US Congress: Flipped Classroom Activity

Resources for looking at the effectiveness of the US Congress.

It is often said that the US Congress is a dysfunctional legislature, largely because it is easier to reject legislation than to pass it on Capitol Hill. One of the main reasons is that it is said to lack effective leadership.

A tutor2u study note lists some examples that students might want to cite when looking at this question here.

A good gateway to studying Congress is the topical debate over the election of a new Speaker in the House of Representatives.

Questions on the video

1. How did Speaker Johnson describe the current state of Americans' faith in Congress?
2. What factors contributed to Mike Johnson emerging as the fourth-round draft pick for House Speaker?
3. What are some key aspects of Mike Johnson's background and biography?
4. What are some of Mike Johnson's beliefs and policy positions?
5. What is Speaker Johnson's stance on the national debt and funding bills?
6. How does Mike Johnson's religious faith influence his politics?
7. What is Mike Johnson's position on gay rights and LGBTQ issues?
8. What is Speaker Johnson's stance on abortion and what legislation has he filed?
9. How did Mike Johnson play a role in challenging the 2020 election results?
10. What concerns do Democrats have about Speaker Johnson's views and actions regarding the election?
11. Why do you think Mr. Johnson did not answer questions about his position in the 2020 election?
12. How do some progressive Democrats feel about Speaker Johnson's remarks on the floor?
13. Why did Congresswoman Miller-Meeks vote against the motion to vacate Speaker McCarthy?
14. What are some of the tasks that the House Republicans need to accomplish with a new speaker?
15. How would you describe Speaker Johnson's willingness to work with others?
16. Why did Congresswoman Miller-Meeks vote for Mike Johnson instead of Jim Jordan?
17. How did receiving death threats affect Congresswoman Miller-Meeks' view of extremism within the party?
18. What is the deadline for lawmakers to come up with a plan to fund the government and avoid a shutdown?
19. What resolution will be voted on to support Israel and condemn Hamas?
20. What will be the next step if the appropriations bills cannot be passed?

Some general background can be found on the role of the Speaker via the following sources.

• BBC News
• The National Constitution Centre
• Politics for Dummies - yes, really
• PBS

Topic for discussion

Using the above information, and your own knowledge, what insight does the most recent Speaker appointment provide into Congress's capacity for effective leadership?

ps this is all useful for considering whether the US Constitution is a barrier to good government.