Week 7
Agenda 10/9
Agenda 10/9
- Sunday Shows
- Campaign Finance
- Does money buy votes?
- How effective are super PACs?
- How much do elections cost?
- Congressional Elections & Representation
- What is gerrymandering and how is it done?
- What are the re-election rates for Members of Congress?
- What explains the incumbency bias in Congress?
- Who gets elected? Are they representative?
Agenda 10/11
Agenda 10/11
Representation
- What are the goals of Members of Congress?
- How do they secure their goals? What is the “Electoral Connection”?
- What are the re-election rates for Members of Congress?
- What explains the incumbency bias in Congress?
- Who gets elected? Are they representative?
Congress: The Legislative Process
- Bicameralism: What are the major differences between the House and Senate?
- How does Congress take care of business? What institutional features structure the legislative process?
- What are the major obstacles to passing bills in Congress?
- Does polarization affect the ability of Congress to pass legislation?