To Achieve both Power and Democratic Representation :: essays research papers

While the Constitution intentionally provides checks on congressional power, it also grants Congress significant powers in three grievous areas economic affairs, domestic affairs, and foreign affairs. In addition, Congress is granted flexibleness in the elastic cla employment that allows Congress to pass laws that are necessary and decorous" for executing the powers explicitly assigned to it in Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution.It is not only the characteristics of congressmen that make Congress an imperfect mirror of the population many congressmen do not expect their job as mavin of simply reflecting the will of the people. While congressmen in marginal districts may see themselves as delegates of the people, reflecting the will of the majority of their voter many other congressmen, normally those from safer districts, see themselves as trustees who can and will vote their conscience.It may come out that whatever role congressmen choose to play, their voters okay , with over ninety percent of incumbents win re-election. Of course, there are many other factors at work. Incumbents have find to greater amounts of campaign money, media coverage, and have other privileges, for example free use of the postal system. In addition, congressmen do a great deal of casework on behalf of their voters. This may explain why polls consistently find that turn Americans disapprove of Congress as a whole, they very much approve of their individual member of Congress.If the characteristics and roles of congressmen may exclude Congress from being a legislative mirror of the will of the people, the two-chamber design of Congress goes even shape up to deliberately create obstacles to the passage of legislation. These obstacles slow down the legislative process, departure it more permeable to the many voices seeking to be heard. Congress is the sediment of public opinion, but will be able to avoid subordination by any one voice.The legislative process is som ewhat silky by a variety of rules and norms. Seniority, political loyalty, civility, and other attempts to smooth the kit and caboodle of the United States Congress make an unruly body somewhat slight so. In addition, there are a number of influences working on congressmen to help them make sense of complicated matters and aid their decision-making when voting on legislation. Party affiliation, voter demands, presidential leadership, interest group lobbying, valued " cue givers," and even their own personal convictions can place complex issues in some meaningful framework.Candidates for congressional seats can be self-selected or recruited by the local political party.