Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

qas: question: Does speaker of the House participate in dbate?
answers: text: Typically, the Speaker does not participate in debate

question: Are snate majority leaders more influential than Speaker of the house??
answers: text: Majority Leaders have been more influential than the Speaker

question: Who did Newt Gingrich delegate much authority to?
answers: text: Dick Armey

question: Who was speaker of the house When Tom Delay was Majority leader?
answers: text: Dennis Hastert

question: How much authority did Tom Delay delegate to Dick Armey?

question: What did Tom Delay give Dick Armey the authority over on the House floor?

question: What does the Senate Majority Leader not do typically?

question: Who was Dennis Hastert more prominent than?

question: What are the Majority Leader's duties in Westminster?
context: Unlike in Westminster style legislatures or as with the Senate Majority Leader, the House Majority Leader's duties and prominence vary depending upon the style and power of the Speaker of the House. Typically, the Speaker does not participate in debate and rarely votes on the floor. In some cases, Majority Leaders have been more influential than the Speaker; notably Tom DeLay who was more prominent than Speaker Dennis Hastert. In addition, Speaker Newt Gingrich delegated to Dick Armey an unprecedented level of authority over scheduling legislation on the House floor.

qas: question: Who takes over as Speaker if the minority party gains control of the house?
answers: text: Minority Leader is usually the party's top choice for Speaker

question: What meetings do Minority and Majority leaders usually meet to discuss?
answers: text: agreements on controversial issues

question: Who is he current Minority leader?
answers: text: Nancy Pelosi

question: If minority party takes control of congress, who is usually in link to become majority leader?
answers: text: Minority Leader

question: Who is the current Majority Leader?

question: Who is the Majority Leader leader of in the House?

question: Who does the Minority Whip usually meet with?

question: What does the Minority Whip meet with the Majority Leader and Speaker to discuss?

question: When is the Minority Whip on the ballot?
context: The current Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of the United States House of Representatives serves as floor leader of the opposition party, and is the counterpart to the Majority Leader. Unlike the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader is on the ballot for Speaker of the House during the convening of the Congress. If the Minority Leader's party takes control of the House, and the party officers are all re-elected to their seats, the Minority Leader is usually the party's top choice for Speaker for the next Congress, while the Minority Whip is typically in line to become Majority Leader. The Minority Leader usually meets with the Majority Leader and the Speaker to discuss agreements on controversial issues.

qas: question: Are minority leaders usually experienced?
answers: text: Minority Leaders are typically experienced lawmakers when they win election to this position

question: In what congress did Nancy Pelosi bdcome minority leader?
answers: text: 108th Congress

question: How long had Richard Gephart served in house prior to being elected to minority leader?
answers: text: 20 years

question: When was Robert Michel elected minority leader?
answers: text: 1981

question: John Rhodes served as minority leader beginning in what year?
answers: text: 1973

question: How long had Nancy Pelosi served as chairman of the Democratic Caucus?

question: What office did Nanci Pelosi run for in 1988?

question: How long had Pelosi served as majority leader?

question: What position did Robert Michel have in the 104th Congress?

question: In what year did Richard Gephardt become GOP leader?
context: Like the Speaker of the House, the Minority Leaders are typically experienced lawmakers when they win election to this position. When Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, became Minority Leader in the 108th Congress, she had served in the House nearly 20 years and had served as minority whip in the 107th Congress. When her predecessor, Richard Gephardt, D-MO, became minority leader in the 104th House, he had been in the House for almost 20 years, had served as chairman of the Democratic Caucus for four years, had been a 1988 presidential candidate, and had been majority leader from June 1989 until Republicans captured control of the House in the November 1994 elections. Gephardt's predecessor in the minority leadership position was Robert Michel, R-IL, who became GOP Leader in 1981 after spending 24 years in the House. Michel's predecessor, Republican John Rhodes of Arizona, was elected Minority Leader in 1973 after 20 years of House service.

qas: question: What republican majority leader died in a plane crash?
answers: text: Hale Boggs

question: Since 1995 who is the only majority leader to become speaker?
answers: text: John Boehner

question: Who succeeded Newt Gingrich as Speaker?
answers: text: Dennis Hastert

question: Between majority leader and speaker what roles did Boehner have?
answers: text: Republican House leader and Minority Leader from 2007 to 2011

question: How did Newt Gingrich die in 2006?

question: From 1931-1995 what did the Republicans control?

question: From 1959-1965 what did John Boehner become?

question: Since 2007 who was the only Majority Whip to become Speaker?

