POL SCI 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Lisa Murkowski, Mitch Mcconnell, Punnett Square
25 Jun 2018
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Friday, September 1, 2017
The Five Logics
1. Political Institutions Matter
•Pol institutions shape outcomes"
-Institutions are rules and procedures that structure political competition "
•Constitution"
-Veto therein"
•Congress"
-Filibuster therein"
•Electoral College (Political institution that shaped the current presidency)"
•Why do they matter?"
-Rules of game structure actors’ incentives"
•ex. Campaigning in swing states"
-Persistent "
•Hard to change "
•People adapt to the institutions (in that they believe they can't be changed or
appreciate what the institutions did for them)"
-Health care and institutions"
•House passes bill saying they will repeal/replace Obamacare in May"
-Eliminates individual mandate"
-Eliminates protection for pre-existing conditions"
-Cuts medicaid "
-Reduces insured by over 20 million"
-Unpopular"
•This May bill fails"
•Senate fails to pass “skinny repeal” in July as well"
#1
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Friday, September 1, 2017
-McCain (R-AZ), Collins (R-ME), Murchowski (R-AK) vote nay "
•Who do we blame?"
-Trump — not enough leadership? Too rushed/high expectations?"
-3 wayward Republican senators — voted against bill"
-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — not getting it done in time"
•No, the failure was due to the institutions through which the bill has to
navigate — not these individual actors’ roles"
-Bicameralism: bill had to pass both house and senate"
-Budget reconciliation rules: house and senate agree on a budget together"
•However, limits repeals and changes to bills because only budget/taxes
are on the table"
•Many possible points of compromise were now off limits (Planned
parenthood)"
-Senate Filibuster: many bills require 60 votes for wholesale change"
-Political institutions allow actors (politicians) to “play the game”"
•Ex. Running for president — electoral college pursuit vs. popular vote"
-Allowed Trump to win the presidency"
2. Politicians are strategic actors
•Goal-oriented actors"
-Primary goal = getting themselves (re)elected "
•(Usually) behave strategically in pursuit of the their goals"
-Consider effect of action on staying in office "
-Need to bargain, compromise with other strategic actor politicians"
-Not Always strategic however"
•Ex. Healthcare and acting"
-Obama presidency: (Obamacare)"
#2
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