Heimlich's History: Congress and Its Functioning

Introduction

• Focus on how congressional behavior is influenced by:
  • Election processes
  • Partisanship
  • Divided government

Ideological Division

• Defining Ideologies:
  • Two main ideologies: Liberal vs. Conservative.
• Polarization:
  • Last 30 years: Republicans more conservative, Democrats more liberal.
  • Leads to reduced overlap in ideas, harder to negotiate and compromise.
• Results of Polarization:
  • Policy gridlock and partisan fighting.
  • Easier if one party holds majority in both House and Senate.
  • Historical examples: FDR's New Deal, Obama's healthcare plan.

Divided Government

• Definition:
  • When opposing parties hold majorities in different houses.
  • Can also occur if the President and majority in Congress are from opposing parties.
• Impact:
  • Slows down legislative processes.
• Examples:
  • 2016: Obama unable to appoint a Supreme Court Justice due to Republican Senate.
  • 2020: Trump appointed a Justice with Republican Senate support.

Models of Representation

• Delegate Model:
  • Representatives vote according to the will of the people, not personal judgment.
  • Common in House due to frequent elections.
• Trustee Model:
  • Representatives use their own judgment, even against public opinion.
  • Example: Mitt Romney during Trump's impeachment.
• Politico Model:
  • Hybrid of delegate and trustee.
  • Acts as a delegate when constituents feel strongly, otherwise as a trustee.

Redistricting & Gerrymandering

• Redistricting:
  • Done every 10 years per census.
  • Ensures equal voting power (One-person, one-vote principle).
• Gerrymandering:
  • Drawing districts to benefit a party or group.
• Court Cases:
  • Baker v. Carr (1962):
    • Tennessee didn't redraw districts properly, violating equal protection.
  • Shaw v. Reno:
    • Districts drawn for racial reasons, deemed unconstitutional.

Conclusion

• Factors affecting Congress include:
  • Ideological division/alignment.
  • Models of representation (trustees, delegates, politicos).
  • Redistricting and gerrymandering.

Additional Resources

• Review packet and additional videos available for further study.