Introduction
What did the bill provide?
Prescription Drug benefits under Medicare.
How many occasions before and after the Medicare bill go over fifteen minutes?
At least a dozen.
What did the political developments in the south in the 50 years leading up to this article profoundly change?
The Partisan Dynamic and the ideological composition of the parties.
What is Mrs. Grosenbacher's favorite color?
Pink
What time did the vote begin?
3:00 AM
How long did the Medicare Prescription Drug Vote take?
3 hours
Which party held the House in the 1930s and 1970s?
The Democrats
What did Rep. Smith accuse his own party leaders of?
Bribery
What practice did Republicans resort to when faced with a series of tough votes and close margins?
They would stretch out the vote until they could twist enough arms to turn the vote in their favor.
What did increased geographic segregation of voters, and multiple waves of incumbent-friendly redistricting do to the house?
It reduced the number of competitive seats in the house to a few dozen.
Who was unanimously admonished for violating house rules?
Tom DeLay and Candice Miller
What practice did the Democrats start in their final years with a House majority that increased sharply under Republican control?
Restricting debates and amendments on the house floor.
What did some congressmen bring with them when they moved their service from the House to the Senate?
They brought their partisan and combative attitudes that they had cultivated over the past few years.
What Does House Rule XX, Clause 2 say?
There is a fifteen minute minimum for most votes by electronic device.
Self-executing rules went from an average of 19 percent of all bills in the 101st-103rd to what percent in the 104th-107th?
29 percent
What are two factors that encouraged the decline in congressional deliberation?
Two of the following: the two parties becoming ideologically polarized, a populist attack on congress that weakened its self defense, a more partisan press and interest-group alignment, and an electoral environment making legislative activity subordinate to the interests of congressman's political careers.