CONGRESSWilson: Chapter 11

“One of the standing jokes of Congress is that the new Congressman always spends the first week wondering how he got there and the rest of the time wondering how the other members got there”"I believe if we introduced the Lord's Prayer here, senators would propose a large number of amendments to it."

The only difference between death and

taxes is that death doesn't get worse

every time Congress meets.

"If con is the opposite of pro, is

Congress the opposite of progress?"

“In my many years I have come to a conclusion

that one useless man is a shame, two is a law

firm, and three or more is a congress.”

The Legislative Branch 1st in the Constitution Why did the Framers create a “Congress”, with a

separate executive, rather than a Parliament? The wheels of Congress: slow, for a reason? Congressional (dis)approval

Why is it that people hate Congress, but like their MoC?

CONGRESS AND PARLIAMENTSAP Government and PoliticsChapter 11: Wilson

Homework: Assignment 2 for Monday

Consider: What are the pros and cons of the US “presidential” system vis-à-vis the Parliamentary system?

Congress’ and Parliaments *Key difference is in HOW one is elected

and what one DOES while in office. How they are elected:

Congress: chosen to run in primaries, elected by name

Parliament: chosen to run by parties, elected either by name or by party nationwide

What they do in office: Congress: individual strong, laws made by all

members Parliament: Party strong, laws drafted by party

and debated by members

Presidents and Prime Ministers

**Difference usually found in how the person is elected, and who they are answerable to.

In US, president (elected by people) is separate and powerful; both chief executive and head of the government No prime minister

In UK, no president; prime minister is head of government (elected by Parliament) Royal family is head of state

In Israel, president is elected by Parliament but is ceremonial head of state; Prime Minister (nominated by President) chosen by Parliament is chief executive

In France; president is most powerful (directly elected) and appoints the PM; Parliament can dissolve PM’s gov.

Prime Minister’s Questions

Should the US president be subject to the same requirement each week? http://www.c-span.org/Events/Prime-Minister39s-Question-Time/10737435455/

Prime minister's questions (PMQs; officially Questions to the Prime Minister) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday (when the House of Commons is sitting) during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament (MPs). PMQs forms an important part of British political culture and, due to the natural drama of the sessions, it is the most well-known piece of Parliamentary business in the United Kingdom with tickets to the Strangers' Gallery (public gallery) for Wednesdays being the most sought-after parliamentary tickets.http://www.c-span.org/Events/Prime-

Minister39s-Question-Time/10737435455/

The Evolution of Congress Biggest complaint is that Congress is ineffective or

unrepresentative To counter this, centralization could occur, but that would

limit debate, the power of individual members More power for members (and their constituencies) means

less power for leaders, and more gridlock or slow movement Congress has undergone shifts from power of

leadership, to power of committees, to power of members, back to power of leaders House is too big to run efficiently if members are

individually too powerful; Senate is small enough to run well without changes in

leadership spheres Biggest debate for years was how members would be chosen,

not who would run the institution