From 86bc665cff01eb04847bc5e440a9e16f08d8cb1e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Holden Rohrer Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2020 10:33:13 -0400 Subject: read some stuff for Rich --- rich/10_electoral_connection | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 41 insertions(+) create mode 100644 rich/10_electoral_connection (limited to 'rich/10_electoral_connection') diff --git a/rich/10_electoral_connection b/rich/10_electoral_connection new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e12505a --- /dev/null +++ b/rich/10_electoral_connection @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +"Congress: The Electoral Connection" by David R Mayhew + +The Congressman's primary goal is to get reelected. +Their "electoral needs" are serviced well by the structural institutions +of Congress: +- There is very little zero-sum conflict in Congress, so congressmen can + make headway for their constituents' issues without infringement +- Congressional offices provide a useful base of operations for campaign + management and for developing platform/research. Staffed evenly. +- Committees act severally + - Position-taking committees: let congressmen claim platform + - House Un-American Activities Committee + - House Education and Labor Committees + - Foreign Policy Committee + - Particularized benefits: + - Diffuse cost, concentrated benefits (taxes -> farm, e.g.) + - Usually universalist: everyone gets their share of spending on + urban renewal, or tax cuts, or public works + - Divide up labor and allow credit-claiming: + - "I put that bill through committee" + - "That was my amendment." + - Also allows speaking on the floor based on bills +- Parties + - Fluid bodies that help with bloc-making. + - Party leaders are brokerers and agenda-setters + - But individual congressmen "vote their constituencies." + +Edmunk Burke's Speech to the Electors of Bristol + +He wasn't elected by the people, instead by his friends in the +government, since the people don't have a vote and power flows from the +crown. +But he does feel responsible to the people in a half-related sense. +He will deeply consider their issues and consider their opinions with +weight, but he will exercise his own judgment for he believes the +parliament is a body of deliberation, not inclination. + +Burke also believes that national weal takes a front seat to local +interests, so he is also disconnected from his voters in that way. + +The American system somewhat models this, but is now more direct. -- cgit