Reflections on the legislative process (due Friday 3/27)

For credit, respond in complete sentences with more than one sentence answers.  Focus on your analysis and answering they why and how questions.  This is the last post for the 3rd quarter.

1. 3-6% of bills introduced in Congress become law. Is this passage rate good or bad? Why?
2. Members of Congress know that a bill they introduce has a very small chance of passing. Why do they do it anyway? What purpose is served by introducing a bill?
3. To what extent is each step of the process an opportunity for elected officials to represent the interests of their constituents?
4. How does the legislative process enable the House and Senate to test ideas before they become law?
5. How does the process by which legislation is made affect its outcome?
6. What do the documents studied in this lesson show about how citizens can affect the legislative process?
7. What do you think the public does not know but should learn about how Congress works?
8. What features of the legislative process do you think should be preserved? What features should be changed?
9. In what way does understanding the legislative process factor into voters' opinions in favor of or against incumbent candidates?

Congressional "Power of the Purse"

After reading the NPR article I handed out in class, answer the following questions by end of school on Friday for credit.

1. How does this illustrate the use of Congress "power of the purse" as a check on executive power?
2. How does htis article illustrate the influence of political parties in Congress?
3. Do you think what Obama is doing with his executive actions is unconstitutional (as Republicans clearly do)?  What if you framed the legal argument as the President using his pardoning power?  What then?  Does that change your opinion of his actions?  Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is justified for the Republicans to threaten government shutdown or should they go another route?  Justify your answer.

Gerrymandering simplified

Here is a really simple and easy to understand explanation of gerrymandering courtesy of the Washington Post.