question: What did Dick Armey serve as from 2007-2011?
context: Starting with Republican Nicholas Longworth in 1925, and continued through the Democrats' control of the House from 1931 to 1995, save for Republican majorities in 1947–49 and 1953–55, all majority leaders have directly ascended to the Speakership brought upon by the retirement of the incumbent. The only exceptions during this period were Charles A. Halleck who became Republican House leader and Minority Leader from 1959 to 1965, Hale Boggs who died in a plane crash, and Dick Gephardt who became the Democrats' House leader but as Minority Leader since his party lost control in the 1994 midterm elections. Since 1995, the only Majority Leader to become Speaker is John Boehner, though indirectly as his party lost control in the 2006 midterms elections. He subsequently served as Republican House leader and Minority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and then was elected Speaker when the House reconvened in 2011. In 1998, with Speaker Newt Gingrich announcing his resignation, both Majority Leader Dick Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay did not contest the Speakership which eventually went to Chief Deputy Whip Dennis Hastert.

qas: question: Who is the leader of the majority leader in House?
answers: text: Speaker

question: What is the title of seconde in command for majority party in congress?
answers: text: Majority Leader

question: Who overshadowed House Speaker Dennis Hastert?
answers: text: Majority Leader Tom DeLay

question: Who is the leader of the minority party in the House?
answers: text: Minority Leader

question: What did Tom Delay succeed Boehner as in 2010?

question: When did the Democrats gain a majority in the house?

question: After the 2010 elections, what were Tom DeLay and Dennis Hastert considered?

question: Why were DeLay and Hastert considered second-ranking in the House in 2010?

question: When did the Minority Leader overshadow Boehner?
context: Traditionally, the Speaker is reckoned as the leader of the majority party in the House, with the Majority Leader as second-in-command. For instance, when the Republicans gained the majority in the House after the 2010 elections, Eric Cantor succeeded Boehner as Majority Leader. Despite this, Cantor and his successor, Kevin McCarthy, have been reckoned as the second-ranking Republicans in the House, since Boehner is still reckoned as the leader of the House Republicans. However, there have been some exceptions. The most recent exception to this rule came when Majority Leader Tom DeLay generally overshadowed Speaker Dennis Hastert from 2003 to 2006. In contrast, the Minority Leader is the undisputed leader of the minority party.

qas: question: Does the minority or majority party have more leadership positions in House?
answers: text: minority party has one less leadership position

question: What role did Pelosi win in 112th Congress?
answers: text: Minority Leader

question: What party lost control of House in 2010 elections?
answers: text: Democrats

question: What did the Minority Whip successfully run for in the 112th Congress?

question: How many leadership positions does the Speaker have when losing the Minority Whip's chair?

question: In what year did the Republicans lose control of the House?

question: Why was Pelosi seeking the Minority Whip position?

question: When the Speaker has one less leadership position after losing the Minority Whips' chair what happens for the remaining positions?
context: When the Majority Leader's party loses control of the House, and if the Speaker and Majority Leader both remain in the leadership hierarchy, convention suggests that they would become the Minority Leader and Minority Whip, respectively. As the minority party has one less leadership position after losing the speaker's chair, there may be a contest for the remaining leadership positions. Nancy Pelosi is the most recent example of an outgoing Speaker seeking the Minority Leader post to retain the House party leadership, as the Democrats lost control of the House in the 2010 elections. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi ran successfully for Minority Leader in the 112th Congress.

qas: question: What rule gives minority leader right to offer motion to recommit with instructions?
answers: text: Rule XII, clause 6

question: Who may place legislation on a corrections calendar?
answers: text: minority leader

question: Minority leader may appoint individuals to what government roles?
answers: text: certain federal entities.

question: What other institutional duties does the Inspector General have?

question: What does Rule XII, clause 6 grant the Inspector General?

question: Who are able to appoint individuals to the House according to Rule II, clause 6?

question: Who does the Inspector General have to consult with according to Rule XV, clause 6?

question: What can the Inspector General do after consulting with the minority leader?
context: From an institutional perspective, the rules of the House assign a number of specific responsibilities to the minority leader. For example, Rule XII, clause 6, grant the minority leader (or his designee) the right to offer a motion to recommit with instructions; Rule II, clause 6, states the Inspector General shall be appointed by joint recommendation of the Speaker, majority leader, and minority leader; and Rule XV, clause 6, provides that the Speaker, after consultation with the minority leader, may place legislation on the Corrections Calendar. The minority leader also has other institutional duties, such as appointing individuals to certain federal entities.

qas: question: Are minority leadership roles specified closely?
answers: text: are not well-defined

question: What congressman largely specified the job description of minority leader?
answers: text: Representative Bertrand Snell

question: What despcription was assigned to minority leader in part?
answers: text: He is spokesman for his party and enunciates its policies.

question: What defines a large part of minority leader role?
answers: text: tradition and custom

question: How defined are the roles of majority leader?

question: What is used to define what the function of majority leader is?

question: What kind of tactics were usually used by the majority leader from 1931-1939?

question: What are some of the duties of a majority leader?

question: What is majority leader supposed to defend for the majority?
context: The roles and responsibilities of the minority leader are not well-defined. To a large extent, the functions of the minority leader are defined by tradition and custom. A minority leader from 1931 to 1939, Representative Bertrand Snell, R-N.Y., provided this "job description": "He is spokesman for his party and enunciates its policies. He is required to be alert and vigilant in defense of the minority's rights. It is his function and duty to criticize constructively the policies and programs of the majority, and to this end employ parliamentary tactics and give close attention to all proposed legislation."

