Essay 7, 8 & 9

Essay 7:

2005_4The U.S. Congress has debated a variety of campaign finance reforms over the last decade.  The proposals debated have included the following:

Eliminating soft money

Limiting independent expenditures

Raising limits on individual contributions

a.    Select one of the listed proposals and do all of the following: Eliminating Soft Money

-Define the proposal: To eliminate "soft money" in order to improve problems with political election financing. Soft money is donations made by organizations other than a candidates campaign and political parties, such as groups of individuals pursuing a common interest (Example: NRA and Greenpeace) and groups of individuals joined to effect an ad-hoc (Example: Swift Boat Veterans and Open Society Institute), also known as "special interest groups."

-Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal: Corruption of representatives by these special interest groups. Takes a lot of money to run for the senate or house of representatives. Although the politicians are getting the soft money directly, the campaigning efforts of aligned groups are like direct contributions.

-Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal: Free speech and liberty. Citizens have the right to form groups and make political statements as a group. Fundamental liberty. 

b.    Select a different listed proposal and do all of the following: Raising limits on individual contributions

-Define the proposal: Raising limits on individual contributions would mean that individual donors would have the opportunity to donate to candidates of their choice and would allow more candidates the option of raising more money in a quicker and more effective way.

-Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal: Raising limits on individual contributions would make it easier for candidates to raise funds for their campaigns.

-Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal: Their should be limits on funds in order to have a fair level of donation competition from various groups and individuals. Without limits, certain groups and individuals could donate large amounts of money to one specific candidate.

c. (you will have to research this separately).  Explain how citizens united affects the proposals you listed.

Essay 8:

2009_3In the United States Congress, the majority party exerts a substantial influence over lawmaking. However, even when one party has a numerical majority in each chamber of the United States Congress, there is no guarantee that legislation supported by that majority party will be passed by both chambers. Rules of each chamber independently influence the likelihood that legislation will pass in that chamber; legislation passed by one chamber is not always passed by the other.

(a)  Describe two advantages the majority party in the United States House of Representatives has in lawmaking, above and beyond the numerical advantage that that majority party enjoys in floor voting.

1. Each committee and subcommittee has a chairperson from the majority party. They would decide what bills are put before their committee and when and if a vote takes place.
2. They control the Rules Committee which sets floor procedures for the House of Representatives. The majority party can delay the voting on a bill until a solid majority is behind it so it does not get defeated.
3. The majority party decides in what order the members of the House of Representatives speak in any debate.
4. Filibusters are not allowed.
5. They have a strong electoral college because the Senate gets two votes from each state.
6. Running for the House of representatives is cheaper than running for Senate because less territory and voters have to be covered.

(b)  Describe two differences between House and Senate rules that may make it likely that legislation may pass in one chamber but not in the other.

1. Procedures and rules are more formal for the House of Representatives and less formal for the Senate.
2. Senate doesn't have to hear any bill that comes from the House of Representatives.
3. Senate has limited debate.

                                                    House      Senate
Filibuster                                       No            Yes
Holds                                             No            Yes
Unanimous consent agreements       No            Yes
Germaneness requirement              Yes            No
Rules Committee                           Yes            No

(c)  Explain how the differences identified in (b) can lead to the passage of a bill in one chamber but not in the other.

For example, if an opposing party is in the majority of the Senate and they don't wish to consider a bill passed to them by the House, they can simply stop the bill from going any further by not considering it for vote.  

Essay 9:

DATA for 2009_4 (below)

Viewer’s Ages and Frequency of Viewing of Network Nightly News: 1974 and 2002 Combined

1974                  frequently (%)                    rarely (%)

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18-29                  45                                                  13

30-44                  50                                                 12

45-64                  68                                                  8

65+                      71                                                  5

2002                 frequently (%)                    rarely (%)

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18-29                  19                                                  22

30-44                  22                                                17

45-64                  40                                                  11

65+                      53                                                  8

2009_4. One of the most important ways the news media influence politics is through agenda setting.

(a)  Define policy agenda: a set of issues and policies laid out by ideological or political groups; as well as topics under discussion by an governmental executive, or a cabinet in government that tries to influence current and near-future political news and debate.

(b)  Explain how the national news media engage in agenda setting.

The national news gets citizens to watch and try to understand the subject or problem on a specific topic. This raises awareness, provides information, draws attention and demonstrates possible consequences. The most important part of the national news media engaging in agenda setting is by trying to get a policymakers attention. Newspapers are a great way of doing this. 

(c)  Explain the primary reason the president tends to have an advantage over Congress in gaining media attention.

The President of the United States tends to have an advantage over Congress in gaining media attention because of his image. The president is known as the primary "leader" of the country. People look up to him and also criticize his every move. Because he is one person and not 535 people, it is easier to focus on him. He acts as an individual instead of a group of both the Senate and House of Representatives. 

(d)  Consider the table above.

-Describe the difference in the viewing patterns of older and younger age-groups.
The older an individual is, the more likely they are to pay attention and watch or read political media. 

-Describe the change from 1974 to 2002 in viewing habits that exists for all age categories.

Less people have been paying attention to media from 1974 to 2002.

(e)  Given the information in the table, describe one implication for presidents in their use of the media to promote their political and policy objectives to the American public.
 Media is a good way to draw attention from elder voters.