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Grab your writing journals, put today’s date and answer the following question:

Grab your writing journals, put today’s date and answer the following question: Aside from the qualifications set by the Constitution, what do you think it takes to be elected to the House or the Senate? What skills, personality traits do you think it is important to have?. Road through Congress.

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Grab your writing journals, put today’s date and answer the following question:

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  1. Grab your writing journals, put today’s date and answer the following question: • Aside from the qualifications set by the Constitution, what do you think it takes to be elected to the House or the Senate? What skills, personality traits do you think it is important to have?

  2. Road through Congress

  3. Who remembers the qualifications for the House and the Senate?

  4. If I wanted to run for office, what would I need? • What are the qualifications for the House of Representatives and the Senate? • House of Representatives (435 members) • 25 years old • 7 years a citizen • Must be a resident of the state you represent • 2 year terms • Senate (100 members) • 30 years old • 9 years a citizen • Must be a resident of the state you represent • 6 year terms

  5. It all starts with… • The Census! • What is the census? • A population count taken every 10 years • Usually around April

  6. Once a census has been taken, it can be determined how many representatives each state gets • This is called reapportionment • Only happens for the HoR!!!! • Senate automatically gets 2 senators from each state • Depending on population growth, states may gain or lose representatives

  7. Once the Census results come back, state legislatures can redraw congressional district lines • Called redistricting • Each district is supposed to represent roughly 646,000 people

  8. Sometimes states will draw congressional district lines in funny ways to help the majority party gain an advantage • This is called gerrymandering • From Governor Elbridge Gerry

  9. Kentucky • Any thoughts on Kentucky’s districts? KY 4 KY 3

  10. Let’s practice!

  11. HR Elections • HR elections happen every 2 years, so all 435 members must be elected/reelected every 2 years • Great continuity however • Only group of people that have to beg the public for their jobs every 2 years!

  12. Senate elections • According to the Constitution, another way the Senate is the superior house is through their elections (Article I, Section 3, Clause 2) • Senate is divided into thirds (33-33-34) • Every two years, one third of the Senate has elections • This way, not all 100 members are being replaced every 2 years

  13. Writing Journals • Why do you think there is so much continuity in Congress? Why do you think nearly 80-90% of incumbents get reelected? Think of at least 2-3 factors

  14. Make up of 2013 Congress • There are also 6 non-voting members in HR: • 1 from DC, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico

  15. Once you’re in Congress, now what? • Congress MUST meet at least once a year (January 3) according to which amendment? • Usually terms end around November (lame duck period)

  16. Once you’re in Congress, now what? • Congress is divided into terms • Terms last every 2 years • Sessions are each year of that Term • So 2 sessions per 1 term

  17. Perks to congress • Salary • Congress earns $174,000/year • More for leadership position • e.g. SOH earns $223,500 • Remember the 27th Amendment • In 1993 Congress made $133,600 (shows inflation!)

  18. perks • Members of Congress enjoy other perks such as franking privileges • Stationary, free postage on official business to constituents • Allowances for: • Office staff • All trips to their home state • Tax deductions for two homes • Retirement: • they receive a pension; average $41-55,000 • Must have served at least 5 years • Takes into account age and years served

  19. Perks to Congress • They are free from arrest “in all cases except treason, felony, or breach of the peace” while attending or traveling to and fro • They cannot be sued for anything said on the floor

  20. What happens if they do something horrible? • In January 2013, the popularity of Congress reached an all-time low, with just 9% of registered voters approving of its performance and 85% disapproving. Voters preferred root canals, colonoscopies, traffic jams, Genghis Khan and cockroaches to Congress, but preferred Congress to the Kardashians, North Korea, the ebola virus, Lindsay Lohan, Fidel Castro, meth labs, communism and gonorrhea.[

  21. What happens if they do something horrible? • Censure • The formal statement of disapproval • Requires majority vote • Happened 23 times in the House, 9 in the Senate • Must stand there while SOH reads list of charges • Form of public shaming

  22. The censure of senator josephmccarthy • http://blowthetrumpet.org/CENSUREOFSENATORJOSEPHMCCARTHY.htm

  23. What happens if they do something horrible? • Expulsion • Kicked out of office • Only happened 15 times in Senate, 4 in House • Requires 2/3 vote to expel

  24. Kentucky • Senator John C. Breckinridge was expelled (1861) • Representative Henry C. Burnett was expelled (1861) • Representative Lovell Rousseau was censured (1866) • Representative John Y. Brown was censured (1866)

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