Factors influencing voting in Congress
- Created by: Davny
- Created on: 08-11-17 14:49
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- Factors influence on voting in Congress
- Political Party
- Party votes tend to happen on subjects likely to be very close
- Fiscal Cliff bailout 2013- Dem's voted for it, Rep's voted against it
- Sticks and carrots not really used unlike in UK
- Sticks= the threat of deselection
- Carrots= the promise of promotion
- Becoming more common
- Used to account for 55%, in 2011 accounted for 75%
- Hard to enforce because the parties have huge political variation within them
- Most conservative Democrats found in South and in states that voted for Romney in 2012
- Most liberal Republicans found in states that voted for Obama in 2012
- Party vote= majority of one party votes against, majority of party votes for
- Party votes tend to happen on subjects likely to be very close
- Constituents
- Methods to stay in touch
- Regularly being in the state
- Holding meetings while there to learn areas opinion
- Telephone calls from constituents
- Letters and emails
- Number has increased a lot in last 20 years
- 2004 360,000 a year per member
- 1996 90,000 a year per member
- 2006 number of emails was 313 mil (for whole House)
- Number has increased a lot in last 20 years
- Regularly being in the state
- Reasons to stay in touch
- Constitution require they live in state so they know their constituency
- Some states have expanded this and said they must live in there congressional district
- Most will have lived, worked and been educated in their state
- House members short term of only two years (can be kicked out easily)
- Constitution require they live in state so they know their constituency
- Consequence of not staying in touch
- Loss of seat either in primaries or in election
- Elizabeth Dole lost her seat due to her lack of time spent in the state
- Two House members from Maryland lost seats for being out of touch with constituency
- Loss of seat either in primaries or in election
- Methods to stay in touch
- The administration
- Administration want their policy agenda passed so will try to persuade Congress members to vote for it
- Persuasion needs to be consistent not just when there's an important vote
- Needs to be two way street
- Administration can't expect votes without offering them something
- Needs to have contacts within both parties (bipartisan)
- Being too supportive can back fire
- 2008 many Reps lost their seats because they were too supportive of Bush and not working for constituents
- Elizabeth Dole: 92% of the time she votes with Bush Ad
- Pressure groups
- Areas with significant pressure groups
- Guns, abortion, environment and healthcare/ welfare reform
- Ways of influencing
- Giving campaign money
- Direct contact with members
- Getting public support
- Provide evidence to committees
- Petitioning
- Rallies and demonstration
- Areas with significant pressure groups
- Colleagues and staff
- Opinion matters because they are the people who will have details on all pieces of legislation
- Colleagues
- Some older members may act as mentors
- Includes committee opinion
- Staff
- Senior members of staff= chief of staff or legislative director
- Members usually heavily reliant on them
- Personal beliefs
- Likely to be on controversial issues
- War
- Abortion
- Capital punishment
- Tax
- Federal subsidies
- Welfare spending
- Likely to be on controversial issues
- Political Party
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