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Ajaypal Gill

Mr. Marr

Period 2

February 29, 2008

Chapter 12

1. Members of Congress engage in three primary activities that increase the probability of

their re-election: advertising, credit claiming, and position taking. In addition the lack of

strong opponents further ensures their success. Members of Congress work hard to get

themselves known to the incumbents by advertising themselves to the people with

frequent trips home. Congresspersons also engage in credit claiming, which involves

enhancing their standing with constituents through service to individuals and the district.

Lastly, Members of Congress must also engage in position taking on issues when they

vote and respond to constituents questions.

2. PACs give money to incumbents who are going to win anyway because they want to seek

access to policymakers. PACs want to keep the lines of communication open and create a

receptive atmosphere in which to be heard.

3. The House Rules Committee plays a key role in agenda setting. This committee reviews

most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.

4. The filibuster was reserved for matters of grave importance before the 1970s and was

rarely used. Now, however, a filibuster is used in the Senate for even the most trivial of

matters. In additional, the tactical uses of a filibuster have expanded to a point that a

senator is able to threaten an unrelated measure in order to gain concessions on a bill he

or she opposes.

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5. Until the 1970s there was a simple way of picking committee chairs: the seniority system.

The member who had served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled

Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence. Today

the seniority system remains the general rule for selecting chairs, though it is not

mandatory, but there are certain exceptions.

6. Members seek committees that will help them achieve three goals: reelection, influence

in Congress, and the opportunity to make policy in areas they think are important.

7. The goal of a congressional congress is to promote the interests around which they are

formed. Within Congress they press for committees to hold hearings, they push

particular legislation, and they pull togethervotes on bills they favor. They are somewhat

like interest groups, but with a difference: their members are members of Congress, not

petitioners to Congress on the outside looking in.

8. A trustee is a legislator who uses his or her best judgment to make policy in the interests

of the people. A delegate is a legislator who mirrors the preference of his or her

constituents. A politico is a member of Congress who is a combination of these two.

9. Congressis both unrepresentative and representative of the American people. It is

unrepresentative in that its members are theAmerican elite and voters have little direct

influence over these individuals. In spite of this fact, Congress tries its hardest to be

representative of the American people through connecting with them via linkage

institutions and responding to their needs.

Some aspects of Congress make them unrepresentative. For instance, the

Congress is dominated by wealthy, white males. This fact overthrows the diversity the

United States prides itself on, which is known as a country made up of diverse cultures.

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Also, its leadership is chosen by its own members. Moreover, voters have little control

over who they want as committee chair members and such.

Because they dontwant to be unrepresentative, Congress tries its hardest to reach

out to the common American. Members of Congress vigorously protect the interests of

their constituents. They are responsive to the people and the peoples voice plays a role

in influencing their choice on certain legislations. In fact, Congress has enacted the huge

tax cut of 1981, the comprehensive tax reform of 1986, and various bills structuring the

budgetary process designed to balance the budget. They have also helped in education

reform by giving college students access to more financial aid, establishing new grant aid

for low- and middle-income college students, and their continuing commitment to federal

education resources.

I feel that Congress is more representative and this sort of aspect is desirable in

the democracy we live in today. From time to time, Congress does show us that they care

about the American people by making effective policy-making decisions.