Theories Of Legislation Outline

I.TheoriesofLegislation

1)Pluralism/PublicChoiceTheory

Pluralism:Statutesareproductsofcompetingandinteractinginterestgroups,andcertain

groups'interestswillbeshutout.

Interpretiveimplication:Congressshouldengageinpublicspirited

interpretation.Moredeferenceshouldbegiventostatutethathasdiffusebenefits

thanonethathasconcentratedbenefits,andmoredeferenceshouldbegivento

groupwhoseinterestshavebeenshutout.Riskofthisisjudicialactivism.

Specialinterestlegislation

targetedtaxbreaks

industrydrivenlegislation

PublicChoice:politiciansarerationalutilitymaximizerswhotrytomaximizetheirown

interests.Costsofstatutes,andtheirbenefits,mightbeeitherconcentratedordiffuse

Interpretiveimplication:PosnerianL+Etheoryimpliesthatsatuteshouldbe

treatedascontractualnegotiation—eachperson'sinterests+compromisesindeal

oughttoberetainedinstatutoryinterpretation.

Concentratedcosts,diffuse Concentratedcosts,concentrated

benefits"entrepreneurial"politics;CRA benefitsinterestgrouppolitics

sexamendmentwasadvertisedasthis,but itwasreallydiffusecosts+diffusebenefits

Diffusecosts,concentrated Diffusecosts,diffusebenefitsmajoritarian

benefitsspecialinterest/clientlegislation politics

2)Proceduralist/DeliberativeTheory

Thereis"finelywrought"processwherebyCongressenactsstatutes,givingCongress

highlegitimacy

Becauseanypieceofstatutehastopassmanyvetogates,theyshouldbegivenmuch

deference

Medianvotertheoryoflegislativepurpose:whoamongvetogatesis"medianvoter"?

51st%tileinHouse

60thvoteinSenate(filibusters—usedtobe67thvote)

Mediancommitteemember

Committeechair

President

Conferencecommittee

NOTELINKTOSTATUTORYINTERPRETATION—PURPOSIVISM

Interpretiveimplicationsaredivergent:

2

Hasbeenusedtosupporttextualism

legitimacyoftext(haswithstoodvetogates)usedtocriticize

congressionalinactionarguments

look@4cornersofdocumenttopreservedealsmade

Hasbeenusedtosupportlegislativeintent

Legislationisseriesofdeals,andaswithparolevidenceincontract,

legislativehistoryisevidenceofdeals

Bestwaytodeterminepurposeistolook@medianvoter(butthenraises

questionofwhoismedianvoter?)

3)PositivePoliticalTheoryandInstitutionalistAccounts

Creationofstatutorymeaningisanongoing,interactiveprocessthatplaysoutovertime

Multipleinstitutions,includingagencies,legislativebranch,executivebranch,judicial

branch,interestgroupsparticipateandinteracttogivemeaning;actorsaresophisticated

andunderstandthisinteractivegame

Congressenactsstatutesunderstandingwhereeachofplayerslieonspectrum,andwill

trytopleasemedianvoter

Interpretiveimplication:Shouldcourtsgivedeferencetootherinterpreters(agencies),or

looktocurrentCongress?

HowaBillBecomesaLaw

1. Draftingofbills(bylegislativestaff,governmentagency,interestgroup,academic)

HOUSE

2. Introductionofbillbymember(appropriationsandrevenuebillstypicallyoriginatein

House)

3. ReferraltoStandingCommittees

4. CommitteeAction(canbeforgonebydischargepetitionbyHouse)

3steps:1)consideration2)markup3)report:a)exactlanguageofbillb)sectionbysection

analysisofbillc)proceduralandsubstantivebackground

5. 6. 7.

Canbereferredtosubcommittee

Hearingsheldonmajorbills

Committeeresolution:takenoaction,defeat,accept,oramendandreport

Votingoutofcommittee

Rulescommittee(majorbills)

Floordebateandamendment(passageordefeat)

SENATE

8. ReferredtoStandingCommittee

9. CommitteeAction

10. Flooraction—notefilibusteroption

CONFERENCECOMMITTEE

IfHouse+Senatepassdifferingversions,conferencecommitteecanbecreatedwith

membersfromeachhouse;eachhousemustagreetoconferencereport

Appealsofcommittees

Specialization+expertise

3

Rentseeking:committeememberschoosecommitteesontopicsabouta)whichthey

andtheirconstituentshavestrongpreferencesb)whichtheyhaveselfinterestin

Forcesothercommitteememberstodiligentlymonitoractivitiesofinterested

committeemembers

Toolsofmajorityparty:majoritypartywilldefertointensepreferencesofcommittee

membersinreturnforsupportonissuesvitaltoreelectionofmajority

NonLinearLegislativeProcesses

1)Filibuster Unclearwhetherit'sconstitutional;Rugerthinksnot

Minorityofsenatorsdelaybringingbilltobevotedon,takingadvantageofSenate's

unlimiteddebaterule

2tracksystem:

1)HoldsSenatorcanaskMajorityLeadertoplacetemporary+anonymous

holdonlegislationheadedtowardfloor decreasespoliticalaccountabilityand

itscheapnessmeansit'susedmore,soSenatorsshouldbefairintheiruse

2)ThreatoffilibusterSenatorneedsbackingofpartyinordertoprevent

cloture.IfSenatorthreateningfilibusteris3dparty+nooneagreeswhim,his

filibusterisworthlessbcitcanbeeasilydefeated.

Cloture:votetoendfilibuster+forcevote(SenateRuleXXII)

Initiallyneeded2/3(67Senators);since1975,haveonlyneeded60Senators

(nothingmagicalaboutthisnumber)

SenateRulesneed2/3ofSenatetobechanged

Art.I§5givesHouse+Senateauthorityto"determineRulesofits

Proceedings" filibusterisrulefordebate

Useoffilibusters:

Executivenominations

Ambassadors

FederalofficialsworkinginWhiteHouse

Judicialnominations

Therefore,minoritypartycanblockPresident'snominationsofjudges,

executivepolicymakers,diplomats,etc.

PROS:

givesvoicetominority

forcescompromise

Senatetradition

Enhancesroleofmoderates(buttherearefewermoderatestoday)

CONS:

maybeunconstitutional

evenifnotunconstitutional…

holds,becausetheyareanonymous,amounttoavoidanceof

accountability

morepartisan?

Slowsdownlegislativeaction

Usedasabargainingtool

Antimajoritarian

4

Mightnotbeabletobeabletocreatecompromise—1994government

shutdown

Arefilibustersunconstitutional?

YES NO

ruleagainstsurplusageandexpressio listofpermissiblesupermajoritiesmay

uniusthereare7otherplacesinConstitution besuggestiveasopposedtoexclusive

thatrequiresupermajority,sosupermajoritiesare Article5§1allowsSenatetowriteits

confinedtotheseprovisions ownrules

Overrideveto It'sapoliticalquestion,whichis

Proposingconstitutionalamendments judiciallyunreviewable

Convictionbyimpeachment Tradition!Becauseithasbeenaroundforso

Houseimpeaches(actslike long,itwouldbeviolationofproceduraldue

indictment),Senateconvicts processtodoawaywith...

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