Problems in American Democracy Part 81

_Control over the judiciary_. The judiciary is an independent branch of government, but Congress may determine the number of Supreme Court judges, fix their salaries within certain limits, and define their appellate jurisdiction. Congress may also determine the jurisdiction, and define the procedure, of the inferior Federal courts.

_Implied powers_. Last among the powers of Congress is the authority granted to it by the Const.i.tution to make all laws which shall be deemed necessary and proper for carrying into execution the powers expressly granted to Congress by the Const.i.tution. It is under the authority of this clause, that the implied powers of Congress have been so greatly expanded.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

1. What influences are responsible for the fact that Congress is a two-chambered body?

2. Discuss the term and qualifications of Senators.

3. How were Senators elected prior to 1913? How are they elected at the present time?

4. What are the chief privileges and immunities of Senators?

5. Discuss the membership of the House of Representatives.

6. What is the nature of the Congressional district?

7. What are the qualifications for Representatives?

8. Who may vote for Representatives?

9. What is gerrymandering?

10. What three powers are exercised exclusively by the Senate?

11. What are the special powers of the House?

12. Under what two heads may the general powers of Congress be cla.s.sified?

13. Outline briefly the chief powers of Congress.

REQUIRED READINGS

1. Beard, _American Government and Politics_, chapter xiii.

2. Guitteau, _Government and Politics in the United States_, chapters xxii and xxiii.

3. Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter xiv.

4. Reed, _Form and Functions of American Government_, chapter xxi.

QUESTIONS ON THE REQUIRED READINGS

1. What was the Connecticut compromise? (Guitteau, pages 248-249.)

2. Why does the Const.i.tution provide that one third of the Senate shall retire every second year? (Reed, page 255.)

3. What criticism has been brought against the principle of the equal representation of states in the Senate? (Guitteau, page 249.)

4. Compare the growth of the Senate with the growth of the House of Representatives. (Reed, page 258.)

5. What is the relative position of the two houses of Congress? (Reed, pages 257-258.)

6. What is the right to "frank"? (Reed, page 258.)

7. What are the "supplementary" powers of Congress? (Munro, page 217.)

8. What are the powers of Congress with respect to weights and measures? (Beard, page 259.)

9. What was Jefferson's att.i.tude toward the powers of Congress?

(Munro, page 209.)

10. What is the scope of the implied powers of Congress? (Munro, page 214.)

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPORT

I

1. Congressional districts in your state.

2. The biography of one of the Senators representing your state in Congress.

3. Make a study of your Representatives in Congress, with respect to their age, length of service, political principles, and att.i.tude toward such national questions as the tariff, military defense and taxation.

4. A brief comparison of Congress with your state legislature.

II

5. Place of the Senate in our National government. (Reinsch, _Readings on American Federal Government_, pages 127-134.)

6. The House of Representatives in the United States compared with the British House of Commons. (Kaye, _Readings in Civil Government_, pages 149-155.)

7. Gerrymandering. (Beard, _Readings in American Government and Politics_, pages 219-220; see any other standard text on American Government.)

8. The immunities of Congressmen. (Cleveland, _Organized Democracy_, chapter xxvii.)

9. Relation of the two houses of Congress. (Bryce, _The American Commonwealth_, vol. i, chapter xviii.)

10. The Senate as a judicial body. (Bryce, _The American Commonwealth_, vol. i, chapter x.)

11. Const.i.tutional limitations on the powers of Congress. (Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter xx.)

12. Relation of Congress to the President. (Bryce, _The American Commonwealth_, vol. i, chapter xx.)