1. Re-Election Rates in the House of Representatives 1946-1998*

2. Gerrymandering: Drawing Electoral Boundaries for Political Advantage*
Cracking
the Minority
Packing
the Minority
Cracking
the Majority

3. Porkbarrel Representation*
Porkbarrel Representation

4. Casework Representation*

5. THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSTITUENCY SERVICE: THE GROWTH IN DISTRICT STAFF*

6. An Example of the Franking Privilege*

7. Change in Congressional Mailings: Election Year vs. Off Year*
Election-Year Mean Change: +44%
Off-Year Mean Change: -32%

8. Campaign Spending: Incumbents and Challengers*

9. Effects of Campaign Spending: Name Recognition*

10. LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 80TH –105TH CONGRESS*

11. CONGRESSIONAL STAFFING 1930-1997*
CONGRESSIONAL STAFFING

12. The Simplified/Idealized Legislative Process*

13. Conservative Nature of Congress: Percent of Bills That Pass,1947-1998*
Conservative Nature of Congress: Percent of Bills That Pass,
Mean Percent of
Bills that Pass: 6.7%
( )
( )

14. Fire Alarm Oversight *

15. The Electoral Value of the Franking Privilege*
The Electoral Value of the Franking Privilege

16. The “Typical” Member of the 109th Congress
Gender:
Male
Women = about 15% of seats (most ever)
Race:
White
Blacks = 8% of seats, 12% of population (1 senator)
Hispanics = 5% of seats, 14% of population (2 senators)
Education:
93% have bachelor’s degrees
25% of population has bachelor’s degrees
Age:
House = 55 years, Senate = 60 years
Oldest Congress ever
Occupation:
Lawyer = 40%, Business = 35%, Politician = 35%
Return

17. “Quality Challengers”: The Chicken and the Egg
To be a quality challenger, you need:
A good chance at winning, so that people take your candidacy seriously.
In order to have a good chance at winning you need. . .
Funding, so that you can get your name recognized.
In order to get funding, you need. . .
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18. WOMEN, AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANICS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 92nd - 106th CONGRESS
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19. Henry Clay and the “Unbounded” Congress:
: Served in Senate (not yet 30) to fill the vacancy caused by resignation
: State house of representatives, speaker in 1809
: Served in Senate to fill the vacancy caused by resignation
: House of Representatives, Speaker of the House
1814: appointed one of the commissioners to negotiate the treaty of peace with Great Britain
: Speaker of the House
: “Retired”
: Speaker of the House
1824: Ran for President
: Secretary of State
: Senate, chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on Finance
1832: Ran for President
1844: Ran for President
: Senate
1852: Dead Return

20. Violence in Early Congresses
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21. Committees as “Preference Outliers”— Skewing Policy Outcomes
Committee bill wins: Chamber accepts committee’s expertise and “jurisdiction”. But why?
Bill representing the median (average) of the Chamber’s policy preferences
Bill produced by the Ag Committee
Agriculture Committee members
Liberal
(more spending)
Policy Dimension
(where MC’s stand on spending for agriculture)
Conservative
(less spending)
Return

22. Committees as Party Agents— Skewing Policy Outcomes
Majority party-favored bill wins: Party-agents on committee protect the majority party’s interests
Bill representing the median (average) of the Chamber’s policy preferences
Bill produced by the majority-controlled Ag Committee
Majority Party members
Liberal
(more spending)
Policy Dimension
(where MC’s stand on spending for agriculture)
Conservative
(less spending)
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23. The Chamber Rules— Centrist Policy Outcomes
Bill representing the median (average) of the Chamber’s policy preferences
Liberal
(more spending)
Policy Dimension
(where MC’s stand on spending for agriculture)
Conservative
(less spending)
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24. Congressional Party Leadership Positions
HOUSE:
Speaker—presiding officer, determines schedule, refers bills
Majority Leader—Speaker’s “assistant”, party spokesperson
Party Whips—maintain party loyalty of votes, pass information between leaders and members.
Minority Leader—loyal opposition, party spokesperson
SENATE:
Majority Leader—Party’s floor leader, party spokesperson
Party Whips—maintain party loyalty of votes, pass information between leaders and members.
Minority Leader—loyal opposition, party spokesperson, coordinates very closely with Majority Leader
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25. Cheating in 2305—Your Options
Student 2
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Spill It C C F B
KYMS
Student 1 B F D D
Spill It

26. Cheating in 2305—Your Options
Student 2
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Spill It C C F B
KYMS
Student 1 B F D D
Spill It

27. Cheating in 2305—Your Options
Student 2
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Spill It C C F B
KYMS
Student 1 B F D D
Spill It

28. Cheating in 2305—Your Options
Student 2
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Spill It C C F B
KYMS
Student 1 B F D D
Spill It

29. Cheating in 2305—Your Options
Student 2
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Spill It C C F B
KYMS
Student 1 B F D D
Spill It

30. Prisoner’s Dilemma
By acting rationally individually, the group collectively ends up with sub-optimal outcomes.
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31. Serving on a Committee—Your Options
Return
Committee 2
Stick To Budget
Spend Like Crazy
STB +2 +2
-15
+10
Committee 1
SLC
+10
-15
-10
-10

32. Parties vs. Committees Pushes to the center Pulls from the center
The 2 parties try to increase the chamber’s coherence (make it all make sense)
Pulls from the center
Each individual committee tries to drive policies in their own direction (NO COHERENCE!)
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33. The Legislative Process
How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Legislative Process

36. Why type of committee am I in?

38. Click on me

40. Why is the Rules Committee so important??
Click on me

41. Click on me

42. The same process occurs in Senate, with one notable exception…
Notice that there’s no Rules Committee in the Senate. What effect might that have on Senate debate?
Click on me

46. OR…?