Thursday January 9, 2014

• OBJ: SWBAT understand the advantages incumbents have and determine if this is fair or not.Drill: What limits should be placed on Congress’s ability to create public policy? When do they cross the line?

• HW: Questions and chart due tomorrow.

1. What power(s) give Congress the ability to do anything? (Check your list from

yesterday)

• The French government placed a stiff tariff on American beef products. In return the

United States Congress placed a 300% tariff on singled Rocquefort cheese.

• Chinese banks (almost all of which are owned by the Chinese government) have loaned the Unites states $772 billion so

that US can meet its budgetary needs each year.

Congress has the power to□ Impose and collect taxes □ Borrow money □ Regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the

Indian Tribes□ Establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization (Process of becoming a citizen), and uniform

Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States□ Coin Money, regulate its value, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;□ Punish counterfeiting □ Establish Post Offices and roads□ Issue patents and copyrights □ Create courts below the United States Supreme Court □ Define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against

the Law of Nations□ Declare War□ Raise and support the armed forces of the United States □ Provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections

and repel Invasions□ Provide for a militia (reserving the states the rights to appoint militia officers and to train the

militia under congressional rules). □ Exercise legislative powers over the seat of government (Washington, DC) and over places

purchased to be federal facilities (Forts, arsenals, docks, and other federal buildings). □ Make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing

Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

□ Impeach officials□ Offer advice and consent on presidential appointments □ Propose Constitutional amendments □ Overturn presidential vetoes (with2/3rd’s majority of both houses)□ Ratify treaties negotiated by the President□ Restrict funding to presidential programs

Incumbency

• Look at the list of arguments for and against Incumbency.

• Choose a side, circle your top three pieces of evidence for your side, put a square around the top there arguments you most DISAGREE with.

• In the margins explain your thinking behind your responses.

Incumbency Trends

• As we go through the PPT take notes on the trends in incumbency.

• Be prepared to discuss.

Elections for the United States House of Representatives

1900 40.6% of the races were competitive*

59.4% of elections were won with more

than 55% of the vote

2000 13.1% of races were competitive*

86.9% of the elections were won with more than 55% of the vote

2004 5.9% of the races were competitive*

*A race is considered competitive when the winner wins by less than 55% of the vote

Benefits of Incumbency

•Name recognition•Bringing federal money home to states/districts•Casework•Franking privileges•More access to/coverage by media•Easier to raise money/PACs give more •Constant Campaigning•“Tuesday-Thursday Club”•Experienced political/election organization•Knowledge of issues•“Running against Congress”•Gerrymandering of election districts•Pork barrel legislation•Single-member district plurality system •Personal contact with constituents

Throw the bums out!!

Use the Article to add to your notes on

Incumbency

Term limits would cause a huge loss of

expertise on the issues to be discarded

and replaced with inexperienced

legislators.

Term limits allow government officials to be more in tune with current society and

allows racial, gender minorities a better

chance to win office.

If they were elected (and re-elected) then

doesn’t that mean people like what they

are doing?

“You mean like, wow, we can actually get rid of, you know, incumbents with

this whatchamacallit?”

2002 Elections:– 98% of House incumbents reelected– 85% of Senate incumbents reelected

2004 Elections– 98% of House incumbents reelected– 90% of Senate incumbents won

2006 Elections– 94% of House incumbents won– 79% of Senate incumbents won

2008 Elections – 95% of House incumbents won– 93% of Senate incumbents won

The Benefits of Incumbency

Wrap Up

• Are term limits Constitutional? Do you think there should be term limits? If so why? How long do you set them?