1 / 7

Congress finished

This comprehensive overview explores how Congress decides on legislation, focusing on key influences such as constituency concerns, interest groups, and party discipline. Congress members prioritize re-election, often adapting their votes to align with constituents and minimize future scrutiny. Interest groups mobilize constituents and leverage Congress's gatekeeping powers to influence decisions at committee levels, while party leaders guide legislative priorities and ensure discipline through tools like roll-call votes and the whip system. The presidency's role in facilitating treaties and appointments requires Senate approval, highlighting the intertwined nature of legislative and executive powers.

dallon
Télécharger la présentation

Congress finished

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Congress finished 11/11-12/09

  2. How Congress Decides • Constituency • Interest groups • Party discipline • Weighing Many Influences

  3. Constituency • Most congressmen want to be re-elected • Choices will be scrutinized by opponents in later elections • Citizens don’t even need to pay attention in order for them to affect their representatives decisions

  4. Interest Groups • Interest groups often play a role in mobilizing constituents to make their views known to congress. • Interest groups impact congress through the congress’s use of the gatekeeping power. • Congressmen add or subtract parts of bills at committee level which is much less visible and harmful to their campaigns in the future than changing their mind for a floor vote

  5. Party Discipline • Party vote-a roll-call vote in the House or Senate in which at least 50% of the members of the members of one party take a particular position and are opposed by at least 50% of the members of the other party. • Roll-Call votes- votes in which each legislator’s yes or no is recorded • How do party leaders influence decisions? • Committee assignments • Access to floor • The whip system • Logrolling • The presidency

  6. Ways to influence • Committee assignments • Party leadership help to get members assigned to favorable committee assignments • Access to the floor • Floor time is allocated by party leaders in both houses • The Whip System • A communications network in each house of congress. Whips poll the membership to learn their intentions on specific legislative issues and assist the majority and minority leaders in various tasks • Logrolling • A legislative practice wherein reciprocal agreements are made between legislators, usually in voting for or against a bill. In contrast to bargaining, logrolling unites parties that have nothing in common but their desire to exchange support • The Presidency = money and notoriety

  7. What else do they do? • Advice and Consent: Special Senate Powers • The President has the power to make treaties, appoint executive officers, ambassadors, and federal judges- but only “with the Advice and Consent of the Senate” (Article II, Section 2) • For treaties a 2/3 majority is needed, for appointments a simple majority • Harriet Miers • Impeachment • House brings charges and Senate tries officials • Can be President, VP, or other executive officials • Simple majority to charge, 2/3 to convict in senate

More Related