Positive Political Theory

1. Positive Political Theory Clint Dillard Why Party Government? Negative Agenda Power Gary, Cox, McCubbins. Ch. 2-3

2. Why are there Political Parties? • Parties are created to solve internal collective action problems -Legislators form political parties to bind themselves together in durable situations -Legislation would be unpredictable and unprofitable • Parties are created to solve external collective action problems - Legislators use parties as brand names (reputation for electoral votes)

3. How are Parties Organized • Parties as Firms -Single chief executive officers - They involve delegation to party leaders (central agents) - To reduce transaction costs - To improve collective action problems

4. How are Parties Organized • Parties as Partnerships - Parties have “Senior Partners” in order to distribute responsibility, offices, and determine direction - Partners help keep other partners in check in order to benefit the overall party - Keeps full responsibility away from Speaker/President

5. What Do Parties Do? • Floor Voting Coalitions - Maintain discipline with their members in order to ensure cohesive voting - Gives more power to party leaders when there are larger disagreements between parties • Procedural Coalitions - Central issue is the majority party’s ability to control the legislative agenda - Legislative agenda: set of bills considered and voted on the floor

6. How Majority Parties Control the Agenda • Strict party discipline (Costly) • Positive agenda power: Proposal Rights - Ability to push bills through the legislative process to a final passage vote on the floor • Negative agenda power: Veto Rights - Ability to block bills from reaching a final passage vote on the floor

7. Procedural Cartel Theory • States that the majority party exerts substantial influence over legislative outcomes through control of the legislative agenda • Uses 6 Assumptions for theory’s goals • A-1: Members seek reelection, advancement, good public policy, and majority status -Majority status is the gateway to internal advancement and policy goals

8. Procedural Cartel Theory • A-2: Reputation (Brand name) of the party affects both probability of reelection and majority vote • A-3: Reputation of the party depends upon the record of legislative accomplishment • A-4: A good legislative record (A-3) entails cooperation within the party itself

9. Procedural Cartel Theory • A-5: Delegating to a central authority is the primary way to unify and regulate a party • **A-6: The main resource that a majority party delegates to senior officers is the legislative agenda - Monopolize the agenda-setting power - Gives its majority members all main agenda- setting offices

10. Senior Officers • Majority secures all chairs, the speakership, and a large proportion of the Rules Committee • Pursuing personal benefits is a major loss - Crimes of Commission: Pushing legislation one’s party mostly dislikes - Crimes of Omission: Failure to aid (or blocking) legislation one’s party mostly likes

11. Members • Discipline is referred to members voting for the party • Parties use the tactic “If you help me, I will help you” • If a member votes for a bill their colleagues oppose  They run a clear risk • If a member help ensure a bill’s success  They run a smaller risk

12. Members • Party pressure can affect members decisions on procedure more than the decision of substance • Why doesn’t a member switch parties? - Loss of one member is not pivotal to a party - After switch, they are not trusted in their new party - Research shows that switched members have a drastically reduced number of terms • Minority Parties benefit from the internal divisions of the majority

13. Negative Agenda Power • Modeling Agenda Power: Ability to influence what gets voted on, when, and how • Majority uses agenda power to keep bill off the floor

14. Agenda Models • Floor Agenda Model - Simpler - Agenda is determined by a majority on the floor • Cartel Agenda Model - Agenda is determined by the senior partners of the majority party - More in the interest of the overall party - Majority almost always votes for Cartel

15. Cartel > Floor • Formula for Cartel - Policy gains- Policy loss+ Office Benefits+ Distributive Benefits • Cartel Gains - Office Benefits: Opportunity to advance - Districts served by senior members show more economic growth - Distributive Benefit: Large share of issues House decides

16. Conclusion • Parties goal is to gain majority and control the floor agenda • Cartel Model is more often used because of the use of senior officers that delegate the duties of the floor • Member loyalty is crucial in order to unify the parties and maintain their reputations