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Congress. Congress. “Pro and con are opposites, that fact is clearly seen. If progress means to move forward, then what does congress mean?” - Nipsey Russell. “The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets.” - Will Rogers. Congress.
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Congress • “Pro and con are opposites, that fact is clearly seen. If progress means to move forward, then what does congress mean?” - Nipsey Russell • “The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets.” - Will Rogers
Congress US CAPITOL BUILDING Legislative Branch – “makes laws”
Founders’ Intentions • Strongest branch • Separation of lawmaking power from executive • The process was intentionally design to move slowly • Bicameralism balances large/small states • House – more connected to people (2 yr term) • Senate – allows for mature, independent thinking (6 yr term) • The “cooling saucer”
Constitutional Powers Article I, Section 8 • To lay and collect taxes, duties, imports • To borrow money • To regulate commerce (states and foreign) • To establish rules for naturalization • To coin money • To create courts (except Supreme Court) • To declare war • To raise and support an army and navy
Evolution of Powers Elastic clause has extended Congress powers • Oversight of budget – can restrict the federal budget prepared by executive branch • Appropriations – set amount of money made available for various activity in a fiscal year • Investigation – Congress can launch investigations (Watergate, Clinton-Lewinski hearings, Steroids in baseball, Bengazi)
The Members • 535 Members – 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. • House members – At least age 25 and U.S. citizens for 7 years. • Senators – At least age 30 and U.S. citizens for 9 years. • All members must reside in state (and district) from which they are elected.
The Members • Most members were lawyers (211) or business persons (214) • this includes some overlap, released exams have stress LEGAL as the most common profession • 93% of House Members and 99% of Senators hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree • 98% of current members cite a specific religious affiliation
The Members continued Of those with specific affiliation: • 98% self identify as Christian • 56% are Protestant (Baptist is most represented) • 31% are Catholic • 6.2% are Jewish • 2.8% are Mormon • 3 members are Buddhist • 2 members are Muslim • 1 Member is Hindu
Why Not More Women????? • Women are the most under represented “minority” group in Congress. • The 113th Congress is a record high for number of female members. • Women with children run for office less than men because of child care responsibilities. • Women are less likely than are men to run when they perceive their odds to be poor.
Elections • House members have always been directly elected by the citizens • Senators are directly elected after passage of the 17th Amendment • Incumbents have an advantage – Why? • We tend to think very little of Congress, but we love our own congressman! • This is the most frequently tested concept on the AP Government Exam!!
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • Incumbents – Those already holding office. • In congressional elections, incumbents usually win. • House elections – 90% of the incumbents seeking reelection win and most of them win with more than 60% of the vote. • Senate elections - 75% of Senate incumbents seeking reelection win.
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • MONEY • Incumbents usually raise more than challengers • PACs usually contribute to incumbents that have a proven record of support instead of challengers • Incumbents usually outspend challengers by a 2 to 1 margin
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • VISIBILITY • Incumbents usually are better known by the voters than their challengers • Incumbents have more opportunities for public appearances in their home districts and for more free media coverage than do challengers • Senators tend to have state-wide visibility which can sometimes hurt them more than House members
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • CASEWORK (a.k.a. constituency service) • Incumbents have the opportunity to do things that help their constituents and get a favorable reputation for taking care of the voters. • This can be accomplished… • individually (application to a service academy or cutting through bureaucratic “red tape”) • collectively with “pork” (bringing money and jobs to their district through government contacts, business incentives, or special projects)
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE • Members of Congress “don’t need no stinkin’ stamps!!” (with apologies to the The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and B. Traven) • Members of Congress can send mail to their constituents at the government’s expense • This has recently been extended to e-mails and recorded phone calls
THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE • GERRYMANDERING • district boundaries are redrawn in strange ways to make it easy for candidate of one party to win • Easley v. Cromartie (2001) – upholds the practice of redistricting for political ideology • Gerrymandering remains constitutional and widely practiced
Congressional Turnover • Incumbents lose when: • One tarnished by scandal or corruption becomes vulnerable to a challenger. • Redistricting may weaken the incumbency advantage. • Major political tidal wave may defeat incumbents. • Open Seats • Greater likelihood of competition. • Most turnover occurs in open seats.
Changing Congressional House Districts • Reapportionment • House districts are redrawn to reflect the gain or loss of seats as a result of a census • Reapportionment Act of 1929 set the permanent size of the House at 435 seats • In 1842 Congress established that all House seats would be filled from single-member districts • That same law established that state legislatures would be responsible to draw the boundary lines of its congressional districts
Limits on Reapportionment • Malapportionment • Baker v. Carr (1962) – established that the courts could rule on reapportionment cases. • Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) - found unequal district population totals unconstitutional based on the 14th amendment • Reynolds v. Sims (1964) - established the idea of “one person, one vote” ****The exception is that each state is entitled to at least 1 seat in the house
Limits on Reapportionment • Districts must be equally populated • Districts must be compact and have contiguous boundary lines • Redistricting cannot dilute minority strength • District lines cannot be drawn solely on basis of race (race can be one of a variety of factors that are considered)
