Based on the U.S. National Debt each American citizen contributed debt is $47,724.00. This does not mean that we are accruing debt our self this is a representative number of how much debt is comparison to all the American citizens (US Debt, 2011). According to the U.S. Social Security Office the average income for an American citizen is $41,673.83 (Social Security Administration, 2011). Although these statistics are loosely based the average is a sample. One could argue it is not accurate to the current economic standings although the debt values are. This explains why currently the approval rating for Congress is below 20% according to the new Gallup polls (Gallup, 2011). The Washington Post posted an article called, Poll: Voters say throw out entire Congress, where the writer explains that Americans are displeased by Congress and a high percentage wish they were all removed (The Washington Post, 2011). All of these statistics are pretty predictable considering the 112th Congress is filled with uncompromising members who value the census of their constituents over the importance of making good Public Policy. In addition, the loyalty is no longer focused on making good “Public Policy,” it lies with member’s political party. As a result members are unwilling to work together which leaves bills on hold and a lack of oversight. Presently, we are faced with a divided government and a President that has received many backlashes as a result of it. Republicans currently hold the majority of the House while the Senate is split. This has created a congress that has chosen not to work with one another and see compromise as a sign of weakness. The Washington Post article, Bipartisan group of senators to ... ... middle of paper ... ...r, M. (2011). Obama Challenges Congress on Job Plan. The New York Times . Pecquet, J. (2011). Cantor: Republicans agree there is 'too much income . The Hill . Social Security Administration. (2011, October 24). Automatic Determinations. Retrieved October 23, 2011, from U.S. Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html The Washington Post. (2011). Poll: Voters say throw out entire Congress. The Washington Post . US Debt. (2011). National Debt. Retrieved from US Debt. Org: http://www.usdebtclock.org/ Wallsten, P. (2011, September). Bipartisan group of senators to push for larger deficit cuts. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from Washington Post: http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/2446222921.html?FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+9%2C+2011&author=Peter+Wallsten&desc=Bipartisan+group+of+senators+to+push+for+larger+deficit+cuts&free=1
...ilities of Congress is that minorities and factions exist: dissent takes place, not disagreements. Verbal brawls take place rather than actual argumentation, and that is what kills democracy. That is why things never get done.
Lofgren, Mike. The Party Is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted. New York: Viking, 2012. Print
compromise. Jefferson’s account suggests the growing divide, showing that without a mediator, the ideologies are too far divided to achieve legisla...
Davidson, Roger H., Walter J. Oleszek, and Frances E. Lee. Congress and Its Members. Washington, D.C.: CQ, 2009. Print.
Hamilton provides an inside look at how congress really works and clears up popular misconception that make members of congress look like wasteful bickering crooks that support gridlock and are only concerned with the needs of interest groups and lobbyists. Hamilton argues that Congress has changed for the better throughout the years and that they are held at higher standards than they were before. Hamilton states that Congress is not only working at keeping the public happy but that have recently become faced with a lot more issues than before, they are not only more issues but more complicated and technical that are very high risk policies that take a long time to produce a decision (Hamilton, 1988, 65). Hamilton states that Congress is a system in which the viewpoints of everyone are taken into account and make sure there is a consensus when it comes to defining decisions. Even though many of us acknowledge that lobbyist and special interest groups play an essential role in the law making party, Congress is making an effort to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Congress is making sure that the balance of power is distributed properly. In recent years, there has been a decline in mega-lobbies and interest groups so that not only the wealthy powerful get their voice heard, but the everyday american people get an opinion in things that affect them as well. In Gary Lee’s article, The NRA Has Lost some Firepower, we can see that interest groups are beginning to have less of an influence on larger political decisions (Hamilton, 1988, 65). For example, the National Rifle Association’s defeat in the battle over the “Brady bill” and their war towards trying to revamp Medicaid was a great loss for lobbyists and
Light, Paul C., and Christine L. Nemacheck. "Chapter 7 Congress." Government by the People, Brief 2012 Election Edition, Books a La Carte New Mypoliscilab With Etext Access Card Package. By David B. Magleby. 2012 Election Edition ed. N.p.: Pearson College Div, 2013. N. pag. Print.
