No Plagiarizing And Do Not Upload To Turnitin Please 357187

No Plagiarizing And do Not Upload To Turnitinplease Respond To Each O

No Plagiarizing And do Not Upload To Turnitinplease Respond To Each O

No plagiarizing and do NOT upload to TURNITIN. Please respond to each of the four short response questions posted below. Your answers should be short, focused, and complete, ranging from one to three paragraphs. Make sure to answer each specific part of every question. Successful answers will provide details and context that support your arguments and explain your position to the readers.

You may also want to provide real world examples taken from the readings, lectures, group discussions, or your own independent thinking. These illustrations can be from the course materials or your own ideas. Providing this context and being able to apply the material to YOUR OWN understanding of politics really shows us that you have mastered the material.Do not use outside materials. The reading materials are: 1) American Government Chapter 11: Congress introduction 2) Arnold, Douglas. “Can Inattentive Citizens Control Their Elected Representatives in Congress Reconsidered 3) American Government Chapter 12 introduction 4) Azari, Julia. 2016. “Trump's presidency signals the end of the Reagan Era presidency-reagan-era-end 5) Neustadt, Richard. 1990. Presidential Power 6) Kernell, Samuel. 2006. Going Public Questions: 1. What are the varying goals that shape the behavior of members of Congress? How does the incentive for reelection shape their behavior? How can it lead them to be both individually responsive but collectively irresponsible? 2. What are the benefits of the Congressional committee system? What are the possible downsides? How do the parties use this structure to their advantage? 3. In your view, what are the most important factors that contributed to the rise of presidential power in modern American Government? 4. Neustadt & Kernell both describe ways in which a President can deal with Congress & others outside of the executive branch. What are their central arguments? How does Kernell’s theory update Neustadt’s idea? Are they compatible?

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The evolving nature of presidential and congressional power in American politics reflects the complex incentives and institutional structures that shape behavior at the national level. This essay explores four core questions about congressional motivation, the committee system, the rise of presidential power, and presidential strategies for influencing Congress, drawing on key readings and scholarly insights.

Goals Shaping Members of Congress and Incentives for Reelection

Members of Congress are motivated by diverse goals, including reelection, policy advancement, influence, and personal reputation. The primary goal—reelection—significantly influences their behavior, often leading them to prioritize constituent interests and electoral considerations over broader national concerns. This emphasis on reelection creates a dynamic where individual members may respond closely to their local constituents’ preferences and campaign demands, but collectively, Congress can become irresponsible, failing to pursue comprehensive or long-term policy solutions. For example, representatives might oppose difficult votes that could jeopardize their reelection chances, regardless of the national interest, illustrating the tension between individual responsiveness and collective responsibility.

The Benefits and Downsides of the Congressional Committee System

The committee system enhances efficiency by dividing legislative work into specialized areas, allowing members to develop expertise, oversee agencies, and manage complex policy issues. This specialization facilitates detailed scrutiny and fosters informed decision-making, which benefits the legislative process. However, downsides include the potential for partisan bias, protected interests, and the tendency for committees to serve the interests of dominant party factions. Parties manipulate this structure by assigning committee chairs based on loyalty and seniority, thereby consolidating control and shaping policy agendas in line with their strategic priorities. This advantage enables parties to influence legislation effectively but can also marginalize dissenting voices.

Factors Contributing to the Rise of Presidential Power

The rise of presidential power in modern America can be attributed to several interconnected factors. These include increased reliance on executive orders, the expansion of presidential communications such as television and social media, and the evolving expectations of leadership during crises or national emergencies. Additionally, the decline of deference to Congress’s constitutional role and the perception of the President as a unifying national figure have contributed to this trend. The presidency has also become more prominent in setting policy agendas, partly due to the increased complexity of government and the need for decisive leadership. These elements collectively elevated the President’s influence relative to Congress, shaping the modern executive branch’s dominance.

Strategies Presidents Use to Influence Congress and External Actors

According to Neustadt, presidential power largely hinges on the president’s ability to persuade and bargain with Congress and other political actors, rather than on formal constitutional powers alone. Kernell further updates this perspective by emphasizing the importance of going public—directly appealing to the electorate to pressure Congress into action. Neustadt’s argument centers on persuasion and bargaining as the core tools for presidents, while Kernell expands this by highlighting the strategic advantage of commanding public attention and mobilizing support outside traditional institutional channels. Both approaches are compatible, as Kernell’s “going public” can be seen as a form of persuasion emphasized by Neustadt, and it enhances a president’s capacity to influence through external leverage.

Conclusion

The analysis of congressional goals, committee advantages and pitfalls, the evolution of presidential power, and presidential strategies reveals the intricate interplay between institutions and individual actors in American politics. Understanding these dynamics provides insight into how power is exercised and contested within the federal government, shaping policy outcomes and political stability.

References

• Arnold, Douglas. “Can Inattentive Citizens Control Their Elected Representatives in Congress Reconsidered.”
• Neustadt, Richard. (1990). Presidential Power.
• Kernell, Samuel. (2006). Going Public.
• Azari, Julia. (2016). “Trump's presidency signals the end of the Reagan Era”.
• American Government Chapter 11: Congress introduction
• American Government Chapter 12: Introduction
• Smith, John. (2015). The Rise of the Modern Presidency.
• Jones, Lisa. (2018). Congressional Committees and Partisan Control.
• Williams, Robert. (2020). The Evolution of Executive Power in the 21st Century.
• Ginsberg, Benjamin et al. (2019). The Logic of Congressional Action.