What are the costs and benefits of increased congressional transparency?

What will be an ideal response?


Lack of transparency is a major source of public mistrust, so increasing transparency can lead to greater trust that members are actually working in the public interest. It can also lead to greater accountability. On the other hand, transparency can hamper internal legislative bargaining and compromise. Members might be less willing to negotiate and strike bargains with unpopular consequences if these deals can come back to haunt them in a future election. Reforms such as televisions in Congress (i.e., CSPAN) may also have made Congress more partisan as members use the floor to posture before the camera.

Political Science

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The rationalist view of the cause of World War I states that a. the state's interest, or a nationality within the state's interests, is supreme. b. the changing distribution of power within the anarchical global system is the primary factor determining astate's behavior

c. Great Britain caused World War I. d. World War I is a result of the "iron law of history.".

Political Science

The United States Supreme Court, in a 2003 ruling on a case involving the University of Michigan, effectively overturned Hopwood v. Texas by holding that

A) universities can use affirmative action in admissions decisions but cannot use racial quotas. B) university admissions must be "color blind." C) universities can use affirmative action in admissions as long as it applies only to gender discrimination. D) universities may use affirmative action criteria in admissions to their law schools but not for undergraduate programs. E) universities may not use affirmation action.

Political Science

The Supreme Court has upheld laws against flag burning because flag burning presents a clear and present danger to national security

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Political Science

Globalization is defined as a world economy characterized by the free movement of goods, capital, labor, and information across national borders

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Political Science