UNITED STATES
CONGRESS
The most important deliberative body
in the history of the world
HISTORY
•
Two Chambers
•
Senate
•
House of Representatives
HISTORY
Senate
•
Two Senators from each State
•
26 Senators
•
Now: 100 Senators
•
Originally: Senators Selected by the State Legislatures
(U.S. Constitution Article 1 § 3)
•
Changed by 17th Amendment in 1913: The Senate of
the United States shall be com- posed of two Senators
from each State, elected by the people thereof …
HISTORY
House of Representatives
•
•
Elected by Popular Vote
•
Each State gets at least one Representative
•
One additional Representative for every
30,000 people
Total of 65 Representatives
WHAT WOULD THE HOUSE
LOOK LIKE TODAY?
•
•
Current US Population: 309,183,463
•
@ 1 Representative per 30,000 people:
•
Total Representatives: 10,306
What if we gave the least populous state one representative & used
that as the ratio for representatives?
•
1789 the least populous State was Delaware (population 30,000)
which got 1 representative
•
2010 the least populous State was Wyoming (population 568,300)
which got 1 representative
•
Using the least populous State ratio, Total Representatives: 544
WHY ARE THERE 435
REPRESENTATIVES?
•
Number set in 1911
•
•
Size of the House Chamber
How are Representatives Chosen
•
Apportionment formula:
•
State legislatures draw the
Districts
•
Voters elect Representatives
WHY DOESN’T
CONGRESS WORK?
•
Apportionment
•
High Cost of Campaigns
•
Low Voter Turnout
APPORTIONMENT
•
State Legislature Draws the Lines
•
How?
•
Gerrymandering: to manipulate the
boundaries of an electoral constituency so
as to favor one party or class.
APPORTIONMENT
2012 Congressional Districts
APPORTIONMENT
2002 Proposed Congressional Districts
APPORTIONMENT
2002 Passed
APPORTIONMENT
1992 Congressional Districts
APPORTIONMENT
•
Why do State Legislatures Gerrymander
Legislative Districts?
•
Who does Gerrymandering protect?
•
Does it work?
2012 CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTION RESULTS
DISTRICT INCUMBENT
CHALLENGER
1
62.98%
R
37.02%
D
2
63.78%
D
36.22%
R
3
100.00%
R
0.00%
D
4
73.57%
D
26.43%
R
5
84.39%
D
15.61%
R
6
64.51%
R
35.49%
D
7
72.97%
R
27.03%
D
8
100.00%
R
0.00%
D
9*
(R) 76.18%
10
100.00%
R
0.00%
D
11
68.55%
R
31.45%
D
12
53.70%
D
46.30%
R
13
71.74%
D
28.26%
R
14
72.97%
R
27.03%
D
(D) 23.82%
RULE OF UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES
•Intervention
in a complex system tends to create unanticipated and often undesirable outcomes
•Why?
1. Ignorance (It is impossible to anticipate everything, thereby leading to incomplete analysis)
2. Error (Incorrect analysis of the problem or following habits that worked in the past but may
not apply to the current situation)
3.
Immediate interest, which may override long-term interests
4. Basic values may require or prohibit certain actions even if the long-term result might be
unfavorable (these long-term consequences may eventually cause changes in basic values)
5. Self-defeating prophecy (Fear of some consequence drives people to find solutions before
the problem occurs, thus the non-occurrence of the problem is not anticipated.)
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
OF GERRYMANDERING
•
All incumbents have “safe” seats
•
Consequently
•
Incumbents have no incentive to serve the
people of their home district
•
Incumbents have no incentive to make
Congress “work”
•
Congress becomes a career
HIGH COST OF
CAMPAIGNS
•
Fund raising for the next
election begins the day after
the last election.
•
Federal Election Commission
(FEC) Rules Require All
Elected Officials to File Fund
Raising Disclosures Every
Six Months
HIGH COST OF
CAMPAIGNS
•
•
John Boehner, (R) Ohio
•
Raised $9,074,335
•
Spent $7,239,533
•
2012 spent $86.04 / vote
Hank Johnson, (D) Georgia
•
Raised $168,911
•
Spent $133,222
•
2012 spent $2.08 / vote
HIGH COST OF
CAMPAIGNS
•
•
•
2014 Average Democrat Incumbent has
•
Raised $546,277
•
Spent $331,280
2012
•
Average Incumbent Raised $578,311
•
Average Challenger Raised $117,087
2012 The President spent $16.73 per vote
WHERE DO THE $ GO?
•
Filing Fees & Compiance with Federal & State Laws
•
Consultants & Paid Staff
•
Direct Mail
•
Internet
•
Radio
•
TV
•
“Volunteers”
WHERE DO THE $
COME FROM
•
PACs
•
Individuals
PAC Name
Total Receipts
ActBlue
$65,358,224
Service Employees International Union
$23,365,607
EMILY's List
$18,357,593
National Rifle Assn
$11,719,160
DGA Action
$8,629,385
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees
$8,564,617
American Federation of Teachers
$7,478,275
Senate Conservatives Fund
$6,995,208
Teamsters Union
$6,989,084
Totals include subsidiaries and affiliated PACs, if
any.
Americans for Responsible Solutions
$6,645,722
Based on data released by the FEC on January 06, 2014.
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
$5,836,145
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit
the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint
for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center.
Plumbers/Pipefitters Union
$5,776,515
Independence USA PAC
$5,694,701
National Assn of Realtors
$5,694,334
United Food & Commercial Workers Union
$5,423,114
Laborers Union
$4,133,517
AFL-CIO
$4,073,817
Communications Workers of America
$3,904,730
Honeywell International
$3,808,091
Operating Engineers Union
$3,678,487
Top 20 PACs by Total Receipts, 20132014
LOW VOTER TURNOUT
EXAMPLE:
DEKALB COUNTY
•
•
Population (2010 Census)
•
691,893 Total
•
526,757 Over 18
Registered Voters
•
383,369
•
73% of Adults
EXAMPLE:
DEKALB COUNTY 2008
•
Primary — 84,879
•
•
•
22% of Registered Voters
16% of Adults
General Election — 322,517
•
84% of Registered Voters
•
61% of Adults
EXAMPLE:
DEKALB COUNTY 2010
•
Primary — 83,414
•
•
•
22% of Registered Voters
16% of Adults
General Election — 212,111
•
55% of Registered Voters
•
40% of Adults
EXAMPLE:
DEKALB COUNTY 2012
•
Primary — 127,316
•
•
•
33% of Registered Voters
24% of Adults
General Election — 307,228
•
80% of Registered Voters
•
58% of Adults
•
Bibliography
•
http://ballotpedia.org
•
http://www.census.gov/2010census/
•
http://www.fec.gov
•
http://www.opensecrets.org
•
http://sos.ga.gov/elections/
•
http://uscode.house.gov