Slides

1. POL 375
Spring 2018

5.  Substantive Difficulty
 Policy issues are difficult and complex
 Requires intelligence, reason to sort out
 Compromise and risks usually involved
 Time and psychological factors
 Conflict
 Individual and Group Levels
 Forthcoming /Truthful vs. Secretive and Lying
 Scoring political “points”

6.  Pressure
 Constituency vs. Party Leadership

7.  More Information and Policy Research
 ThinkTanks, Policy Centers (CSPC)
 Increase in Interest Group Lobbying
 Changes in Media and Public Knowledge
 Newspapers vs. Social Media
 Rise of “Soft News” and “Infotainment”
 Rise of Politically Charged Programs
 Not all Negative – More Connections with Policymakers
 Electoral Politics – Polarization / Partisanship

8.  Time and Attention
 House: Rules Committee
 Senate: Holds, Filibusters
 Resources and Expertise
 Standing Committee System and Staff
 Information
 Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
 Congressional Research Service (CRS)

9.  Communication, Criticism, Rebuttal
 House and Senate Debate
 Constituency Access and Member Autonomy
 Regulation of Lobbying
 Open Meetings and “Sunshine Laws”
 Scheduling and Logistics
 The “Tuesday toThursday Club”

10.  Public Interest-StatesmanTheory
 Instructed DelegateTheory
 IdeologistTheory

11.  Early Deciders
 One of first MC’s to discuss issue
 Commitments known  Diminished influence
 Active Players
 Receive information from both sides
 Leverage over legislation
 Late Deciders
 Last-minute decision-makers
 No say in crafting bills; Popular during voting