In David Mayhew’s article: “The Electoral Incentive,” Mayhew argues that congressmen are consistently doing things everyday throughout their time in office so they can be reelected (Mayhew, 1974, pp. 137). However, Mayhew goes on to say, there are three main functions congressmen must follow if they want to be successful at reelection. The three functions he expresses is advertising, credit claiming, and position taking (Mayhew, 1974, pp. 137-139). Advertising is the idea that Congressmen must notify their constituents on a regular basis by means of sending out a post card, mass mailing, birthday card, and so forth if they want a chance at their seat to be secured (Mayhew, 1974, pp. 137).…
The first step they must achieve is reelection. The reelection stage is when they establish a home style. By earning the trust of their district’s voters, it is easier to justify their decisions of policy making. This makes the goals of receiving power and good public policy possible. These next two steps involve a congressman’s career in Washington. They must achieve to pass laws that are beneficial to their home district. Good public policy is established to keep existing voters and to allow for a new base of supporters. Once they do this, congressmen must find a balance between their home style and Washington career. First, to distribute their power, a congressman can appoint a higher number of local staff. This makes up for their absence at their home district while working in Washington. The next way a congressman must balance their power is to use their influence in Washington to benefit their home district. The happier a congressman’s support system is, the more likely it is that they will get reelected. When a congressman finds the proper balance of the three main goals, it will ensure a thriving…
Democracy is deified as a government ruled by its people, a society represented by its own members forming a self deciding and self governed community. This very essential ideal established the founders of the United States has become harder to uphold, and there are restraints that do not allow for true democracy to be fully expressed. Extra-governmental actions by special interests and the intricate costs of campaigns has married the economic and political arenas and it has resulted the creation of heavily influenced representatives that no longer serve their original function- to represent the interest of their constituents. The functionality of today’s political system would be unrecognizable to that of the original Constitution and that of the founders. The absence of term limits of House and Senate representatives have causes two elements that infringes on the democratic value of the government of the United States; now members of the congress and senate are career politicians and hold office for many ulterior reasons other than the honor of public service, and secondly this notion has now created a political class an exclusive society that dictates the legislative process. An Amendment to the Constitution is necessary to overturn the previous institutional establishment of limitless terms for senators and house representatives, because amendments are the only way to modify the articles of the constitution. [1]…
How a candidate looks, present themselves and “hypes” people up is usually want wins over the public as opposed to real solutions to problems. The view that politics corrupts any good intentions is presented as well.…
When things don’t work the way they should, people start to worry. They know that they need something to change. This is what Fiorina explains in chapter The Rise of The Washington Establishment about voting. The main focus of this chapter is the issues of self interest related to government and its congressmen, bureaucrats, and voters.…
An incumbent is defined as the person currently holding office. Through a political lense, incumbency has proven to be a significant advantage in the field of reelection.The graph provided above is hard evidence that incumbency often results in reelection. From 1948 to 1996 it is obvious that incumbency rates in the House of Representatives, and the Senate are high. In 1960 over 90% of incumbents in the Senate were elected, and in throughout 1948 to 1996 the House has steadily averaged around 90% of incumbents reelected. Another fact being, rates of incumbents reelected have increased over time in both the House and Senate. I can only imagine that these rates will continue to increase with the growth of media over time.…
Although their are pro's and con's for each argument, I believe that it is better for the country to have no term limits on supreme court justices. It seems to me that the problems term limits cause, such as strategic retirement, are preferable to the alternative possibility, that the justices begin making decisions based on what would best help their personal careers in the…
When candidates compete in a campaign they have to stand out and set themselves apart from the others. The candidates would talk about important topics that they would like to change and raise awareness towards the major issues. Depending on their viewpoints on the issues helps them develop a fan base which helps them receive votes. Voter’s elects the person who they feel is more compatible for the position of being president. Voter looks for someone who is going to change things for the better and make the nation better.…
Expertise and experience in government has become proportionately more valuable and can be better that a fresh perspective. In addition, term limits may prevent the best person for the job from being elected. Voters who believe extended incumbency undermines our democratic system free to vote against their particular incumbents. Denying other voters the right to choose a particular candidate whom they have chosen many times before is inherently unjust. Our system of representative democracy rests on citizens choosing the legislatures that they believe are the best choose despite how many years that they have served in…
Our Founding Fathers never expected Congressmen to serve life-long terms. They had intended on a system of citizens serving for a few years and then returning to their respective communities. Nowadays, our representatives are making permanent careers out of Congressional positions. They are able to maintain their place in government and make a living off of pay raises and benefits. Polling of voters has shown that there is a general distaste for political careerism.…
Presidency is a strong idea in America. It elects our highest executive leader, the president. A good strong, experienced president is a viable resource. Just to be clear, a president should be experienced in someway . They should first occupied a spot in government such as a governor or senator. They will have a voice and understanding in politics, know about foreign policies and politics, and they will know their way around the government. Think about, who would want a presidential candidate without any political experience or would they? As history has shown, freshness has ruled. Even today, presidential candidate Donald Trump is winning. He has no political experience, however he has considered by New York Republicans to be governor in October 2013, but he never ran. This is the most controversial question in politics, maybe. Should amateurs be allowed in the oval office?…
Asking what it was about the 1960 and 1980 campaigns that produced engagement on policy and useful governance is instructive. Both were close elections. And in close elections, the press and the candidates behave differently. Both candidates see advantage in providing the press and public with access. Increased, as a result, are well-publicized news conferences with the national press, participation in interview shows, and willingness to debate. At the same time, when the race is close the press makes better use of the access it is given. Press questions are more likely to focus on substance than strategy; and one candidate is not burdened with a greater percent of strategy questions than the other. (259)…
Constituency careers pursue the goal of reelection, while Washington careers pursue the goals of influence in the House and the making of good public policy. When a House member is at the stage of a constituency career, they will most likely leave their families at home, and only be thinking about the goal of reelection. First-term members get to go home more frequently then their senior colleagues, however, most have not been a congressman yet. The first two years are spent getting reelected while the last two years are spent getting a district so they can be reelected. What is meant by congressman is being able pursue goals that go above and beyond just getting reelected. This seems like a viscous cycle due to the fact that a House member’s…
This paper will discuss what interest groups are and the role that interest groups play in American politics and why it is important. Another thing that this paper will discuss is how interest groups have influenced American elections. American elections have been influenced with direct and indirect strategies to get a candidate elected. They have also been influenced wit the use of information. The direct strategies used where more in your face and out for everyone else to know about and where very effective. While the indirect strategies used may have been hidden and in the shadows they were also effective. The use of information was helpful to put things out into the world and it was also there to help the candidate that was being supported by the interest group gain popularity and/or publicity. Towards the end of the paper the role of interest groups and how they have influenced American elections should be understood.…
Prior to 1814, ambition and campaigning were not the best of things. James Madison wrote that ambition and private interest “are proved by experience to be the most prevalent” motives from which “representative appointments are sought” (Madison). The essence of Madison’s argument is that the elected too often form, through ambition and private interests, goals contrary to those who elect. Later David Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, later wrote that “if your ambition or circumstances compel you to serve you country…by becoming a member of the legislature” to campaign and make yourself known (Crockett). In brief, Crockett is saying not only can ambition drive you, campaign also. Before 1814, campaigning and ambition would not have gotten you elected.…