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== The Legislative Branch ==

== The Legislative Branch ==

Most of our discussion above has concerned the presidential election.  The office of president (and the Executive branch) is established by Article II of the U.S. Constitution, which is the document that defines how our national (federal) government works.  Our Founders who wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and ratified it in 1788 felt that the Legislative branch, which consists of the bicameral Congress (comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate), would be more important than the presidency.  The Founders defined the Legislative branch in Article I of the U.S. Constitution:

Most of our discussion above has concerned the presidential election.  The office of president (and the Executive branch) is established by Article II of the U.S. Constitution, which is the document that defines how our national (federal) government works.  Our Founders who wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and ratified it in 1788 felt that the Legislative branch, which consists of the bicameral Congress (comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate), would be more important than the presidency.  The Founders defined the Legislative branch in the first Article of the U.S. Constitution:

*Article I: Congress and the Legislative branch

*Article I: establishes Congress and the Legislative branch

*Article II: the Presidency and the Executive branch

*Article II: establishes the Presidency and the Executive branch

*Article III: the Judiciary and the U.S. Supreme Court

*Article III: establishes the Judiciary and the U.S. Supreme Court

On Election Day, all 435 House seats are up for election, and at least 33 out of 100 (U.S.) Senate seats are likewise on the ballot.  (Sometimes more Senate seats are on the ballot due to special elections to fill vacancies; without vacancies the number would be 33 one year, 33 two years later, and 34 two years after that.)

On Election Day, all 435 House seats are up for election, and at least 33 out of 100 (U.S.) Senate seats are likewise on the ballot.  (Sometimes more Senate seats are on the ballot due to special elections to fill vacancies; without vacancies the number would be 33 one year, 33 two years later, and 34 two years after that.)

Due to gerrymandering, fewer than 100 out of the 435 House seats are "in play," such that either party could win it.  Gerrymandering is one many new terms you will learn as part of this course.  Its name comes from a political cartoon making fun of Governor Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812, who signed into law a redistricting for state that used odd shapes in order to help his political party be elected.  This is possible because voting patterns become predictable over time:  many neighborhoods are known to vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican based on prior elections.   

But due to "gerrymandering", fewer than 100 out of the 435 House seats are "in play," such that either party might win the seat.  Gerrymandering is one many new terms you will learn as part of this course.  Its name comes from a political cartoon making fun of Governor Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812, who signed into law a redistricting for the state that used odd shapes in order to help his political party be elected.  '''''This is possible because voting patterns become predictable over time:  many neighborhoods are known to vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican based on prior elections'''''.   

For example, San Francisco is a heavily Democratic area, and the leader of Democrats in Congress is Nancy Pelosi, who represents a "safe seat" there.  Indeed, more than 335 out of the 435 House seats represent districts that are safely Republican or safely Democratic.  In those districts, the only way to defeat an incumbent (the person in office running for reelection) is to defeat him in the primary.

For example, San Francisco is a heavily Democratic area, and the leader of Democrats in Congress is Nancy Pelosi, who represents a "safe seat" there.  More than 335 out of the 435 House seats represent districts that are safely Republican or safely Democratic.  In those districts, the only way to defeat an incumbent (the person in office running for reelection) is to defeat him in his own political party's primary, in order to win the nomination of the party likely to win the general election.

With the advent of the internet, there is up-to-the minute analysis of the likely outcomes in every election.  One site, "RealClearPolitics", is a good source of the latest polling information.

With the advent of the internet, there is up-to-the-minute analysis of the likely outcomes in every election.  One site, "RealClearPolitics.com", is a good source of the latest daily polling information in many political contests.

== Homework ==

== Homework ==