The following essay questions need one paragraph in length or more if necessary from the book of "The American Legislative Process", Congress and the States, author William J. Keefe and Morris S. Ogul. I need complete answers. 1. Contrast the organization of state legislatures with Congress. List the major areas that they are alike and different. 2. Develop a profile of the typical legislator in Congress, and the major ways in which recruitment is accomplished. How do the profiles of state legislators differ from congressional legislators? 3. Discuss legislator privileges and legislative norms. Do these privileges add or detract from the quality of legislation? Comment on the financial impact if any. 4. Explain the basic tasks of a legislature. In your opinion how should these tasks be prioritized? 5. Discuss how the factors of incumbency, party, race, and ideology compete in the design of state reapportionment plans. 6. Discuss the issue of vote dilution in relation to reapportionment. 7. It might be said that voters cast their votes in congressional elections based mainly on party affiliation, incumbency, and /or name recognition. Explain how this leads to differences between the make-up of primary, mid-year, and presidential year electorates. 8. Identify the major issues related to congressional campaign finance. What reforms have been proposed? What do you believe should be done? 9. Explain the four major role orientations among freshman legislators. How do these orientations correspond to their legislative activity and their willingness to return? 10. Explain the "committee system," types of committess and their responsibilities. 11. How is committee assignment made and how representative is committee membership compared to the chamber as a whole? What role does senority play in committee assignments? 12. Why are professional staffs an objective in the drive to improve state legislatures? 13. Discuss the functions of committee hearings. What is the general evaluation for committeee hearings? 14. Contrast hearings in the state legislatures with congressional hearings. 15. What factors determine committee power in the legislative process?
