The Two Congresses

THE TWO CONGRESSES

• Presenter: Jesse Richman Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science

Representation and Lawmaking

• Key Themes:

  • The electoral imperative

  • Distinction between primary and general elections

  • Influence of money in politics and electoral outcomes

  • Role of media and speechmaking in elections

  • Legislative responsibilities

  • Balancing national priorities and constituency services

  • Competition with the executive branch for power

Illustrations

• Case Study: David Brat vs. Eric Cantor

  • Brat: 56% (36,110 votes)

  • Cantor: 44% (28,898 votes)

  • Significance of electoral outcomes in Virginia

Political Dynamics in Recent Elections

• Example: Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez vs. Joe Crowley (2018)

  • Reference: Washington Post video on her campaign

The Structure of Congress

• The Legislature:

  • Defined as a mature institution with an intricate structure of rules and traditions.

  • Members must navigate and comply with established congressional norms.

• The Representative Assembly:

  • Consists of diverse individuals shaped by varying backgrounds and political routes.

  • Members' re-election depends on personal policy stances and local ties rather than the overall Congressional output.

Goals of Members of Congress

• Primary Objective: Reelection

  • Quote from Frank E. Smith highlights the importance of reelection as a fundamental goal.

• Additional Goals:

  • Creating beneficial policies

  • Gaining influence in Washington

Attitudes Toward Reelection

• Polling data on whether representatives and Congress as a whole deserve re-election:

  • High percentage of voters believe their local representative deserves reelection, but lower for most members of Congress.

Constitutional Foundations

• Legislative Body: Article I, Section 1

  • Establishes the bicameral nature of Congress: Senate and House of Representatives.

• Representative Assembly: Article I, Section 2

  • House of Representatives is made up of representatives elected every two years.

Burke’s Delegate/Trustee Distinction

• Delegate Role: Represents divergent interests.

  • Functions primarily as an advocate for specific local interests.

• Trustee Role: Represents the collective interest of the nation.

  • Engages in deliberation for the overall good rather than local prejudices.

The Electoral System Impact

• Voting System: Primarily plurality winners in elections

  • Discussion of district lines and their implications on elections.

• Contrasting Electoral Systems:

  • U.S. uses plurality, while other systems (like Proportional Representation) allocate seats based on vote share.

  • Parties receive seats as a proportion of their vote share

International Comparison: Israeli System

• Structure:

  • Single district representing the entire country with members elected from party lists.

  • No local constituency ties among elected officials.

Game Theory in Congress

• Collective Action Challenges:

  • Various scenarios like the Prisoner’s Dilemma, unstable coalitions, and coordination problems.

• Prisoner's Dilemma:

  • Highlights the conflict between individual rationality and collective benefit.

Examples of Collective Action Problems

• Game Simulation: Contribution decisions affecting class resources:

  • Provides insight into contributing to common issues despite individual disadvantages.

• Coordination Problems: Difficulty in agreeing on collective actions (e.g., meeting locations).

• Unstable Coalitions: Vulnerability of coalition agreements due to competition.

Divide the Dollar Game Simulation

• Explores self-interest and majority voting in resource allocation.

• Provides insight into how proposals can favor subsets of voters.

Agency Problems in Politics

• Discusses the challenges of elected officials potentially serving divergent interests from their constituents.

• Illustrates the need for accountability in selected leaders within Congress.

Reflections on Congress

• Noted criticisms of Congress:

  • Members run for office against the institution itself (Fenno).

  • Critique of Congress as an ineffective body (quotations from Mark Twain and Wilson).

Importance of Studying Congress

• Acknowledgment of flaws but also recognizes purposeful behaviors and reasonable policies in congressional actions.

• Encourages exploration of Congress's functions and objectives.

Chamber Dynamics

• House of Representatives:

  • Stronger party organization allows majority parties to prevail.

• Senate:

  • Greater power for minorities, filibuster facilitates objections to majority decisions.

Polling Data on Re-election Opinions

• Survey data on perceptions of local representatives and overall Congress reflects significant public skepticism about Congress's performance.