Congress is successful at its representation function

Question 1

weaker, congress is effective as members actively work for their constituents and rep their ideas

Answer 1

• trustee model of rep, responsibility on those who have more knowledge
• 3 GOP senators who prevented trump from repealing obamacare, Mccain, collins and murkowski
• sanders attempt to block $20bil in arm sales to israel and voted against the war in iraq
• collins yes to all trumps cab noms bar hegseth, she did not agree with appointment
• didn’t believe it was in the best interest of the people, rather than voting in party lines

Question 2

incumbent chairs of committees can boost name recognition and level of seniority

Answer 2

• minnesota senator klobuchar chair of joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies, prominent role in trumps in 2025
• constituents may believe that removing incumbent, loose level of expertise and benefits
• follow delegate model of rep
• GOP members did not vote to impeach trump in 2019 and 2021 due to his personal popularity with voters

Question 3

does not represent properly due to the negatives of incumbency

Answer 3

• incumbency rate never dropped below 85%
• 2022 all 28 inc senators running for reelection won
• 2017-19 HOR highest ever rate at 97% and senate 93%
• take advantage of constituency services mailing constituents at the expense of congress
• financial advantage to eliminate competition
• 2020 mitch mcconnell spent $32 on average per seat and won against challenger $92 per vote
• senate candidates with the most funds won seats 81% of the time since 2000
• no term limit, retain seat indefinitely

Question 4

pork barrelling effects incumbency rates, don’t rep constituents

Answer 4

• secure funding from fed gov for state projects that they have a personal interest in
• alaskas bridge to nowhere secured $233mil but scrapped in 2015 after a lack of progression and criticism from constituents
• big dig highway project in boston supposed to cost $3bil, cost 14.6 and overran by 2 years

Question 5

aims to increase descriptive representation

Answer 5

• 118th most racially diverse, 14% HoR african american
• gerrymandering, manipulate district
• 2022 31% of districts in house were maj-min districts
• illinois, democ aim to eliminate republican seats and send more democ to washington but new census reduced 18-17
• led to a latino maj-min being formed, due to locality rule a latino rep is likely

Question 6

gerrymandering is negative, congress doesn’t fulfil rep

Answer 6

• done by political parties rather than indep organisations, bias
• POC still underrepresented despite gerrymandering
• ensure surrounding districts are more white and more conservative
• (Cooper v Harris) challenged use of race alone as a factor in making districts - barrier
• 5 members of senate AfricanA compared to 18% population as states cannot be gerrymandered
• struggle for ethnic m in attaining statewide office

Question 7

does fulfil as they represent a variety of ideologies and views

Answer 7

• parties broad churches, elected on party basis, level of loyalty however weak whips, likely to defy
• 2024 38 GOP defied party by voting against budget as an objection to gov spending
• Rep of issues, cong caucuses, research, vote together
• pro life and LGBTQ caucus
• set agenda, sponsor and write leg
• congressional black caucus set up a “war room” to defend brown jackson after SC nom
• CBC ensure black participation in the census and secure funding for black college/uni and an advocate for an anti curriculum censorship bias

Question 8

rep ideologies and views through lobbying

Answer 8

• allows public to participate in legislating process as draft legislation made by corps can be used for real bills
• revolving door politics, retired congress people who are specialists can join firms
• 1/2 retiring senators and 1/3 house become lobbyists
• although congress not representative, too influenced by donors and the administration

Question 9

cong not rep as exec has influence over senate decisions

Answer 9

• house speaker and majority senate leader both play key role in liaising with the white house
• 2010 pelosi played role in ensuring concessions were made to get enough votes from the blue dog coalition to pass obamacare reform

Question 10

Super PACS and PACS/ lobbying divert congress attention from constit to external issues to bring in funding

Answer 10

• NRA victory fund PAC to donate to repub campaigns to create ads for GOP pro gun candidates and attack ads for democ
• lobbying negative impact revolving door
• info presented may be distorted
• pay for laws through funding, persuasion