Legislative Branch

Political Ideology

• A consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue.

Liberal and Conservative

• Take liberal or conservative test

If you scored

• 13-20: Very liberal

• 21-29: Somewhat liberal

• 30-35: Moderate• 36-44: Somewhat Conservative

• 45-52: Very Conservative

Liberal

• Active national government would intervene in the economy, create social welfare programs, and help labor unions gain bargaining power.

Conservative

• A less active government that favors free market, states rights, and greater reliance on individual choice in economic affairs.

Ideological Differences

Liberal Conservative

• Pro Choice• Against death

Penalty• Allow same

sex marriage• Legalize

marijuana

• Pro Life• For Death

Penalty• Prohibit same

sex marriage• Marijuana

illegal

Liberal Conservative

• Less religion in school

• More gun regulations

• Allow flag burning as speech

• More religion in school

• Less gun regulations

• Prohibit flag burning

Economic differences

Liberal Conservative

• Big government

• More welfare

• More Taxes

• Increase minimum wage

• Support workers and unions

• Small government

• Less welfare

• Tax cuts

• Lower or eliminate minimum wage

• Support business owners

Other differences

Liberal Conservative

• More environmental protections

• Less military spending

• Support gov’t health care

• Poor

• Less environmental protections

• More military spending

• Oppose gov’t health care

• Rich

Pew research and PBS test

• Political Ideology test

• Interest Groups: An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy.

• Interest groups

Lobbyist

• a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest;

Example

Lets say that there are 9 members of the Brandon Valley school board

And a Superintendant

• A majority vote of the school board and approval of the Superintendent is needed to pass the policy

• The school board is considering making a new policy that allows all BVHS students to have open lunch.

Interest Groups

• School Lunch Program• Students• Parents• Gas stations/convenience stores• Restaurants• Law Enforcement• General Public• Teachers

Would each be for or against the proposed policy? Why?

• School Lunch Program• Students• Parents• Gas stations/convenience stores• Restaurants• Law Enforcement• General Public• Teachers

Policy changes that lobbyist have tried to get into the policy if it

passes

Try to determine who would lobby in favor of the following changes to the policy.

Can only walk (no vehicles)

• Who would want this?

• Who would be against this?

Only for Juniors and Seniors

• Who would want this?

• Who would be against this?

Lengthen lunch to an hour

• Who would want this?

• Who would be against this?

The open lunch rule didn’t pass.

Lets say that there are 9 members of the Brandon Valley school board

What could they do differently?

• In the next election, help get people elected who already support open lunch

PAC’s

• PAC stands for Political Action Committees

• They are the political wing of Interest Groups

• PAC’s use money collected from members of Interest Groups to help candidates who share their views.

• PACs give money to candidate who support their cause

• Conservative PACs will typically give money to Republican candidates

• Liberal PACs will typically give money to Democratic candidates

• The more money and members a Interest Group has equates to more power and influence.

• OpenSecrets.org

Congress

Bicameral

• Having two legislative chambers

House of Representatives

qualifications for HR

• 7 years a citizen of the

• Must be at least 25 years old

• resident of the state elected from

the term of office for members of the House of Representatives

• 2 years

How many total seats are there in the House of Representatives?

• 435

House of Representatives(435 seats)

• Party Divisions (September 14, 2014)• 234 Republicans • 201 Democrats• 0 Independents

• 0 vacancies

•

Representation in the HR is base on

• Proportional representation

Proportional Representation Means…

• Representation is based on population

• The more populated states get more members of the House

• No state can have fewer than 1• A census is taken every 10 years for

the purpose of Reapportionment

Reapportionment after 2000 census

Minnesota House Districts

Kansas HR Districts

Indiana

Louisiana

What is an Incumbent

• The existing holder of a political office

• Congress approval rating

Incumbency re-election rate in Congress

Gerrymandering Videos

• Explaining gerrymandering (4:30 long)

• Safe districts (start at minute 4) (2:30 long) • Daily show explains gerrymandering (5:30 long)

South Dakota Representative

Kristi Noem (Republican)

Speaker of the House

• Presiding officer and most powerful leader in the House of Representatives

• Always comes from the majority party

John Boehner Republican Ohio

Speaker of the House

Senate

Other qualifications for Senate

• 9 years a citizen of the US

• Must be at least 30 years old

• resident of the state elected from

the term of office for members of the Senate is

• 6 years

How many total seats are there in the Senate?

• 100

Senate Today100 seats

Party Divisions

(as of September 14, 2014)

• 53 Democrats

• 45 Republicans

• 2 Independent (lean left)

• Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an Independent, and became an Independent Democrat.

• Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected as an Independent

Representation in the Senate is based on

• Equal representation

Senate Leadership

The Constitution states that…

• The Vice President is the head of the Senate

• However, they can only vote if there is a tie

Vice President

Joe Biden (Dem)

Delaware

Tie breaking votes

When the VP is not around the presiding officer is the …

• Pres Pro Tem

• Today, a strictly honorary position

President Pro Tempore

Leahy, Patrick J. (D-VT),

The real power in the Senate is the

• Senate Majority Leader

• Most powerful position in the Senate

• Always comes from the majority party

Senate Majority Leader

Harry Reid (Dem) Nevada

Senate Minority Leader

Mitch McConnell (Rep) Kentucky

South Dakota Senators

John Thune (Rep)

Tim Johnson (Dem)

2 years term 6 year term

Represent districtRepresent state

At least 25 years oldAt least 30 years old

435 members100 members

Proportional representation

Equal representation

Speaker of HR

VP and Majority leader

Elected by people of state

Represent state

Share enumerated powers

Make laws

Bring up charges in impeachment

Jury in impeachment

No filibuster

Allow filibuster

House of Representatives Senate

Confirmation of judges

Ratify treaties

POWERSOF

CONGRESS

Powers of Congress

• Implied Powers

Enumerated Powers

• Powers specifically given to Congress and listed in the Constitution

• Example: Raise and army and navy

Implied Powers

• Powers that are hinted at but not specifically listed in Constitution.

• The originate from the “necessary and proper clause” and must to related to an enumerated power.

• Example: Draft

Money Powers*(1)Power to tax (must be uniform

throughout country)

*(2)Power to borrow money

*(3)Regulate commerce

*(4)Laws on bankruptcies (also set rules for citizenship)

(5)Coin money (standards for weight and measurement)

*(6)Punishments for counterfeiters

Military Powers (Ensures civilian control of the military)

*(11)Declare war

*(12-13)Raise army and navy

*(12)Funding for military

*(14) Set Rules for military

*(15-16)Rules for militia and power to call into service

Misc. Powers

*(7)Post offices and roads

*(8)Copyrights and patents

*(9)Establish federal courts

(17)*Laws for Washington, DC

Necessary and Proper

(18) Can make All laws that are

necessary and proper

“Power of the Purse”

• All Taxing, spending, borrowing of money is done by Congress

Confirmation Power

• All Presidential appointments must be confirmed with a majority vote of the SENATE

Ratification Power

• All treaties must be approved with a 2/3rds vote of the SENATE

Impeachment

Who can be impeached?

• President

• Vice President

• Federal judges

What can they be impeached for?

• Treason

• Bribery

• High Crimes (felony)

• Misdemeanor

Role of Congress in impeachment

• House of Rep.

• Votes to impeach

• Majority vote

• Senate

• Serves as the jury

• 2/3rds vote to convict

Punishment:

• Kicked out of office

• Prevented from holding political office.

• President Andrew Johnson became the first President of the United States to be impeached by the House of Representatives. He was impeached in 1868 for dismissing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without the approval of the Senate as required in the Tenure of Office Act and for attacking congressional policies on the Reconstruction in the South.

• In October of 1998 the House of Representatives voted to start a formal impeachment inquiry into charges brought by independent counsel Kenneth Starr alleging that President William Jefferson Clinton committed impeachable offenses, including perjury and obstruction of justice.  The charges stemmed from an investigation of Clinton's efforts to conceal an extramarital affair with a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky.

Congressional Record

How a bill becomes a law

Senate Today100 seats

Party Divisions

(as of September 14, 2014)

• 53 Democrats

• 45 Republicans

• 2 Independent (lean left)

House of Representatives(435 seats)

• Party Divisions (Sept 14, 2014)

• 201 Democrats

• 234 Republicans

• 0 Independents

• Senate Committees

• House Committees

Committees

• 1. Hold hearings of outside experts

• 2. Change the bill with a majority vote

• 3 Vote on the bill. It takes a majority vote to pass

Floor Vote

• 1. Debate the bill – HR Floor debate– Senate debate

• 2. Change the bill with a majority vote

• 3. Vote on the bill. A majority vote is needed to pass.

Filibusters

• Only allowed in the Senate

• Traditional

• Double Track Legislation

• Cloture Rule

Famous Filibusters

• During the 1930s, Senator Huey P. Long effectively used the filibuster against bills that he thought favored the rich over the poor. The Louisiana senator frustrated his colleagues while entertaining spectators with his recitations of Shakespeare and his reading of recipes for "pot-likkers." Long once held the Senate floor for fifteen hours

Famous Filibusters

• South Carolina's J. Strom Thurmond who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

• He read recipes and names out of a phone book for part of the time.

To the 2nd house

• Exact same steps as first house

Conference committee

• Members from both houses that try to come up with a version of the bill that both houses can agree with.

• Is needed because the bill may have been changed throughout the process and both houses must pass an identical bill

Floor Vote (Again)

• Both houses must pass the exact same bill.

• They can do the following:

• 1. Debate

• 2. Vote (it takes a majority vote to pass)

• NO CHANGES can be made on the bill anymore.

1. Sign the bill

• The bill becomes law

2. Veto the Bill

• The President rejects the bill

• Overriding a veto

• The bill can still become law if each house of Congress passes the bill with a 2/3rds vote

3. Do nothing

• 1. Bill becomes law after 10 days

• 2. Pocket Veto– If congress adjourns then the bill dies after 10

days

• Presidential Vetoes