Making Decisions in Congress


I.    Variety of Decisions

    A.    Individual Specialization's

    B.    Timing is Vital

    C.    Amendments

II.    Determinants of Voting

    A.    Role of Parties

        1.    Frequency of Party Votes

        2.    Significance of Party Voting

        3.    Issues and Party Voting

        4.    Party Influence Devices

    B.    Ideology         

    C.    Constituents

        1.     Saliency of Issues

        2.     Homogeneity of District

    D.    Voting Cues

    E.    Issue Types

        1.     Social Welfare

        2.     National Security

        3.     Environment

        4.    Civil Rights

        5.     Government Regulations

        6.    Taxes

III.    Role of the White House

        A.     Historical Shift

        B.     Factors Impacting Influence - Voting Cues

IV.    Bargaining - Getting a Winning Coalition

         A.     Implicit       

         B.     Explicit

            3.     Logrolling

            4.     Strategies


Key Web Sites

How Laws are Made