ratings/disconnect with the American people
Lack of new ideas
Many members of Congress have been serving for many terms

14. Closing: Congressional Term Limits
Should members of Congress have a limit on the number of terms they can serve? Also, do you think that 2 years is a long enough term for members of the House? Explain your positions.

15. stewart-cliffpocalypsemageddonacaust---totally-solvable-budget- problem