The Session’s Cycles: The Rhythm of the Legislature Every legislative session involves a number of different cycles; some occur with each session while others occur due to specific events. In the case of the 2018 legislative session, one of the most crucial cyclical components was the upcoming elections for the House as well as Governor. Upcoming elections alter the ways in which legislators behave, largely influencing the kinds of bills that leadership introduce to the floor along with how they vote. One of the more interesting manifestations of this is in the form of bills introduced that have slim to no chance of becoming law, but are used for campaigning purposes and mailers in particular–they are a type of “dogs don’t hunt” bill. …show more content…
There was almost certainly not enough support for opposing just about any form of concealed carry in this legislative session, but such advocacy on the floor comes in handy during campaign season. Legislators are able to use these instances of standing up against the majority in order to bolster their campaigns, sending out mailers to their constituents demonstrating the fact that they made a stand and did everything they could. This can help give them an edge over their non-incumbent competitors, as it shows that the legislator is active in the political arena and not a do-nothing incumbent. While the minority is left with bills that are not able to pass, the majority can pull a similar stunt, but with bills that are actually viable yet are still primarily for campaign purposes. One of the clearest examples of this was in the faith based adoption agency bill that died, only to be brought back to life and then passed at the very end of the session; another aspect of the cycles which will be discussed later. This bill is a classic attempt to pander toward the base, as it effectively did not change the status quo—only codifying it further and demonstrating a strong belief in religious …show more content…
Some of the issues that were initially held to be the hot topics of the legislative session ended up falling short of expectations, arguably the biggest instance of this was the talk of improving transparency. While the legislature passed a bill pushing for accountability pertaining to lobbyists and another bill that ensured the release of information in abuse and neglect cases after a child dies, not much else was really done in the name of the issue of transparency. Other issues that seemed as if they would prove to be of paramount importance at the starting gate, like funding for KPERS which was an especially hot topic in 2017 leading up to the legislative session but were ultimately eclipsed by the school funding crisis and failed to receive the highly anticipated reparations this session. Mental health funding has also been another issue that came out of the gate strong, primarily in regard to the funding of Osowatomie and Larned which had been consistently slashed in previous years, only to be kicked to the curb once more due to the concern over education funding. Interestingly enough, it does at least seem as if that issue is at least going to be partially resolved by turning to privatization—unlike KPERS and other issues that are strictly reliant upon the
The first activity that was presented by Mayhew is due to the tremendous advertising that the members undertake. Through advertising, a congressman is able to build a favorable reputation for himself which will then attract voters. Although the incumbent’s image can have “little or no issue content,” it is still important to gain credibility from the voters so reelection of the specific incumbent can be achieved. Different ways that congressman advertise are through frequent visits to their district, mailings or letters sent to homes, and “nonpolitical speeches to home audiences.” With
The NRA was the one of the biggest factors in preventing the bill passage for so long. The NRA has the veto threat of George H.W. Bush to hold over lawmakers. However, with the election of Bill Clinton, the NRA relied heavily on Senator Dole to stall and filibuster the bill. The NRA lost the battle in 1993 with a Senate vote of 63-36 (Vice). After President Clinton signed the bill, the NRA released a statement, “When Bill Clinton signed the Brady bill into law on November 30, [1993] a drop of blood dripped from the finger of the sovereign American citizen (Line Up and Shut Up. Face Forward. Stay in Line. Last Name First).” Unhappy with how things turned out the NRA turned to its distinctive hyperbole, telling members that “the Brady Law has become one more tool that government agents are using to deny Constitutional rights of law abiding citizens (LaPierre).” “The anti-gun media” and “new wave of brainwashing propaganda aimed at further destroying our Constitutional freedoms” were to blame for the Congressional defeats
You have been asked by the state representative to analyze and write a report on a very important piece of legislation. You have kept track of this legislation, but been having a...
Contrasts in the lawmaking methodology utilized as a part of the House and Senate reflect the distinctive size of the two chambers and individual terms of its parts. In the House, the dominant part gathering is inflexibly in control, stacking advisory groups with lion 's share party parts, and utilizing principles to seek after enactment supported by its parts. In the Senate, singular parts are better ready to hold up the procedure, which prompts lower similarity costs, however higher exchange costs. The complication of the lawmaking procedure gives rivals different chances to murder a bill, making a solid predisposition for the present state of affairs.
...state politicians need to wake up and smell the dry aired air, and begin to work together for new laws that apply to the supply and demand of today, not yesterday.
