13.3.1
Changing Roles & Powers
Changing Nature of Power in Congress
Changing Nature of Power in Congress
There has been a growth and reduction in aspects of Congress' power.
Growth of power
Growth of power
- 16th Amendment (1913) gave Congress the power to levy an income tax.
- Midterm elections have much more of a national policy focus, placing much more power in the House Speaker and minority and majority leaders.
Reduction of power
Reduction of power
- Foreign policy is increasingly controlled by the president who has the power to initiate ‘military actions’ such as the Vietnam war and recent interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
- In recent years there has been less cooperation between the two parties. If there is a divided Congress without cooperation, legislation is less likely to pass through both houses and Congress will pass few laws.
Reduced power: executive orders
Reduced power: executive orders
- Presidents have been increasingly using executive orders to pass legislation, rather than having it go through Congress.
- As well as this, if the party is in control of either house of Congress approves of the President’s actions, the executive order will not be challenged in Congress.
- There has been an increasing use of the presidency as a “bully pulpit” - to inform and shape the opinion of the public.
- Donald Trump uses Twitter to discuss issues and shape public opinion, for better or for worse.
Debates About the Adequacy of its Representative Role
Debates About the Adequacy of its Representative Role
There are debates over whether Congress is adequate or inadequate in its representative role.
Adequate representation
Adequate representation
- The 115th Congress was the most racially and ethnically diverse in history up to that point, with 19% of members being non-white, up from 15% in the 114th.
- Despite Congress’ poor approval rating, the majority of individual congresspeople have over 50% approval rating from their constituents.
- American citizens are very ideologically divided, especially along urban/rural lines – the broad range of ideologies is represented in Congress.
Example of adequate representation
Example of adequate representation
- Congress represents a wide range of ideologies.
- Within the Republicans, there are libertarians such as Rand Paul, moderates such as Susan Collins, and Tea Party members such as Ted Cruz.
Inadequate representation
Inadequate representation
- The US population is 38% non-white, yet only 19% of the 115th Congress is non-white
- Only 19% of the 115th Congress is female, compared to around 50% of the population. Women are also underrepresented in leadership positions in Congress.
Inadequate: gerrymandering
Inadequate: gerrymandering
- Gerrymandering by state legislatures often means that minorities are underrepresented in the House.
- Voting district lines are re-drawn to split groups of voters into smaller groups (cracking) to stop them from having a majority.
- Lines also ‘pack’ voters into one district to prevent one party from getting too many seats.
- Voting district lines are often drawn by partisan committees who use the power to benefit their own party.
Inadequate: focus on re-election
Inadequate: focus on re-election
- The short terms in the House mean that representatives are often more focused on re-election than the needs of their constituents.
- This makes them particularly vulnerable to the influence of corporations and pressure groups who can finance their re-election campaigns.
- For example, despite over 90% of Americans being in favour of background checks for gun owners, such measures have been repeatedly been killed in Congress by Congresspeople who receive money from the NRA.
1Democracy & Participation
1.1Representative & Direct Democracy
1.2Wider Franchise & Suffrage
1.3Pressure Groups & Other Influences
2Political Parties
2.1How Political Parties Work
2.2Established Political Parties
2.3Emerging & Minor Political Parties
3Electoral Systems
3.1Different Electoral Systems
3.2Referendums & How They Are Used
4Voting Behaviour & the Media
5Conservatism
5.1Conservatism: Core Ideas & Principles
5.2Conservatism: Differing Views & Tensions
6Liberalism
6.1Liberalism: Core Ideas & Principles
6.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Liberalism
7Socialism
7.1Socialism: Core Ideas & Principles
7.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Socialism
8The UK Constitution
8.1Nature & Sources of UK Constitution
8.2Constitutional Change since 1997
8.3Role & Powers of Devolved UK Bodies
9The UK Parliament
9.1Houses of Parliament
9.2Comparative Powers
9.3Legislative Process
10The Prime Minister & the Executive
10.1The Executive
10.2Ministerial Responsibility
10.3Prime Minister & the Cabinet
10.3.1Role of the Prime Minister
10.3.2Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.3Limits on the Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.4Role of the Cabinet
10.3.5Prime Minister & Cabinet: Relations
10.3.6Prime Minister & Cabinet: Balance of Power
