American Government 1. The Nature of Government   a. The Purposes of Government   b. Types of Government   c. What Is a Democracy?   d. Democratic Values — Liberty, Equality, Justice 2. Foundations of American Government   a. The Colonial Experience   b. Independence and the Articles of Confederation   c. Creating the Constitution   d. The Bill of Rights 3. Federalism   a. The Founders and Federalism   b. Tipping the Scales Toward National Power   c. Federal-State Relations Today: Back to States' Rights? 4. American Political Attitudes and Participation   a. American Political Culture   b. What Factors Shape Political Attitudes?   c. Measuring Public Opinion   d. Participating in Government   e. Voting: A Forgotten Privilege? 5. How Do Citizens Connect With Their Government?   a. Political Parties   b. Campaigns and Elections   c. Interest Groups   d. The Media   e. The Internet in Politics 6. Congress: The People's Branch?   a. The Powers of Congress   b. Leadership in Congress: It's a Party Matter   c. The Importance of Committees   d. Who Is in Congress?   e. How a Bill Becomes a Law 7. The Presidency: The Leadership Branch?   a. The Evolution of the Presidency   b. All the President's Men and Women   c. Selection and Succession of the President   d. The President's Job   e. Presidential Character 8. The Bureaucracy: The Real Government   a. The Development of the Bureaucracy   b. The Organization of the Bureaucracy   c. Who Are the Bureaucrats?   d. Reforming the Bureaucracy 9. The Judicial Branch   a. The Creation of the Federal Courts   b. The Structure of the Federal Courts   c. The Supreme Court: What Does It Do?   d. How Judges and Justices Are Chosen   e. The Power of the Federal Courts 10. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights   a. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens   b. First Amendment Rights   c. Crime and Due Process   d. Citizenship Rights 11. Policy Making: Political Interactions   a. Foreign Policy: What Now?   b. Defense Policy   c. Economic Policy   d. Social and Regulatory Policy 12. State and Local Governments   a. State and Local Governments: Democracy at Work?   b. Financing State and Local Government   c. Who Pays for Education? 13. Comparative Political and Economic Systems   a. Comparing Governments   b. Comparing Economic Systems   c. A Small, Small, World?

6. Congress: The People's Branch?

The Congress makes laws.

Despite promises made by presidential candidates, the President has no direct power to pass any legislation. This very important power lies solely with the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The People's Influence

Americans elect their Senators and Representatives. One very important question posed by a democratic government involves how elected representatives should behave once sworn into office. Should members of Congress reflect the will of the people, or should they pay attention to their own points of view, even if they disagree with their constituents? Many considerations influence the voting patterns of members of Congress, including the following:

• Constituents' Views. Members of Congress often visit their home districts and states to keep in touch with their constituents' views. They also read their mail, keep in touch with local and state political leaders, and meet with their constituents in Washington. Some pay more attention than others, but they all have to consider the views of the folks back home. Completely ignoring one's constituency would be foolhardy if the politician hoped at all to be reelected.

• Party Views. Congress is organized primarily along party lines, so party membership is an important determinant of a member's vote. Each party develops its own version of many important bills, and party leaders actively pressure members to vote according to party views. It is not surprising that Representatives and Senators vote along party lines about three-fourths of the time.

• Personal Views. What if a Representative or Senator seriously disagrees with the views of his constituents on a particular issue? How should he or she vote? Those who believe that personal views are most important argue that the people vote for candidates whose judgment they trust. If the people disagree with their decisions, they can always vote them out of office.

The Nature of Democratic Discourse

Gridlock can occur when the legislative branch of Congress and the executive branch of the President are led by different political parties. Coming to agreement on new legislation during these periods of divided government can prove difficult. American voters can become frustrated by the inability of their leaders to move forward.

Yet this expectation for a smoothly running government contradicts the very nature of democratic discourse. How can representatives resolve the differences if they do not discuss them, argue about them, and eventually take sides on a solution? The nature of democratic discourse is to hear from everyone, hammer out compromises, and make decisions based on the process.

Voters may think of their own Representatives or Senators as good people fighting the corruption and selfish greed of the others. Incumbent candidates often encourage this thinking like by claiming to have "saved" the district from disaster through their good works. It helps them win elections.

Despite all the complaints about divided government, Americans seem to prefer it based on their voting patterns. Since 1981, the same party has controlled the presidency, the House, and the Senate for only two years. Divided government prevents any one party from moving too quickly with their legislative agenda. Perhaps this cautious approach to new legislation is exactly what Americans want.