Congress [11-22]

11. malapportionment - drawing the boundaries of political districts so that districts are very unequal in population.
gerrymandering - drawing the boundaries of political districts in bizarre of unusual shapes to make it easier for candidates of the party in power to win elections in those districts.
majority-minority districts - congressional districts designed to make it easier for citizens of a racial of ethnic minority to elect representatives.
12.
13. Differences between votes from the first time to the second time that a candidate is elected. There is usually an eight to ten percent increase. It happens because the voters are familiar with their representative. The outcome is that the elected official can have freedom when voting on an issue. They also need not to explain as much as to why they voted if against his or her constituents.
14. representational - they should represent the constituents ideas.
organizational - they should represent their party line.
attitudinal - they should represent their ideology.
15. People don't get along with those that disagree with them. There is polarization in the legislature.
16. Majority party decides a majority leader that oversees the Senate while the V.P. is away. Power also rests in the minority leader. The majority and minority leaders of both parties elect a whip; a senator that keeps the leader informed about what others are thinking, garners members for voting, and keeps a count on how voting of an issue will go. What the majority and minority leaders do is schedule the business of the Senate. The majority leader is recognized first in any floor debate. Both parties in the Senate chooses a Policy Committee who help the party leader schedule Senate business.
17. Decides who shall be recognized on the floor; rules whether a motion is relevant; the committees to which bills are considered.
18. There is speculation that districts have been drawn in such a way as to protect either party. There is also evidence that suggests that Congress has become more polarized. Seniority plays a role in party polarization as well.
19. It is an association of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional or economic interest. They are important because they represent a single interest of a faction of the general public such as minorities and their rights.
20. standing committee - more or less permanent bodies with specified legislative responsibilities
select committee - groups appointed for a limited purpose and usually lasting only a few congresses
joint committee - those on which both representatives and senators serve
conference committee - representatives and senators appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same piece of legislation before final passage.
21. Six chairmen were removed and a new six-year term was imposed and replaced many of the old chairmen. Committees in Congress were decentralized and have become more and more based on majority. The effects of the changes was to give power to the individual member and lessen the power of a party leader and committee chairmen. Having a large staff creates a demand for more staff because for every one member, he or she has a mission that is too big for them alone to handle. For example, a member may be a lobbyist and needs people out on the streets to get a feel for what people would vote for if introduced. Right there one would need someone to organize the movement and another to create a fund and so on.
22. CRS - responds to congressional requests for info. Keeps track of the status of every major bill before Congress and produces a summary sent to Congress
GAO - investigates agencies and policies and makes recommendations on government. Performed financial audits of money spent by the executive branch
CBO - advises Congress on the likely economic effect of a bill. Prepares analysis reports of presidential spending and economic projections