Lecture #18 American Government; Congress 1

1. WEEK #11 LECTURE
#18
CONGRESS 1
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
PROFESSOR ANAND SHASTRI
FALL 2015

2. OUTLINE OF CONGRESS #1
PART 1A) THE “TWO CONGRESSES”
PART 1B) DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE
PART 1C) CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 1: THE DISTRICTS/STATES
PART 1D) CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 2: CANDIDATES,
CAMPAIGNS, VOTERS

3. PART 1A) THE “TWO
CONGRESSES”

4. REPRESENTATION VS. NATIONAL LAWMAKING
• POLITICIANS ARE LOCALLY ELECTED, BUT ARE MAKING
NATIONAL POLICY, CONFLICT OF INTEREST
• DISTRICT OR STATE IS OFTEN MUCH DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
CULTURE & POLITICS THAN OVERALL NATION
• ALSO RESPONSIBILITY TO BOTH VOTERS & PARTY
• CONSTITUENCY (PG. 234) FENNO 4 KINDS

5. REPRESENTATION &/OR NAT’L LAWMAKING
REPRESENTATION & NATIONAL LAWMAKING
• POLICY (PG. 234)
• SYMBOLIC (PG. 234)
MAINLY REPRESENTATION
• ALLOCATIVE (“PORK BARREL”) (PG. 234 FOR BOTH)
• CASEWORK (PG. 234)
MAINLY NATIONAL LAWMAKING
• PARTISAN POLITICS & FOREIGN POLICY

6. PART 1B) DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE

7. BICAMERALISM & BASIC # DIFFERENCES
• BICAMERALISM
• HOUSE ELECTED EVERY 2 YRS., SENATE EVERY 6 YRS.
• HOUSE HAS 435 MEMBERS, WHILE SENATE HAS 100
• HOUSE MINIMUM AGE TO RUN IS 25, WHILE SENATE IS 30

8. FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES
• HOUSE REPRESENTS DISTRICT, SENATE REPRESENTS STATE
• HOUSE MORE PARTY-ORIENTED, SENATE INIDIVIDUALITY
• HOUSE EFFICIENT, SENATE DELIBERATIVE
• HOUSE BILLS ONLY NEED MAJORITY, WHILE SENATE NEEDS 60
TO CUT OFF FILIBUSTER (EXCEPT FOR BUDGET DIFFERENCES)

9. LEGISLATIVE & RULES DIFFERENCES
• BUDGET BILLS MUST ORIGINATE IN THE HOUSE
• SENATE HANDLES JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION AND TREATIES
• ELECTORALLY, HOUSE MORE LIKELY THAN THE SENATE TO BE
OPPOSITE PARTY OF PRESIDENT
• HOUSE RULES DESIGNED MORE TO PASS BILLS, SENATE
DESIGNED TO THWART PASSAGE

10. PART 1C) CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTIONS 1: THE
DISTRICTS/STATES

11. CREATING ELECTORAL COMPOSITION OF HOUSE
DISTRICTS
• REAPPORTIONMENT (PG. 242)
• REDISTRICTING (PG. 243)
GERRYMANDERING (PG. 243, 247)
1) PARTISAN (MORE SAFE FOR EACH, MORE TOSSUPS)
2) RACIAL (PACKING VS. CRACKING)
3) REPRESENTATION: DESCRIPTIVE VS. SUBSTANTIVE

12. ELECTORAL MAKEUP OF DISTRICTS/STATES
• SAFE SEATS VS. MARGINAL SEATS
• RACIAL COMPOSITION (DIVERSE VS. HOMOGENOUS) & ROLE
OF POLITICAL CULTURE IN A REGION
• EDUCATION, LOCATION, & REGION
• SES RELIGION

13. REPUBLICAN’S EDGE IN CONGRESS
• DEMOCRATIC VOTERS CONCENTRATED IN URBAN AREAS,
REPUBLICANS ARE MORE SPREAD OUT
• CENSUS UNDERCOUNTS MINORITIES IN URBAN DISTRICTS
• MIDTERM ELECTORATE NOW STRONGLY FAVORS REPUBLICANS
• DEMS EDGE IN MOST POPULOUS STATES HURTS IN SENATE

14. PART 1D) CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTIONS 2: CANDIDATES,
CAMPAIGNS, VOTERS

15. TYPES OF CANDIDATES
• WHO DECIDES TO RUN? WHAT FACTORS?
• IMPORTANCE OF $$$$$
• INCUMBENCY EDGE (A BIT LESS IN SENATE), CASE FOR 2014 WAVE
• SOPHOMORE SURGE & RETIREMENT SLUMP

16. DEMOGRAPHICS OF HOUSE & SENATE MEMBERS #1
• INCOME
• EDUCATION LEVEL
• AGE
• OCCUPATION

17. DEMOGRAPHICS OF HOUSE & SENATE MEMBERS #2
• GENDER
• RACE/ETHNICITY
• SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• RELIGION

18. CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS: TUG-OF-WAR
• IS THIS THE PRESIDENTIAL OR MIDTERM ELECTIONS?
• NATIONALIZE VS. LOCALIZE (“THE TWO CONGRESSES”)?
• COATTAILS VS. MIDTERM LOSSES?
• WHEN RETIREMENTS TAKE PLACE, & NEW CANDIDATES RUN

19. CONGRESSIONAL VOTERS #1
• THEIR VIEWS OF INCUMBENTS
• DIFFERENCE IN VOTING FOR INCUMBENTS IN HOUSE VS.
SENATE: MORE ABOUT CHALLENGERS & CAMPAIGN QUALITY
• HOW THEY ARE IMPACTED BY NEGATIVE ADVERTISING
• CONTACTING LOW-INFORMATION VOTERS IS CRUCIAL

20. CONGRESSIONAL VOTERS #2
• PARTISANSHIP AND VOTING: DECLINE AND RESURGENCE
• DIVIDED GOV’T: SPLIT-TICKET VOTING VS. GEOGRAPHIC
CONCENTRATION (ILLINIOIS) VS. DIFFERENT ELECTORATES
• FENNO’S “REELECTION CONSTITUENCY”
• PARTISAN VOTERS INFORMATION: LOW VS. HIGH?