10.3.7Prime Minister & Cabinet: Case Studies
10.3.8End of Topic Test - PM & Cabinet
10.3.9Top Grade AO3/4 - PM & Cabinet
11Relationships Between Government Branches
11.1The Supreme Court
11.2Parliament & Executive Relations
11.3The European Union & the UK
11.4Sovereignty in the UK Political System
12US Constitution & Federalism
12.1Nature of the US Constitution
12.2Principles of the US Constitution
12.3Federalism
13US Congress
13.1Structure of Congress
13.2Functions of Congress
14US Presidency
14.1Presidential Power
14.2The Presidency
14.3Interpretations & Debates of the US Presidency
15US Supreme Court & Civil Rights
15.1Nature & Role of Supreme Court
15.2Supreme Court Appointment Process
15.3The Supreme Court & Public Policy
15.4Protection of Civil Liberties & Rights
15.5Debates & Interpretations of the Supreme Court
16US Democracy & Participation
16.1Presidential Elections
16.2Electoral College
16.3Electoral Campaigns
16.4Incumbency
16.5Democrats & Republicans
16.6Internal Conflict & Ideology
16.7Support & Demographics
17Comparing Democracies
17.1Theoretical Approaches
17.2UK & USA Similarities & Differences
17.2.1Constitution: Nature
17.2.2Constitution: Provisions & Principles
17.2.3Federal System & Devolution
17.2.4Legislative: Lower Houses of Government
17.2.5Legislative: Upper Houses of Government
17.2.6Legislative: Powers & Functions
17.2.7Executive
17.2.8Supreme Court
17.2.9Supreme Court: Judicial Independence
17.2.10Civil Rights
17.2.11Civil Rights: Interest Groups
17.2.12Party Systems & Parties
17.2.13Campaign Finance & Pressure Groups
17.2.14End of Topic Test - Comparing UK & US
17.2.15Application Questions - UK & USA
18Feminism
18.1Feminism: Core Ideas & Principles
18.2Different Types of Feminism
19Nationalism
19.1Nationalism: Core Ideas & Principles
19.2Different Types of Nationalism
Jump to other topics
1Democracy & Participation
1.1Representative & Direct Democracy
1.2Wider Franchise & Suffrage
1.3Pressure Groups & Other Influences
2Political Parties
2.1How Political Parties Work
2.2Established Political Parties
2.3Emerging & Minor Political Parties
3Electoral Systems
3.1Different Electoral Systems
3.2Referendums & How They Are Used
4Voting Behaviour & the Media
5Conservatism
5.1Conservatism: Core Ideas & Principles
5.2Conservatism: Differing Views & Tensions
6Liberalism
6.1Liberalism: Core Ideas & Principles
6.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Liberalism
7Socialism
7.1Socialism: Core Ideas & Principles
7.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Socialism
8The UK Constitution
8.1Nature & Sources of UK Constitution
8.2Constitutional Change since 1997
8.3Role & Powers of Devolved UK Bodies
9The UK Parliament
9.1Houses of Parliament
9.2Comparative Powers
9.3Legislative Process
10The Prime Minister & the Executive
10.1The Executive
10.2Ministerial Responsibility
10.3Prime Minister & the Cabinet
10.3.1Role of the Prime Minister
10.3.2Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.3Limits on the Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.4Role of the Cabinet
10.3.5Prime Minister & Cabinet: Relations
10.3.6Prime Minister & Cabinet: Balance of Power
10.3.7Prime Minister & Cabinet: Case Studies
10.3.8End of Topic Test - PM & Cabinet
10.3.9Top Grade AO3/4 - PM & Cabinet
11Relationships Between Government Branches
11.1The Supreme Court
11.2Parliament & Executive Relations
11.3The European Union & the UK
11.4Sovereignty in the UK Political System
12US Constitution & Federalism
12.1Nature of the US Constitution
12.2Principles of the US Constitution
12.3Federalism
13US Congress
13.1Structure of Congress
13.2Functions of Congress
14US Presidency
14.1Presidential Power
14.2The Presidency
14.3Interpretations & Debates of the US Presidency
15US Supreme Court & Civil Rights
15.1Nature & Role of Supreme Court
15.2Supreme Court Appointment Process
15.3The Supreme Court & Public Policy
15.4Protection of Civil Liberties & Rights
15.5Debates & Interpretations of the Supreme Court
16US Democracy & Participation
16.1Presidential Elections
16.2Electoral College
16.3Electoral Campaigns
16.4Incumbency
16.5Democrats & Republicans
16.6Internal Conflict & Ideology
16.7Support & Demographics
17Comparing Democracies
17.1Theoretical Approaches
17.2UK & USA Similarities & Differences
17.2.1Constitution: Nature
17.2.2Constitution: Provisions & Principles
17.2.3Federal System & Devolution
17.2.4Legislative: Lower Houses of Government
17.2.5Legislative: Upper Houses of Government
17.2.6Legislative: Powers & Functions
17.2.7Executive
17.2.8Supreme Court
17.2.9Supreme Court: Judicial Independence
17.2.10Civil Rights
17.2.11Civil Rights: Interest Groups
17.2.12Party Systems & Parties
17.2.13Campaign Finance & Pressure Groups
17.2.14End of Topic Test - Comparing UK & US
17.2.15Application Questions - UK & USA
18Feminism
18.1Feminism: Core Ideas & Principles
18.2Different Types of Feminism
19Nationalism
19.1Nationalism: Core Ideas & Principles
19.2Different Types of Nationalism
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