Steve's Notes by Major Topics

Suggestions for Use in Courses on Congressional Politics

Steve’s Notes on Congressional Politics, by Major Topics

Overview

Note 1. Gridlock

Separation of Powers, Bicameralism, Partisan Polarization, Small Majorities, and Divided Party Control

Note 12. Adopting, Reforming, and Breaking the Rules

Has Partisanship Destroyed the Consensus about the Legislative Process?

Note 13. Spatial Theory

The Geometry of Legislating

Note 26. An Unpopular Congress

Still Popular Legislators?

Constitution and other Foundations

Note 18. Why 435?

Reapportionment and the Size of the House

Note 33. The Deep Small-State Bias of the U.S. Senate

Earmarks 2022 and the Distortions in Federal Policy

Note 36. Equal Representation of States in the Senate 

The Possibility of a Constitutional Amendment

Note 43. Evans on Senate Countermajoritarianism

Representational and Procedural Sources of Partisan Bias

Members, Staff, and Representation

Note 8. Diversifying

Gender, Race, and Congressional Representation

Note 11. Pork and Earmarks

Note 16. Roles, Goals, and Styles

Characterizing Legislators

Note 18. Why 435?

Reapportionment and the Size of the House

Note 19. Congressional Pay

A Most Delicate Subject

Note 31: The Changing Contours of Congressional Staff

Party Up, Expertise Down

Note 38. Models of Representation and Lawmaking, Briefly

Congress serves two, not always compatible, purposes – representation and lawmaking. Members of the House and Senate serve individual districts or…

Congressional Elections

Note 6. Party and Incumbency

The Nationalization of Congressional Elections and Partisan Polarization in Congress

Note 18. Why 435?

Reapportionment and the Size of the House

Note 25. Do Congressional Campaigns Make a Difference? 

It Depends

Parties and Party Leaders

Note 4. Pivotal Player

Gingrich and the Polarization of Congressional Parties

Note 9. Professional Partisan

McConnell and Partisan Gridlock in the Senate

Note 21. Congressional Parties

Theoretical Perspectives

Note 35. Polarization, Factions, the Demise of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Election of Speaker Mike Johnson

With a Concluding Comment on Congressional Parties as Cartels

Note 39. Congressional Party Organizations, Briefly

Each of the four congressional parties (two in each house) has three major organizational features: a caucus (or conference) comprised of all party…

Committees

Note 2. Beneath the Surface

Partisanship, Bipartisanship, and Committee Activity

Note 22. From Subcommittee Government to Party Government

Committees and Subcommittees

Note 40. The Congressional Committee Systems, Briefly

An enduring feature of Congress is its committee system. Until recent years, most important legislation originated in a standing committee, most of the…

Legislative Process

Note 5. Reforming the Filibuster

Are There Reforms Short of Simple-Majority Cloture that Will Improve the Senate?

Note 10. Reconciliation

The Search for a Path to Majority Rule

Note 12. Adopting, Reforming, and Breaking the Rules

Has Partisanship Destroyed the Consensus about the Legislative Process?

Note 14. Regular Order

What is It? What happened to It?

Note 15. Centralization

Is Senate Policy Making as Centralized as House Policy Making?

Note 32. Partisanship and Deliberation

Is There Hope for Meaningful Reform?

Note 41. The Congressional Budget Process, Briefly

Rules Matter, Rules Change

Floor Decision Making, House

Note 14. Regular Order

What is It? What happened to It?

Note 20. House Special Rules

Majority Control of the Floor Agenda

Note 34. Proxy Voting

Gone for Now

Note 37. What Happened to "Why Don't We Do It on the Floor?"

In the mid-1980s, I wrote a paper and book chapter entitled, “Why Don’t We Do It on the Floor?” I hoped to use that title for a book, which eventually…

Floor Decision Making, Senate

Note 5. Reforming the Filibuster

Are There Reforms Short of Simple-Majority Cloture that Will Improve the Senate?

Note 15. Centralization

Is Senate Policy Making as Centralized as House Policy Making?

Note 17. Manchin and Sinema

Democratic Objectors to Filibuster Reform

Note 23. Unanimous Consent in the Senate, Part I

A Few Basics

Note 24: Unanimous Consent in the Senate, Part II

The Odd History of Time Agreements

Note 29. Holds

A Senatorial Tragedy of the Commons?

Note 42. The Senate Majority Leader's Right of First Recognition

The Strange Precedent

Note 43. Evans on Senate Countermajoritarianism

Representational and Procedural Sources of Partisan Bias

Partisan Polarization and Centralized Policy Making

Note 1. Gridlock

Separation of Powers, Bicameralism, Partisan Polarization, Small Majorities, and Divided Party Control

Note 2. Beneath the Surface

Partisanship, Bipartisanship, and Committee Activity

Note 3. The Search for Causes

Partisan Polarization and Intensifying Partisanship

Note 4. Pivotal Player

Gingrich and the Polarization of Congressional Parties

Note 7. Disrupted

The Appropriations Process, Partisan Polarization, and Partisanship

Note 9. Professional Partisan

McConnell and Partisan Gridlock in the Senate

Note 12. Adopting, Reforming, and Breaking the Rules

Has Partisanship Destroyed the Consensus about the Legislative Process?

Note 14. Regular Order

What is It? What happened to It?

Note 32. Partisanship and Deliberation

Is There Hope for Meaningful Reform?

Budgets, Budget Process, and Appropriations

Note 7. Disrupted

The Appropriations Process, Partisan Polarization, and Partisanship

Note 10. Reconciliation

The Search for a Path to Majority Rule

Note 11. Pork and Earmarks

Note 30. The Debt Limit, COLAs, and Reversion Points

Playing with Time

Note 33. The Deep Small-State Bias of the U.S. Senate

Earmarks 2022 and the Distortions in Federal Policy

Note 41. The Congressional Budget Process, Briefly

Rules Matter, Rules Change

Executive Relations

Note 27. Motivation and Capacity

Congressional Oversight in a Partisan Era

Note 28. Where Did the Vetoes Go?

Trace Evidence of Larger Changes in Policy Making

Resources 1. Online Sites for Studying Congress: Legislation, Rules and Precedents, Data, Party Divisions, Committees, Archives, Glossaries

Resources 2: Glossaries: Congressional Terms