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Politics Paper 3 > 2.2.1 Representative function > Flashcards

2.2.1 Representative function Flashcards

1
Q

4

Describe the significance of the incumbency in elections

A
  • Name recognition attracts much higher level of donations
  • Can afford to spend less in order to get people to vote for them
  • Provided with website to explain policy beliefs, successes and provide easy way for constituents to contact them
  • ‘franking requests’
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2
Q

1

Give an example that demonstrates how incumbents have to spend less in re-election bids

A
  • Mitch McConnell spent $34 per vote in 2020 Senate election compared to $92 per vote of Dem challenger
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3
Q

2

Describe stats that show the re-election rates in Congress

A
  • House: over 90%
  • Senate: over 80%
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4
Q

5

List factors that affect voting behaviour in Congress

A
  • Parties
  • Congressional caucuses
  • Constituency
  • Pressure groups
  • Lobbyists
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5
Q

3

Why may Congress members be loyal to their parties?

A
  • Run in party-based primaries where beliefs are ideology-tested
  • Likely to be elected in large party due to political allegiance and beleifs of constituents
  • Influence of nominal party head
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6
Q

5

Describe the rise of partisan politics in congressional voting behaviour

A
  • Party-line voting increased
  • Members less likely to break ranks to maintain re-election chances
  • Fewer members falling into into ideological centre
  • Suggests growing importance as party as voting factor
  • Coincides with polarisation of American public
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7
Q

2

Describe limits to party representation in Congress

A
  • No third-party representation in current Congress
  • Democrats and Republcians made up of differing factions, so lack cohesive ideology
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8
Q

3

Describe Congressional caucuses

A
  • Groups consisting of Congress members who share common interests or policy goals
  • Fight for population group, industry or ideology
  • Do not always vote together, but very powerful when issue in Congress affects their caucus
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9
Q

3

Give examples of congressional caucuses and their influence

A
  • Population group: Congressional Black Caucus - represents AA members of Congress - set up ‘war room’ to defend Jackson after nomination to SC
  • Industry: Congressional Steel Caucus - encouraged Trump’s 25% tariff on foreign steel imports to protect US industry
  • Ideology: House Freedom Caucus - advocate small state, populism (anti-immigration), social conservatism, Tea Party beliefs
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10
Q

3

Describe how constituencies affect voting behaviour in Congress

A
  • Represent specific cultural, economic and social interests of constituents
  • US Primary system means constituents, not central party HQ, determine who represents party in election
  • e.g. 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley defeated by AOC in 2018 primary
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11
Q

3

Give an example of a Congress member representing the interests of their constituency

A
  • Brady amendments to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018 defined copyrighted songs as capital assets, subjecting them to lower tax rate
  • Made at request of Nashville Representative Diane Black
  • Nashville famed for songwriitng
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12
Q

2

Describe limits to the effect of constituencies on voting behaviour in Congress

A
  • Activities of Congress members outside of Congress, especially prevalent Senators, more important to constituents than national politics
  • e.g. Ted Cruz criticised for trip to Cancun in 2021 amid harsh winter storms in Texas
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13
Q

2

Give an example of a pressure group exerting influence over voting behaviour

A
  • NRA uses rating system based on members’ voting histories to determine campaign funding support
  • Over 80% of candidates funded by NRA won House/Senate races in 2012
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14
Q

5

Describe how lobbyists affect voting behaviour in Congress

A
  • May promise campaign donations or help with mobilising supporters from their clients
  • US Chamber of Commerce spent $82m in 2020
  • $3bn annually spent on lobbying since 2008
  • Vast amount spent on lobbying suggests it must have some influence
  • 1.8k cliented lobbied Build Back Better Act
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15
Q

Do an essay on ‘to what extent is x the main reason for voting behaviour in Congress’

A
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16
Q

3

Describe centrist Congress members

A
  • May oppose party lines
  • Tend to represent a state that regularly supports the party opposite to their own
  • e.g. Joe Manchin - West Virginia
17
Q

3

Describe the significance of Joe Manchin

A
  • moderate Democrat West Virginia Senator (Republican state)
  • Opposed Obama energy policies, repeal of Don’t Say Don’t Tell in 2010
  • Wielded large influence in 2021-23 Congress 50-50 split - acted as swing vote alongside Krysten Sinema
18
Q

3

Describe the importance of Congressional diversity

A
  • Ensures pluralism of diverse population
  • Brngs diversity of thought
  • Individuals in Congress who share experience of people they represent
19
Q

4

Describe positives for diversity in Congress in recent years

A
  • Notable increase in representation for women, AAs and Hispanics
  • AA most appropriately represented in Congress: 11.6% members are AA, roughly equal to 2020 census data (12.4%)
  • 13 openly LGBT Congress members
  • 18 foreign-born members - 17 in House, 1 in Senate (Mazie Hirono (Dem) in Hawaii, born in Japan)
20
Q

3

Describe majority-minority districts

A
  • District where minority national group makes up majority population of district
  • More likely they will elect representative of their minority group
  • 122 majority-minoirty districts prior to 2020 redistricting
21
Q

5

Describe negatives for diversity in Congress in recent years

A
  • Most AA members are in less-important House
  • Remains gulf between female representation in Congress (27%) and makeup of population (51%)
  • Average age considerably higher
  • 94% of Congress representatives have college degree
  • 469 members are Christian - lower than before, but still dominate
22
Q

4

Describe stats that show the age of Congress members

A
  • House: 54 years
  • Senate: 64 years
  • Well above average age in population, 38.5 years
  • e.g. Diane Fienstein served as CA Senator until death in 2023 at age of 90
23
Q

3

Outline the difference between descriptive and functional representation

A
  • Descriptive - share descriptive characteristics with group (age, gender, ethnicity, etc)
  • Functional - represent economic or social groups within wider community
  • Done through lobbyists or pressure groups who represent views of under-represented in legislature
24
Q

NEED 2 CARDS ON REPRESENTATION ESSAY

A
  • Use 2023 Politics Paper 3 mark scheme - ask Mr Oliver
  • pg 507

Politics Paper 3 (34 decks)

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