congress' representative function USP Flashcards
(28 cards)
what is a ‘trustee’
elected representatives are given the responsibility to exercise their judgement and are held accountable next election
what is a ‘delegate’
representatives should base their decisions and voting on the wishes of their constituents
in 2022, what percentage of HOR incumbents ran for re-election and won
94%
in 2022, what percentage of Senate incumbents ran for re-election and won
100% (all 28 and this hasnt happened since 1914)
key reasons for the significance of incumbency - USE OF OFFICE AND FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE
- 2022 Senate Elections, incumbents raised an average of $29M [challengers were only average $2M]
- second impeachment case, only 7/50 rep senators voted for impeachment as there was large trump support in their states
key reasons for the significance of incumbency - SAFE SEATS AND GERRYMANDERING
- FPTP means that there are your usual ‘safe seats’
- REDMAP after 2008 = republicans re-drew their district boundaries in their favour
explain what happened with REDMAP after 2008
- 2008 = PENNSYLVANIA won 12/18 congressional districts
- 2012 = PENNSYLVANIA win 5/18 even with 51% of the vote
key reasons for the significance of incumbency - PORK BARREL LEGISLATION
- representative proposes amendment to legislation which will benefit particular group in constituency which will help them with re-election
- some will only vote for bill if amendment is put in = ‘earmark’ bill
- 2023 = $26B was spent on earmark bills
who is Senator Richard Shelby and what’s his deal with earmark bills
passed 18 earmarks costing over $666M in total
who is Senator Ted Stevens and what’s his deal with earmark bills
- ‘bridge to nowhere’
- bridge in Alaska to an island of 50 residents
- cost $223M
how have primary challenges threatened incumbency
- 1982-2016 = 74 incumbents lost primaries
- 2022 = 14 incumbents lost primaries ALONE
- AOC defeated Joseph Crowley = POLITICAL IDEOLOGY MATTERS TOO
factors that affect voting behaviour within congress - PARTIES
- half of ll votes in the first few years of the 21st century being party votes
- however, extreme increase in partisanship since Trump
- NO democrats voted for Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017, only 13 republicans against it
- NO republicans voted for Biden’s inflation Reduction 2022, whilst only one democrat voted against it
factors that affect voting behaviour within congress - CAUCUSES
- different factions within political parties who often vote together and act as a group in order to increase their importance and influence
- ‘House Freedom Caucus’ most right wing caucus of Rep party played key role in removal of moderate Republican Kevin Macarty as House Speaker in October 2023
factors that affect voting behaviour within congress - INTEREST GROUPS AND LOBBYISTS
- estimated 12,000 lobbyists in washington
- total lobbying spend in US is $3.8B
- interest groups can endorse - NRA successful in prevent Obama passing legislation for limiting gun usage
factors that affect voting behaviour within congress - PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND ELECTORAL INCENTIVE
- democratic senator Joe Manchin who often voted with republican only does this due to the fact we represents west virginia = successfully re-elected in 2018
what did a Gallup polling tell us about the relationship between congress people and their constituents
under 20% of respondents approved of the way congress was handling its job
arguments that congress does perform its representative function effectively IN TERMS OF ELECTIONS
- elections are frequent
- elections are independent from presidential
- increase primary challenges shows that representatives are held accountable
arguments that congress does NOT perform its representative function effectively IN TERMS OF ELECTIONS
- success of incumbents
- primaries give too much power to extreme wings of each party to unseat moderates which are broadly popular with public
- HOR election is too frequent - already thinking about next one
arguments that congress does NOT perform its representative function effectively IN TERMS OF DESCRIPTIVE REPRESENTATION
118th congress
- 137 non-white
- 150 women
113th congress
- 86 non-white
- 100 women
arguments that congress does perform its representative function effectively IN TERMS OF REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS
- all representatives are highly aware of the voices of their constituents
- Representative holds on average 9 town hall meetings every two years
- Senator holds on average 7
arguments that congress does NOT perform its representative function effectively IN TERMS OF REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS
- impairs their ability to represent national interest [pork barrel legislation]
- highly partisan, gridlock and compromised legislation means legislation is not good enough
- campaign financing is prone to corruption
in 2024, how many incumbents were re-elected in the senate
20/23
what percentage of congress in 2024 is non-white
26%
what percentage of the population in 2024 is non-white
42%
