Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Presidential Rhetoric And The Federal Reserve, C. Damien Arthur

C. Damien Arthur

Presidents persistently use their rhetoric as a mechanism of influence over salient policies. As the economy has become more salient, presidents have tried to gain a semblance of control over its direction and robustness. Yet, there exists no substantial research regarding whether the rhetoric is influential with the most important economic actors such as the Federal Reserve. Assessing whether presidential cues and signals shape the Fed’s economic behavior provides an assessment of rhetoric’s effect. Utilizing the economic speeches from D.D. Eisenhower through B.H. Obama this paper questions whether the Fed’s behavior modeled what the presidents wanted. Presidents have increased their …

A Quantum Congress, Jorge R. Roig

Jorge R Roig

Strategic Diversity In Union Political Action: Implications For The 1992 House Elections, Richard W. Hurd, Jeffrey E. Sohl

Richard W Hurd

[Excerpt] The purpose of this paper is to explore labor's strategic options in the 1992 elections. We will focus on House races because the diversity in political strategies among unions is most apparent there. However, our conclusions will have broader implications for union activity in elections at all levels of government. In evaluating the situation we will consider the impact of redistricting on labor's alternatives. We should note that recent developments have made many union political operatives more optimistic. The upset victory by populist Democrat Harris Wofford in the special Senate election in Pennsylvania, the eventual compromises on civil rights …

The Rise Of The 60-Vote Senate, Gregory Koger

Gregory Koger

How did the Senate transform into a supermajority legislature? To answer this question, we must have a clear understanding of what filibustering was like before 1960, and why senators abandoned this system. I begin with some definitions and a quick historical survey, and then explain the emergence of the sixty-vote Senate.

What Is A Reasonable Compromise On Health Care Reform?, Peter Dreier

Peter Dreier

No abstract provided.

Divided Government And Foreign Relations Approval, Brian Newman, Kevin Lammert

Brian Newman

During divided government, the public tends to attribute credit and blame for economic conditions to both the president and Congress. However, the "two presidencies" thesis argues that presidents have more influence vis-a-vis Congress in shaping foreign policy compared to domestic policy, so the public may attribute all foreign policy outcomes to the president alone. This suggests that the boost presidents typically receive in their overall approval during divided government due to sharing the blame for negative economic conditions will not extend to their foreign relations approval numbers, We find that presidents do enjoy higher overall approval during divided government. However, …

The Past And Future Of The Supermajority Senate, Gregory Koger

Gregory Koger

The distinguishing feature of the modern U.S. Senate is the ability of any senator to block legislation and nominations, forcing the rest of the chamber to limit debate using a slow process that requires a 60-vote supermajority. This article explains the development of this new and powerful veto in the legislative process, its use as a minority party veto, and then reviews options for restoring the balance between governance and deliberation.

The Unequal Representation Of Latinos And Whites, Brian Newman, John D. Griffin

Brian Newman

We compare the ideological proximity of Latinos and whites to their Members of Congress (MCs), demonstrating the degree to which Latinos are underrepresented compared to whites. We show how this representation gap varies with group differences in electoral turnout and income, district ethnic composition, and MCs' ethnicity and party affiliation. We find that Latinos' unequal representation is not simply a function of the group's numerical minority status. Concentrating Latinos in congressional districts does not necessarily translate into more equal representation. However, several factors can enhance the equality of Latinos' representation-participation in elections and representation by both Latinos and Democrats.

Strategic Party Government: Party Influence In Congress, 1789-2000.”, Matthew J. Lebo, Adam J. Mcglynn, Gregory Koger

Gregory Koger

Why does the influence of Congressional parties fluctuate over time Building on prevailing answers, we develop a model, Strategic Party Government, which highlights the electoral motives of legislative parties and the strategic interaction between parties. We test this theory using the entire range of House and Senate party behavior from 1789 to 2000 and find that the strategic behavior of parties complements members' preferences as an explanation for variation in party influence. Specifically, the strongest predictors of one party's voting unity are the unity of the opposing party and the difference between the parties in the preceding year. Moreover, we …

Cloture Reform And Party Government In The Senate, 1918 To 1925, Gregory Koger

Gregory Koger

Why does filibustering persist in the U.S. Senate? This article analyzes senators' preferences toward majority cloture from 1918 to 1925, a crucial period in Senate history. I find that majority party members were more likely to support stricter cloture rules, but support for cloture reform diminished within both parties for senators far from the party median. I find little evidence that support or opposition to cloture reform was linked to seniority, prior House experience, legislative activism, or state size. These findings are consistent with the micro-level claims of conditional party government theory.

Position-Taking And Cosponsorship In The U.S. House, Gregory Koger

Gregory Koger

Bill cosponsorship has become an important part of the legislative and electoral process in the modern House of Representatives. Using interviews with congressional members and staff, I explain the role of cosponsorship as a signal to agenda setters and a form of position taking for constituents. Regression analysis confirms that cosponsoring varies with a member's electoral circumstances, institutional position, and state size, but generally members have adapted slowly to the introduction of cosponsorship to the rules and practice of the House.