This is a mix of questions. Please be sure to clearly indicate your answers with
This is a mix of questions. Please be sure to clearly indicate your answers with font or color
or in some way that guides me through your responses.
1. The legislature is something akin to a market place; there are divergent interests in
conflict with each other which must be resolved for anything to happen. In some
cases those conflicts are resolved with raw power, which is very unlike a market
place. But in many cases there is other mechanisms are used. What is bought and
sold I a legislature? What is the currency? What are some of the self-interests at
work?
2. The vice-president only votes in the Senate when it is tied. This is not that common
but when it happens is can be very high profile and can be very important to the
president. Is this a rent seeking opportunity? Why or why not?
3. When the U.S. Senate does a roll call vote, it is done alphabetically. Roll call votes are
usually only done on controversial and contentious topics, often times when a few
senators’ intentions are unknown. What might be a different order of voting that
could influence the final outcome?
4. Do a quick search and find out how valuable it is the be listed first on an election
ballot. Now go to the U.S. Senate roster and count how many Senators last names
begin with a letter from the first half of the alphabet (M or before). Explain what you
learned.
5. Everyone will say that running a federal government budget deficit every year is not
good, yet since 1969 the federal budget had only been balanced 4 times. There are
many contributory reasons for this, which is NOT one?
a. Omnibus bills that do not let votes on individual spending bills.
b. Vote trading or logrolling.
c. Executive line item veto.
d. Each elected officials desire to be seen doing something for his constituents.
6. Explain the Borda rule.
7. Which of the following best describes a Condorcet winner?
a. The candidate that would win in any pair wise election with any other
candidate.
b. The candidate that gets the most votes when the voters can vote for any
candidate.
c. The candidate who is the least disliked by the voters.
d. The majority vote recipient after the weakest candidates have been
eliminated in previous rounds of voting.
8. A few places use expressive voting, Maine has had it for a few years and New York
City now has it. There were many complaints and some mistakes made in New York
City’s first use of it. Offer two points of support for this voting approach and one
criticism.
9. True or False. If a candidate receives the majority of the vote in the first (or only)
round of voting then that candidate would win no matter what voting system is
used.
10. Which voting system do you prefer for electing the president and why?