Share the story of what Open Access means to you

University of Michigan needs your feedback to better understand how readers are using openly available ebooks. You can help by taking a short, privacy-friendly survey.

Party Discipline in the U.S. House of Representatives
Kathryn Pearson 2015Kathryn Pearson examines the disciplinary measures that party leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives employ to exact such loyalty, as well as the consequences for a democratic legislature. Drawing upon data from 1987–2010, Pearson identifies the conditions under which party leaders opt to prioritize policy control and those which induce them to prioritize majority control. She then assesses the ways in which these choices affect, on one hand, the party's ability to achieve its goals, and on the other hand, rank-and-file members' ability to represent their constituents. Astute party leaders recognize the need for balance, as voters could oust representatives who repeatedly support the party's agenda over their constituents' concerns, thereby jeopardizing the number of seats their party holds.
In her conclusion, Pearson discusses the consequences of party discipline such as legislative gridlock, stalled bills, and proposals banned from the agenda. Although party discipline is likely to remain strong as citizens become more cognizant of enforced party loyalty, their increasing dissatisfaction with Congress may spur change.
- Series
- Legislative Politics and Policy Making
- ISBN(s)
- 978-0-472-12119-9 (ebook)
- 978-0-472-11961-5 (hardcover)
- Subject
- Citable Link