CONFLICT AND COMPROMISE
in Congress
Life in Congress
Public Influence on Congress
Political Process in Congress
Lawmakers’ Motivations
The Media and Congress’ Image
Problem
Congress’s Image Problem
Congress’s Place in Our
Constitutional System
• Bicameralism – The system of
having two chambers within one
legislative body, like the House
and the Senate in the U.S.
Congress.
 Two-year terms in the House
 Six-year terms in the Senate
Women and Minorities in Congress
Fenno’s Concentric Circles
The Job of a Member of Congress
Congressional Behavior and Voter
Behavior
• Voters are typically not informed enough to
monitor their representatives.
• However, members of Congress behave as
if voters were fully informed, because any
issue might become salient in the next
election.
Understanding Congressional
(In)action
• Gridlock – An inability to enact legislation
because of partisan conflict within Congress
or between Congress and the President.
• Electoral Connection – The idea that
congressional behavior is centrally
motivated by members’ desire for
reelection.
North Carolina Redistricting, 1992
Origins of the Incumbency Advantage
• Gerrymandering – Attempting to use the
process of redrawing district boundaries to
benefit a political party, protect incumbents,
or change the proportion of minority voters
in a district.
House Incumbency Reelection Rates,
1948–2010
Senate Incumbency Reelection Rates,
1948–2010
Elections and Member Behavior
• Home style: A Congressperson’s way of
relating to their district
• Many Congresspeople are called the
“Tuesday-to-Thursday club” because they
spend so little time in Washington.
• Do these Congresspeople spend too much
time at home? Should they spend more
time in Washington?
The Responsibility–Responsiveness
Dilemma
Casework (“Constituency Service”)
• Franking privilege – Congresspeople’s privilege
of sending mail to constituents at no cost
– Acting as a go-between for citizens and a large federal
bureaucracy is a mainstay of a Congressperson’s
“constituency service.”
– Do you think this work is more important or less
important than debates on the floor of the House or
Senate?
Constituency Service
• Casework – Assistance provided by members of
Congress to their constituents in solving problems
with the federal bureaucracy or addressing
specific concerns
Representative Tammy Baldwin at
Edgewood High School
Explaining Incumbency Advantage
• How can members promote reelection chances
within the institution of Congress?
– Advertising – Actions that are unrelated to government
issues but have the primary goal of making a positive
impression on the public, like sending holiday cards to
constituents and appearing in parades.
– Credit Claiming – When a member of Congress takes
credit for legislation that specifically benefits his constituents
– Position Taking – Any public statement in which a member
of Congress makes her views on an issue known to her
constituents.
Informal Norms
•Universalism: As many
districts as possible
should reap rewards or
legislative benefits
•Reciprocity (logrolling):
“I’ll scratch your back if
you scratch mine”
Informal Norms (continued)
• Specialization: Members become experts
on specific issues; this helps members
claim credit
• Seniority: Maintains order and helps
incumbents win reelection
The Structure of Congress
• The Speaker, Majority
Leaders, and Whips
are decided by straight
party-line vote.
Party Votes in Congress, 1962–2009
Party Unity in Congress, 1962–2009
The Committee System
• Standing Committee - Committees that are a permanent party
of the House or Senate structure, holding more importance and
authority than other committees.
• Select Committee – Committees in the House or Senate
created to address a specific issue for one or two terms.
• Joint Committee - Committees that contain members of both
the House and Senate but have limited authority.
• Conference Committee - Temporary committees created to
negotiate differences between the House and Senate versions
of a piece of legislation that has passed through both chambers.
Congressional Staff, 1935–2005
Congressional Rules
• Open Rules – Conditions placed on a legislative
debate by the house Rules Committee allowing
the addition of relevant amendments to a bill.
• Closed Rules – Conditions placed on a
legislative debate by the House Rules Committee
prohibiting the addition of amendments to a bill
• Modified rules – Conditions placed on a
legislative debate by the House Rules Committee
allowing certain amendments to a bill while
barring others.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Oversight
Why does Congress look the way it
does?
• The House Floor is frequently empty during
debate
• Members rush in from other parts of the
building—where they are doing legislative
and campaign work—when it is time to vote
Reforming Congress
• Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (AKA “McCainFeingold law”) – A 2002 act that banned “soft money”
(contributions to political parties’ campaign committees),
raised the donation limit on “hard money” (donations
directly to candidates), limited independent issue ads
before an election, and increased disclosure requirements.
• Opponents of BCRA argued that it was unconstitutional
while many supporters said it didn’t go far enough (they
prefer publicly financed campaigns).
• Most of it was upheld but part was struck down by the
Supreme Court.
Comparing Ourselves To Others
Public Opinion Poll
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress
is handling its job?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Strongly approve
Approve
Disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Public Opinion Poll
Do you approve or disapprove of the way your
member of Congress is handling his or her job?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Strongly approve
Approve
Disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Public Opinion Poll
Do you believe we should have term limits for
members of Congress?
a) Yes
b) No
Public Opinion Poll
Do you believe state legislatures should consider
the racial makeup of a district when
redistricting?
a) Yes
b) No
Public Opinion Poll
Do you think it is important that the demographics of
Congress represent the social, racial, and
economic demographics of the country?
a) Yes
b) No
Public Opinion Poll
When members of Congress cast a vote, which of
the following factors should typically most
influence their decision?
a) The interests of the country as a whole
b) The interests of their district or state
Public Opinion Poll
Which of the following do you believe should be the
most influential factor in the voting decisions of
members of Congress?
a) The preferences of their constituents
b) The preferences of the president
c) The preferences of the members’ party
leadership
d) The members’ own ideology
Chapter 10: Congress
• Practice quizzes
• Flashcards
• Outlines
wwnorton.com/studyspace
Following this slide, you will find additional
slides with photos, figures, and captions from
the textbook.
Taking Care of the Fans
Congress’s Place in Our
Constitutional System
Congress and the People
The Structure of Congress
Scott Brown winning Senate seat
Party versus Principle
Polarization in Congress