$168,000 salary
generous retirement benefits
office in DC and in constituency
substantial congressional staff
(junkets) travel allowances
Faranking Priveleges (free mail)
Descriptive representation
representing contituents by mirroring personal and political characteristics
Substantive representation
representing interests of groups
Is a politician descriptive or substantive
substantive
Five advantages of incumbency
advertising visibility
credit claiming; giving them better public image
position taking; favorable to constituents
Weak opposition
campaign spending
Casework
activities of congressmen that help constituents as individuals
Pork barrel
list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges and institutions available in a congressional district
Political Action Committees
give money to incumbents (winners) to buy votes
Incumbent defeated by:
scandal, redistricted out of familiear turf, major political tidal wave
Term Limitations (criticism)
loss of experienced legislators
loss of voter choice
already plenty of new people in congress
House Rules Committee
reviews all bills (not revenue, budget, appropriations) coming from a House committee before it goes to full house
Formal powers of Speaker of the House
presides over House, appoint committee member, make committee assignments, assign bills to committees
Four types of congressional committees
standing, joint, conference, select
Standing Committee
separate subject matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas
Joint Committees
congressional committees on a few subjec matter areas with membership drawn from both houses
Conference Committees
Congressional comm formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leaderships appoints members from each house to iron out the difference and bring back a single bill
Select Committees
congresional comm appointed for a specific purpose. Temporary
Legislative oversight
Congress monitoring Beaurocracy and its policy
Seniority System
Old Incumbent party leaders get better committees and get committee chairs
Personal Staff
Work with constituents
Committee Staff
draft bill and do DC stuff
Congressional staff agencies
Congressional Research Service, Gov't Accountability Office, Congressional Budget office
Trustee
best judgement to make policies in interest of people
Instructed Delegate
mirror preferences of constituents
Politicos
Congress men are this: strive to be both representatives and policy makers. (trustee + Instructed delegate = politico)
