SEBASTIAN URIBE

Question of Definition:

What is the controversy in the control of the U.S. Senate?

There is a major controversy regarding control of the U.S. Senate. As stated before, the congressional elections are right around the corner on November 4th. Since the elections are so close, negative television advertisements have started to broadcast. The major controversy is that the two major political parties, Democrats and Republicans, are close in gaining or keeping control of the U.S. Senate.

 

Question of Interpretation:

How do you obtain the control of the U.S. Senate?

The interpretation of a political party obtaining the Control of the U.S. Senate may seem complex.  The simplest answer to how to obtain control of the Senate is if the political party obtains the majority of seats in the chamber. The magnitude of the majority must also be taken into account. The U.S. Senate consists of a hundred senators representing the fifty states in the United States. In the article “Battle for the U.S. Senate”, the author predicts, “Regardless of which party has the majority, neither party will have real control of the chamber, which requires 60 or more seats given the rules and dynamics of the Senate” (Cook, 2014, p.163). The significant information given in this quote is that in order for a political party to truly have control of the U.S. Senate it needs to acquire at least sixty seats. 

 

Question of Consequence:

What would be the consequences of having a new party in control of the U.S. Senate?

The consequences of having a new political party take control of the U.S. Senate can be drastic because of the differences in beliefs of the political parties. If the Republicans gain the control of the U.S. Senate, change in the government will affect American citizens. This is what Republican McConnell from Kentucky had to say about the agenda in the article “What will Congress do if Republicans Control the Senate”, “And at the top of the to-do list: stopping Mr. Obama’s plans. ‘The biggest problem we’ve got is this Obama jobs-killing agenda that my opponent supports,’ he said” (Codon, 2014, para.4). This quote reflects Republican’s unhappiness with Obama’s movements in office and their desire to stop Obama and make a change. Again, these changes can only happen if they obtain the control of the Senate. 

 

Question of Policy:

Is there a rule or a policy that defines the control of the U.S. Senate? 

There are many regulations regarding the majority in the U.S. Senate, which lead to the control of the chamber. As presented earlier, by the article written by Mr. Cook, “Regardless of which party has the majority, neither party will have real control of the chamber, which requires 60 or more seats given the rules and dynamics of the Senate” (Cook, 2014, p.163). There are also many rules on how the majority functions in the Senate. According to Wallner’s, “Majoritarian Hypothesis,”  “Senate rules remote majoritarian decisions and members are unlikely to defer to the parliamentarian’s interpretation of those rules” (Wallner, 2013,p.385). This is a brief explanation of why and how the majority controls the U.S. Senate. This is why having the majority of seats in the Senate is so important in this upcoming elections. If the parties want to make changes for the good of the community they must obtain the majority of the Senate.

 

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