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Congress vs. The Presidency: Balancing Power and Functions

Explore the roles and responsibilities of Congress and the Presidency, the dangers of one branch being more powerful than the other, and ways to strengthen Congress through institutional reforms.

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Congress vs. The Presidency: Balancing Power and Functions

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  1. Congress vs. The PresidencyPart I

  2. Freewrite • What functions should Congress serve? Does it? • What functions should the president serve? Does he? • Who should have the upper hand, in your mind? • What are the dangers associated with either branch being more powerful than the other? • Specifically, in practice, how would you like to see the president and Congress check and balance each other?

  3. Mayhew on Congress • Offices, committees and parties serve members’ electoral needs • How? • Equal access to particularized benefits • Not much true discipline in roll call voting (why?)

  4. Mayhew • What are Congress’ functions? • Expressing Public Opinion • Handling constituent requests • Legislating • Overseeing administration

  5. How well does it fulfill those functions? • Expressing public opinion (well) • Handing constituent requests (well) • Legislating • Well, for bills with particularized benefits • Well, for bills where public is attentive • Not well, beyond position-taking to actual effects or success/failure

  6. What functions should the president serve? • Executing the laws • Vetoing bills • Public leadership? • Prosecuting wars • Are there functions he should not serve?

  7. Can Congress balance the presidency? • Some selective incentives to do so • Prestige in institution for legislating • Particularized rewards for working on committees • Fewer rewards for: • Checking to see if laws are faithfully executed • Researching to see if policies have desired results

  8. Can the Presidency balance Congress? • Can’t legislate? • Can’t control the execution of laws? • No collective action problem

  9. Can Congress balance the president when it should? • What Congressional prerogatives should members try to protect? • What boundaries should the president not be able to cross? • “Presidential signing statements”

  10. Are there ways to strengthen Congress? Should it be strengthened? • Examples of institutional reforms: creating NSC and BOB; WPR • Party discipline? • Sunshine? • Public finance of campaigns?

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