Congress has come a long way since its creation but its role has not changed. Although there is much criticism on the way Congress is run, the system is an integral part of the American government. It's main and most important duty is to portray the wide arrayed views of the American people and this is not as easy as it seems. It can be a difficult process for Congress to come to an agreement on these issues because its members come from all over America with different views on what is right and what is wrong. The majority of American people feel that the public agrees on most issues but this is untrue. America is an extremely diverse nation with differing views on various issues. With all the different people in the country it is not unusual to get different opinions and beliefs.
Recently, the debate of whether bipartisanship has completely left this country incapacitated due to the lack of cooperation between Senators and House members with conflicting opinions has grown especially due to the Clinton Impeachment Debates. Many individuals feel that the only reason William Jefferson Clinton was impeached in the House was due to the fact that the majority of the House is republicans. This research proposal will attempt to define if the concept of bipartisanship does exist. If it does exist, what are the contributing factors to it (convincing individuals, convincing corporations, money, the Senators or House member’s families)? These can be considered to be the independent variables. Presently, the Internet consists of numerous, almost uncountable, sources on bipartisanship. Many magazines and newspapers are major contributors to this subject as well. The amount of scandal contributing to this particular issue creates a level of curiosity that intrigues all aspects of this society. When the public seems to want press on a particular issue, they seem to get it.
Kucinich, D. (2012, October, 2) Iraq: Ten Years, a Million Lives and Trillions of Dollars Later. Huffington Post. Retrieved from
From her point of view and research she found only 7% of the public approves of Congress. Contrary to the public, legislative scholars do not believe this and would argue that Congress is strong and not dysfunctional. Whether legislative scholars have this opinion because they are more educated on the subject of Congress and the lawmaking process or not, this may cause their belief in a strong Congress (Binder 85-86). Throughout her essay she assesses Congress’ recent legislative performance, which the public believes is not its best effort. In the abstract of her essay she states, “I argue that even when Congress and the president have reached agreement on the big issues of the day, Congress's problem-solving capacity appears to have fallen to new lows in recent years,” (Binder). Binder’s stance on Congress seems to align with the public’s majority view of a dysfunctional
There is much debate in the United States whether or not there is polarization between our two dominate political parties. Presidential election results have shown that there is a division between the states; a battle between the Democratic blue states and the Republican red states. And what is striking is that the “colors” of these states do not change. Red stays red, and blue stays blue. Chapter 11 of Fault Lines gives differing views of polarization. James Wilson, a political science professor at Pepperdine University in California, suggests that polarization is indeed relevant in modern society and that it will eventually cause the downfall of America. On the contrast, Morris Fiorina, a political science professor at Stanford University, argues that polarization is nothing but a myth, something that Americans should not be concerned with. John Judis, a senior editor at The New Republic, gives insight on a driving force of polarization; the Tea Party Movement. Through this paper I will highlight the chief factors given by Wilson and Judis which contribute to polarization in the United States, and will consider what factors Fiorina may agree with.
Morrison, J. (1992). Congressional tenure limited to two consecutive terms? Retrieved from On the Horizon.com: http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/OTH/1-1_poli3.html
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Commentators have lamented for years now regarding the polarized states of America. Pundits inform us that Not since the days of Reconstruction has the country experienced the amount of vitriol, misunderstanding, and resentment from political differences. While numerous people have witnessed and discussed this saddening occurrence, few have delved into how this phenomenon arose and what stakes it holds for our future. Instead, political minded people have droned on about more policy, for for too many, legislative victory is all that matters (unfortunately).
Throughout the course of history, there have been multiple times when bipartisanship has played an important role. However, one of the most noticeable times of a bipartisan coalition that lasted more than fifty years would be that of the conservative coalition. From the 1930s until the 1990s, the conservative coalition played a major role in determining the policies of Congress and the nation. It formed, partly, as a reaction to the progressive policies of then president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and other progressive members of the government (Patterson 1966, 757). After its extended reign in Congress, it eventually disappeared into history during the congressional revolutions of the 1980s and 1990s (. Therefore, Congress rose to power for a number of different reasons that led to a platform of issues but eventually morphed into the Republican Party of the mid-1990s.
Van, B. S. D., & University of Pittsburgh. (1995). Post-passage politics: Bicameral resolution in Congress. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. 6th edition http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/text idx?idno=31735057897302;view=toc;c=pittpress