THE THE UNITED STATES UNITED STATES

CONGRESSCONGRESSOctober 25, 2005October 25, 2005

The Dynamics of Congressional The Dynamics of Congressional Law-MakingLaw-Making• Inside CongressInside Congress

– Within Each HouseWithin Each House– Between the HousesBetween the Houses

• Congress and the PresidentCongress and the President

Inside Congress -- The Two Inside Congress -- The Two HousesHouses

• Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses?– different basis of representationdifferent basis of representation

• representation of constituencies versus representation of constituencies versus representation of statesrepresentation of states

• different weight of states in each housedifferent weight of states in each house

Inside Congress -- The Two Inside Congress -- The Two HousesHouses

• Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses?– different basis of representationdifferent basis of representation– different electoral time-framedifferent electoral time-frame

• House of Representative House of Representative – constant campaign mode – responsive to current political constant campaign mode – responsive to current political

demandsdemands• SenateSenate

– more removed from immediate political pressuremore removed from immediate political pressure– can take long-term viewcan take long-term view

Inside Congress -- The Two Inside Congress -- The Two HousesHouses

• Why Two Houses?Why Two Houses?– different basis of representationdifferent basis of representation– different electoral time-framedifferent electoral time-frame– each plays a different role and represents each plays a different role and represents

different interestsdifferent interests

Inside Congress -- The Two Inside Congress -- The Two HousesHouses• House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

– unique powersunique powers• introducing money billsintroducing money bills

• SenateSenate– unique powersunique powers

• ratification of presidential appointmentsratification of presidential appointments• ratification of treatiesratification of treaties

• both play a role in routine law-makingboth play a role in routine law-making

Inside Congress -- Inside the Inside Congress -- Inside the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives• Factors Effecting Voting in the House Factors Effecting Voting in the House

of Representativesof Representatives– party influenceparty influence– district influencedistrict influence– ideological influenceideological influence– special interest influencespecial interest influence

Inside Congress -- Inside the Inside Congress -- Inside the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives• weak party discipline weak party discipline

– individual members are more open to individual members are more open to outside influenceoutside influence• responsiveresponsive• can be controlled by outside interestscan be controlled by outside interests

– importance of log-rollingimportance of log-rolling• broad benefits, compromisebroad benefits, compromise• hard to get things donehard to get things done• sometimes described as briberysometimes described as bribery

Inside Congress -- Inside the Inside Congress -- Inside the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives• committee systemcommittee system

– importantimportant– dominated according to senioritydominated according to seniority

Inside Congress -- Inside the Inside Congress -- Inside the SenateSenate• the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial the Senate Atmosphere -- Senatorial

PrivilegesPrivileges• Cloture and the FilibusterCloture and the Filibuster• the committee systemthe committee system

Inside Congress -- Between the Inside Congress -- Between the HousesHouses• A Congress Divided?A Congress Divided?• Differences between the HousesDifferences between the Houses

– electoral time-frameselectoral time-frames– representational concernsrepresentational concerns– dynamics of operationdynamics of operation

• balancing different interestsbalancing different interests

Congress and the PresidentCongress and the President• Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress• United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government

– frequencyfrequency– causes of divided governmentcauses of divided government

• different bases of representationdifferent bases of representation• split-ticket votingsplit-ticket voting

United and Divided Government, United and Divided Government, 1968-20041968-2004

• 1968-69 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D1968-69 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1970-71 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D1970-71 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1972-73 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D1972-73 Nixon, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1974-75 Nixon/Ford, Sen.=D*, 1974-75 Nixon/Ford, Sen.=D*,

Rep=DRep=D• 1976-77 Carter, Sen.=D*, Rep=D1976-77 Carter, Sen.=D*, Rep=D• 1978-79 Carter, Sen.=D, Rep=D1978-79 Carter, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1980-81 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D1980-81 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D• 1982-83 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D1982-83 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D• 1984-85 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D1984-85 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D

• 1986-87 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D1986-87 Reagan, Sen.=R, Rep=D• 1988-89 Bush, Sen.=D, Rep=D1988-89 Bush, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1990-91 Bush, Sen.=D, Rep.=D1990-91 Bush, Sen.=D, Rep.=D• 1992-93 Clinton, Sen.=D, Rep=D1992-93 Clinton, Sen.=D, Rep=D• 1994-95 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R1994-95 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R• 1996-97 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R1996-97 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R• 1998-00 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R1998-00 Clinton, Sen.=R, Rep=R• 2000-02 Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R2000-02 Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R• 2002-04 Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R2002-04 Bush, Sen.=R, Rep=R

*senate supermajority

Total Years=36 Total Years Divided Gov’t=26 Total Years United Gov’t=10

Congress and the PresidentCongress and the President• Presidential Support in CongressPresidential Support in Congress• United vs. Divided GovernmentUnited vs. Divided Government

– frequencyfrequency– causes of divided governmentcauses of divided government– effects of divided vs. united governmenteffects of divided vs. united government

Congress and the PresidentCongress and the President• Main Point!Main Point!

– the degree to which Congress and the President the degree to which Congress and the President have to work together is determined have to work together is determined politicallypolitically• public demands that Congress and President work public demands that Congress and President work

together! together!

Congress -- Main Point!Congress -- Main Point!• the American Constitution deliberately makes it the American Constitution deliberately makes it

difficult to get legislation passed difficult to get legislation passed – the two houses of Congress are designed to act as a the two houses of Congress are designed to act as a

check on each othercheck on each other– Congress acts as a check on Presidency and vice versaCongress acts as a check on Presidency and vice versa

• the effect is that less gets donethe effect is that less gets done– however, to get things done requires a broad however, to get things done requires a broad

consensusconsensus• politicspolitics demands that the two Houses and two demands that the two Houses and two

branches (Congress and Presidency) work branches (Congress and Presidency) work toeghertoegher