Recap/ Summary

About Congress

Summary -CongressHOUSE

• 435 members that serve 2 year terms• Can only one major committee assignment (policy specialists)• Speaker’s referral of bills to committee is hard to challenge• Committees almost always consider legislation first• Scheduling and rules are controlled by the majority party• Rules Committee is powerful; controls time of debate, admissibility of amendments• Debate is usually limited to one hour• Nongermane amendments may not be introduced from the floor• Revenue bills must start here. • Decide prez if no winner in e college

Summary -CongressSENATE

•100 members that serve 6 year terms (staggered terms)• Can sit on 2 or more committees (policy generalists)• Referral decisions are easy to challenge• Committee consideration is easily bypassed• Scheduling and rules are generally agreed to by majority and minority leaders• Rules Committee is weak; few limits on debate or amendments• Debate is unlimited unless shortened by unanimous consent or by invoking cloture• Nongermane amendments may be introduced. (Riders)• Choose VP if no winner in e college.

Reapportionment

Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering

http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/images/gerrymander.jpg

Define itGerrymandering is a form of boundary redistricting in which electoral or constitutional boundaries are deliberately modified for electoral purposes (i.e. benefiting one party) - producing a contorted shape. The resulting district is known as gerrymander

GerrymanderingWhat is the purpose?

1) The purpose of gerrymandering is to either concentrate opposition votes into a few districts to gain more seats for the majority in surrounding districts (called packing),2) or to diffuse minority strength across many districts (called dilution).3) Draw districts so independents will be distributed evenly throughout districts rarely contested.4) Vote the redistricting plan through because they have the majority votes

GerrymanderingWho is responsible for drawing those lines?

What limitations do they have?CompactContiguousPopulation Equality (640,000-650,000)

Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering

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How can gerrymandering be limited beyond Congress?

In the courts

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Baker v Carr estb. that reapportionment was a justifiable issue for the court (no longer a political issue to avoid) and that the “one person one vote” principle in legislative districts ought to be relatively equal

Reynolds v Sims was a follow up to Baker that held that the Alabama state legislative districts unconstitutionally violated the principal

Westbury v Saunders then applied that principal to Congressional districts

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Gomillion v. Lightfoot electoral district boundaries drawn only to disenfranchise blacks violates the 15th A

Shaw v Reno 1993 redistricting based on standards of race must be held to strict scrutiny under equal protection clause

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How can gerrymandering be limited beyond Congress?

1) courts, yes....

2) voter patterns change

3) citizens move in and out of districts

4) pluralism can effect

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What are the positive effects of gerrymandering?

1) minority representatives can be elected in minority districts

2) it is a clear violation of representative democracy...

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PORK BARREL SPENDINGAn incumbentadvantage

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PORK BARREL SPENDINGWhy do Congressmen allow it?

Read article Pork in Congress

Congressmen work hard so why allow these earmarks?

They aren’t going to let a bill go on the basis of one item

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PORK BARREL SPENDINGLet’s look deeper at earmarked spending...

http://earmarks.omb.gov/

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PORK BARREL SPENDING

Reformers claim that pork-barrel legislation (“bring home the bacon”) is a misallocation of tax dollars because it supports trivial social projects for reelection prospects.

Truthfully, not all pork is bad because many congressional districts get benefits that are long overdue to them. Additionally, spending on pork legislation is only a small fraction of what is spent on entitlement programs.

A citizen-oriented Congress= a pork-barrel oriented Congress.

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PORK BARREL SPENDING

Why not a line item veto? Many states have it.

Clinton v New York? sc says president can't veto line item. Now it will have to be amendment.