Today the U.S. government’s legislative branch, Congress, is divided into two independent chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The system is called a bicameral system, which means it is divided into two chambers. The Framers of the Constitution created the system because was it successful in Britain, the two separate chambers could ensure that each side would not abuse their power, and the system created a compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia Plan. Although both chambers can initiate laws, they were created independent of each other and different in authority. In the House, “committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions” (House of Representatives). The Senate is in charge of giving guidance and approval of treaties or presidential appointments and holding impeachment trials (American Politics).
Legislators were meant to create laws which align with ideals of the constitution, yet they also responded to the voice of political advocates and endorsed laws, strategically worded to discriminate ...
Everyone in the United States of America has an opinion on gun control regardless of their age, race, or religion. From within those opinions arguments are formed. People are arguing about gun control at their jobs, at their schools, and sometimes at their places of worship. On one side of things there are the people that support gun control like certain politicians or political organizations, teachers, police officers, and so on. On the other side of things there are the people that are against gun control, people such as hunters and various types of criminals. When it comes down to sensitive topics like gun control, there are very few people that do not choose a side. The Second Amendment, like all Amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights, is not absolute. There are vague legal boundaries that have been set down thus far which answers some questions, but leave many more open (Sanders).
...rage American to purchase a handgun are being presented to our legislation. Although most are turned down most bills are aimed toward handguns.(Clint Best)
First, an obvious problem of the state is the usage of the initiative process. Originally, it gave “Californians the power to propose constitutional amendments and law that fellow citizens will vote on without the legislature’s involvement (Van Vechten, 20).” However, today, special interest groups have used this process abusively. In fact, initiative campaigns became an industry of its own in California. According to Mathews and Mark, “in 1996, annual spending on initiative campaigns in California topped $140 million (Mathews and Mark, 68).” Special interests groups that are financially well o...
If the second amendment to the United States Constitution clearly states that, “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” why do our lawmakers constantly debate the topic of weapons? Radical Democrats wish to make all guns illegal, meaning only policemen and servicemen would be equipped with guns (“Mission”). Radical Republicans (i.e. Charlton Heston), on the other hand, wish to place no restrictions whatsoever on guns, making semi-automatic and fully-automatic guns available to everybody living in or visiting the United States, without a background check or profile of the gun buyer (Heston). It seems that every time a terrible crime is committed in the United States involving a gun, the debate about gun control flares up again. The Columbine massacre and other school shootings, shootings at churches and in the workplace, the serial sniper near Washington D.C., and rises in gang activity are all examples of such events that have sparked debates in Washington.
trying to repeal the ban on assault weapons. A lot of money is spent each year
Texas has passed a new piece of legislation that has now given the students, teachers and other officials to carry a loaded gun onto and around their college campus. The case for this gun carry legislation was that if the students, teachers and other officials were able to have these gun than maybe the issue of school shootings would almost evaporate in some areas. This no doubt sounds like one of the better arguments for guns on campus, seeing as how much of an epidemic we have with school shootings. However, congress seemed to have disregarded an issue on how this could also harm the campus more than it could help. Giving way to empowered threats, reckless engagements, and innocent losses is only some of the ways that this could be a negative thing.
Although my voting patterns have become somewhat more conservative in recent years, I remain in my heart of hearts a 1960s Humphrey Democrat concerned with the plight of those most vulnerable in American society-minorities, the poor, the elderly, and single women-groups whose day-to-day realities are often overlooked in our public policy debates, people whose lives too often go unnoticed by our intellectually timid chattering classes. This is happening in the public debate over the right to bear arms. For the nation’s elites, the Second Amendment has become the Rodney Dangerfield of the Bill of Rights, constantly attacked by editorial writers, police chiefs seeking scapegoats, demagoging politicians, and most recently even by Rosie O’Donnell, no less. It is threatened by opportunistic legislative efforts, even when sponsors acknowledge their proposed legislation would have little impact on crime and violence.
The debate over gun control in America has constantly been brought up over the years due to gunmen killing large amounts of people in shootings. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, or the shootings of the two reporters in West Virginia, these public shootings are occurring everywhere. Lawmakers and civilians alike are pushing for increased gun control in hopes of preventing the same tragedies. Anyone that has been affected by the shootings has been pushing Congress and state governments to force new sanctions on the government. Over the past three years, Congress has shot down all the laws despite the large amounts of public support.