Course Synopsis:

The study of Congress is one of the most vibrant areas in American politics. Further, the public's interest in (or distaste for) Congress puts the critical examination of this institution at the forefront of the political science agenda. Our task this quarter is to comprehensively analyze the U.S. Congress in hopes of understanding precisely how and why this institution works.

The decisions made in Congress affect our daily lives-the food we eat, the taxes we pay, and the bridges and roads built near our homes all have the indelible mark of the U.S. Congress on them. But for as many positives as Congress provides, there are an equal number of negatives: graft, corruption, insincerity, and the infiltration of interests threaten to make the branch created "for and of the people" more distanced from the people than the Founders ever intended.

Our task this quarter is to learn about the U.S. Congress. We will examine its foundations, congressional elections, member behavior, its structure and function, its relationship to the other branches (and pseudo-branches) of government, and both its shortcomings and benefits. The goal is to make you think critically so that when pundits or maybe even your friends and relatives say "Congress is just a bunch of crooks," you'll do more than just nod your head and ignorantly agree.