Congress: Representing the American People

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Congress Representing the American People

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Sociological vs. Agency Representation

• Sociological representation same sociological
  background as constituency
• Agency Representation Delegates follow the will
  of constituencies because otherwise they will be
  held accountable.

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Social Composition of Congress.

• Congress
• Mostly protestant, second most Catholics.
• Amount of women and minorities have increased.
• Still not representative of general population.
• Mostly from legal sector than public affairs.

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Congress social composition
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Representatives as Agents

• Constant communication between congress and
  constituency (100 million pieces of incoming
  mail)
• Quarter of time of congressman, and two thirds of
  time of staff spent on case work.
• Every district has two or three issues in which
  the congressman has very little flexibility.
• Both parties embraced the informal rule that
  nothing should be done to endanger re-election of
  a member of congress.

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What Effects Elections Issue concerns

• Choice to run based on ambition.
• Candidates need money for elections.
• PAC (Political Action Committee) private
  organization that raises money for candidates
  campaign.

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What Effects Elections Incumbency

• Can create favorable conditions
• Incumbency service. (taking care of problems,
  newsletters,)
• Scare off possible challengers. (too much money,
  too well known).
• Tends to preserve the status quo.
• Term limits?

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What effects elections redrawing of district
lines.

• Districts redrawn every ten years to reflect
  population changes.
• Can create competition between party members.
• Cluster voters with same ideology and
  sociological characteristics.
• Breaking up strong ideological and social groups.

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Gerrymandering

• Gerrymandering deliberate drawing of districts
  to give one group or party an advantage.
• Term originated in 1812
• Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts
• Salamander shaped Gerrymander

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Gerrymandering example
Republican proposal
Democrats
Democrat proposal
Republicans
Democrats

• 400.000 citizens
• 100.000 per district
• 50 Rep. 50 Dem.

Republicans
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