POL_SC 1100 Midterm: STUDY GUIDE Exam 2
Document Summary
Incumbency: today 85-90% get voted back, advantages= mailings, travel, name recognition, news coverage, pork (once in congress) Marginal districts- political districts in which candidates elected to the house win in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote. Incumbents can deluge the voter with free mailings, travel to meet constituents for less, and get their names in the npaper by sponsoring bills or conduction investigations. Majority of congressmen serve more than 1 term. Congressional diversity: house & senate (2009-10, black- 42 (10%, hispanic- 25 (6%, women- 77 (18%, polarized (rep and dem agree on less issues) Relevant constitutional articles (p. 315: article 1, section 8= the powers of congress. Standing comm- ongoing issues: select comm. - narrower set of issues, prestige lower. Judiciary (article 3 specifies only requires supreme ct. ) Structure of american court system: the only fed ct. const. requires is the supreme ct.
