Identify and describe the three prominent methods of forming majorities to pass legislation in Congress. What are the drawbacks of each of these methods?

What will be an ideal response?

Partisan analysis involves convincing members of Congress that the piece of legislation wanted is something that the member of Congress wants as well. Legislation must be designed in such a way that it will appeal to a sufficient number of interest to create a winning coalition. The disadvantage of this method is that the bill must be worded in such a way as to avoid offending potential supporters--the language must deliberately broad and diffuse. Logrolling occurs when members of Congress trade votes on two separate pieces of legislation--each supports the bill of the other regardless of the merits of the other person bill in order to gain support for their own. The practice of logrolling leads to the passage of more legislation that might otherwise be passed--or justifiable in terms of the broader public interests. It can also lead to greater public spending. Pork barrel legislation often involves capital expenditures. Legislation is designed to spread benefits around as broadly as possible geographically and to create a majority by benefitting virtually anyone who wants a piece of the “pork”--“bringing home the bacon.” Like logrolling, pork barrel legislation leads to the expansion of government beyond the bounds that could be set if there were no vote trading, and it leads to greater public spending. Logrolling and pork barrel legislation also make reducing the size of unneeded programs difficult. All three methods tend to lead to the adoption of projects that a marginal in terms of social productivity--providing benefits to narrow groups. Benefits are produced for the few at the expense of the many.