Govermet Institutions and Policy Making: Congress and the President

Features of Congressional Policy Making

• central role of Committees; operating on specialists

• difficulty becoming law; bills can be struck down at any time

• party polarization and policy gridlock happening in increasing amounts; each party is quite homogeneous.

Presidential power in policy making

• strengthening presidential and federal power; modern presidency

• Growth in implied powers: national security and executive orders

• Presidency in national security/foreign policy

• Key tool of veto/veto threat

• Issues around going public and expectations of a “Green Lantern Presidency”

• Role of presidential popularity and influence

Policy at the State and Federal Level

• Constitutional Federalism

• Federal powers through Congress and the president

• State powers on crime punishments to education

• Pendulum of Federalism with states’ reduction of power

Grants: Categorical and Block

Money given to states. Categorical define how the money should be used, while block grants have more leeway in regards to use.

Green Lantern Presidency

The notion that the president has absolute power/influence to pass certain legislation with a magic ring, but this is untrue due to U.S. checks and balances

Federalism

two independent sets of government each with own sphere of authority and social contract.

Role of Committees

where policy largely occurs, with Congress members specializing based on expertise and location. But limits who is making legislation, such as politicians specializing in air travel would specialize on airline policy

Policy gridlock

The Senate can impede with filibusters, but 60 votes are needed to stop a debate/take action. Increasingly common as filibuster rules have changed under Senate control.

Senate parliamentarian

person who chooses under what category a bill falls under