Influences on Congress

1
Influences on Congress

• By Mr. Baker

2
Influences of Lawmakers on Congress

• Personality
• Religious beliefs
• Some are more willing to take risks
• Their staff
• They can control the information on which the
  lawmakers base their decisions

3
Influences of Lawmakers on Congress

• How controversial or how close the issue hits
  home (state/district)
• If it has little effect on their home state or
  district, most lawmakers rely on their own
  beliefs
• If it has more effect on their home state or
  district, then they listen to the voters and
  advice of other lawmakers

4
Influence of Voters on Congress

• Dilemma for lawmakers - Should the lawmakers
  follow the state or districts wants or national
  wants?
• The lawmakers need to listen to the people back
  home, especially if they are coming up for
  reelection
• Voters influence elections by reflecting on the
  following questions
• Did the representative pay attention to the
  voters back home?
• How did he/she vote on the issue?

5
Influence of Voters on Congress

• Visits to the district/state
• Learn of voters concerns
• Messages from home
• Messages going from the home state/district to
  the representative are listened to
• Surveys and polls
• Lawmakers will listen to phone and email opinion
  polls/surveys
• Key supporters
• Lawmakers must support the positions of the
  people who donate to and help run their campaign

6
Influence of Parties on Congress

• Partys platform the lawmaker should listen to
  their partys set of beliefs
• Why should you vote with your party?
• They raise money for campaigns so you can get
  elected
• Some lawmakers dont have a strong opinion on an
  issue, so they vote with the party
• They can usually expect their partys support if
  they create a bill

7
Other Influences on Congress

• President
• The President can send messages to lawmakers and
  make televised speeches that have an influence on
  representatives in Congress
• Some lawmakers may want to maintain a close
  relationship with the President
• This might help them keep office if the president
  is popular

8
Other Influences on Congress

• Mass Media
• Internet, radio, mailings, flyers, television,
  etc. have an effect on representatives
• Representatives must look, act, and sound good to
  the public or else they could lose votes

9
Other Influences on Congress

• Lobbyists and Interest Groups
• Representatives of interest groups are called
  lobbyists
• An interest group is an organization that
  represents the interests of a particular group
• Businesses (BBB Better Business Bureau)
• Minority groups (NAACP National Association for
  the Advancement of Colored People)
• Educational groups (Teachers union)
• Environmental groups (PETA People for the
  Ethical Treatment of Animals)
• Lawyers (National Bar Association???)
• Doctors (AMA American Medical Association)

10
Other Influences on Congress

• PACs (Political Action Committees)
• Political fund-raising part of an interest group
• They use their funds to support lawmakers who
  favor the PACs positions on an issue

11
Why are former members of Congress often hired as
lobbyists?

• They have inside knowledge of the lawmaking
  process

12
Which of these is the most direct way for a group
of teenagers to influence the outcome of a bill
that would raise the minimum driving age?

• Testifying at a legislative hearing
• Launching a voter registration drive
• Writing an ambassador
• Appealing to a high court