Question Set #2

Please respond to five of the following six short response questions posted below

1. Why do we have parties? What roles do they play in a representative democracy? How can these roles be beneficial? How can they be harmful?

2. a) Why does the US have only two major political parties? Make sure and describe Duverger’s law and strategic behavior on the part of voters, politicians, and parties. b) Explain why it would be hard for a third party to be electorally successful. c) What institutional/electoral reforms could be made to create more viable opportunities for additional parties in American politics? d) Would these reforms be helpful?  Why or why not?

3.a) ) How does the desire for reelection shape the behavior of members of Congress? b) How do these electoral incentives help explain what elected officials do while in office and what they want to avoid? c) How do electoral incentives make individual Congresspeople individually responsive but Congress as a whole collectively irresponsible? d) How does the leadership in Congress help overcome the problems of collective action to make Congress work?

4. a) What are the benefits of the Congressional committee system? b) What are the possible downsides? c) How do the parties use this structure to their advantage?

5. a) In your view, what are the most important factors that contributed to the rise of presidential power in modern American Government?  (for this question, please choosetwo or three factors from the readings and lectures that you personally found most interesting/persuasive). b) Do you think the Presidency is too powerful today?  Why or why not?  What reforms (if any) would you recommend to address presidential power?

6. Neustadt & Kernell both describe ways in which a President can deal with Congress & others outside of the executive branch. a) What are their central arguments? b) How does Kernell’s theory update Neustadt’s idea? c) Are they compatible?

Question Set #2 Answer 

1. By definition, political parties are groups of people with similar interests and work together in creating and implementing policies based on these interests. We have political parties because it is only natural for self-interested individuals to group up with people who have fairly similar interests as theirs. Political parties are formed to directly influence public policy by seeking a public office. The political parties help solve collective action problems or the conflicts associated with rational self-interested individuals.