qas: question: When was the minority leader position created? 
answers: text: 20th-century

question: Why was minority leader position created?
answers: text: not always evident who functioned as the opposition floor leader

question: Who is sometimes considered the first funcioning "Minority Leader?"
answers: text: James Madison

question: Who was Treasury Secretary at time of first congress?
answers: text: Alexander Hamilton

question: From what time do scholars like to study the affairs of congress?

question: What state was Alexander Hamilton originally from?

question: What system was created by Alexander Hamilton?

question: How long did Alexander Hamilton serve as Treasury Secretary?

question: What did Alexander Hamilton function as to oppose James Madison?
context: To a large extent, the minority leader's position is a 20th-century innovation. Prior to this time congressional parties were often relatively disorganized, so it was not always evident who functioned as the opposition floor leader. Decades went by before anything like the modern two-party congressional system emerged on Capitol Hill with official titles for those who were its official leaders. However, from the beginning days of Congress, various House members intermittently assumed the role of "opposition leader." Some scholars suggest that Representative James Madison of Virginia informally functioned as the first "minority leader" because in the First Congress he led the opposition to Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's fiscal policies.

qas: question: In the early days who represented party leadership?
answers: text: it was more usual that neither major party grouping (Federalists and Democratic-Republicans) had an official leader

question: In early 19th century, what were 2 common parties?
answers: text: (Federalists and Democratic-Republicans)

question: What would be the purpose of organizing non majority members of  the house?
answers: text: to represent a party comprising a distinct minority

question: What did the Democratic-Republicans have in 1828?

question: How many members of congress were there in 1828?

question: Who offered their view on lack of Democrat-Republican leadership in 1813?

question: In what year did Capitol Hill get its name?

question: What did the Democratic-Republicans need in 1828?
context: During this early period, it was more usual that neither major party grouping (Federalists and Democratic-Republicans) had an official leader. In 1813, for instance, a scholar recounts that the Federalist minority of 36 Members needed a committee of 13 "to represent a party comprising a distinct minority" and "to coordinate the actions of men who were already partisans in the same cause." In 1828, a foreign observer of the House offered this perspective on the absence of formal party leadership on Capitol Hill:

qas: question: What made identifying House leadership difficult?
answers: text: Internal party disunity

question: How many candidates was typical in early fields for speaker?
answers: text: at least twenty different candidates

question: From 1861 to 1875 how many times was Dmocratic minority speaker not nominated?
answers: text: two of these seven Congresses

question: What atmosphere was most prevalent in congress from 1834 through 1859?

question: What did the Democratic minority make more difficult in 1834?

question: What did Democrats assume the role of in 1855?

question: What were Democrats not automatically looked to for in 1834?

question: How many candidates were there from 1861-1875 for speaker?
context: Internal party disunity compounded the difficulty of identifying lawmakers who might have informally functioned as a minority leader. For instance, "seven of the fourteen speakership elections from 1834 through 1859 had at least twenty different candidates in the field. Thirty-six competed in 1839, ninety-seven in 1849, ninety-one in 1859, and 138 in 1855." With so many candidates competing for the speakership, it is not at all clear that one of the defeated lawmakers then assumed the mantle of "minority leader." The Democratic minority from 1861 to 1875 was so completely disorganized that they did not "nominate a candidate for Speaker in two of these seven Congresses and nominated no man more than once in the other five. The defeated candidates were not automatically looked to for leadership."

qas: question: Who's contention is it that the minority party candidate is clearly Minority Leader since 1883?
answers: text: Randall Ripley

question: Why was Keifer discredited/empty leader?
answers: text: arbitrarily handed out "choice jobs to close relatives ... all at handsome salaries.

question: Although Keifer held minority leader role, who was actual gloof leader?
answers: text: Thomas Reed,

question: Why was Randall Ripley discredited as Speaker in 1883?

question: What nomination did Ripley receive?

question: Who was Ripley deserted by?

question: What happened to Ripley's career becaue of this desertion?

question: Who assumed the role as Speaker after Randall Ripley?
context: In the judgment of political scientist Randall Ripley, since 1883 "the candidate for Speaker nominated by the minority party has clearly been the Minority Leader." However, this assertion is subject to dispute. On December 3, 1883, the House elected Democrat John G. Carlisle of Kentucky as Speaker. Republicans placed in nomination for the speakership J. Warren Keifer of Ohio, who was Speaker the previous Congress. Clearly, Keifer was not the Republicans' minority leader. He was a discredited leader in part because as Speaker he arbitrarily handed out "choice jobs to close relatives ... all at handsome salaries." Keifer received "the empty honor of the minority nomination. But with it came a sting -- for while this naturally involves the floor leadership, he was deserted by his [partisan] associates and his career as a national figure terminated ingloriously." Representative Thomas Reed, R-ME, who later became Speaker, assumed the de facto role of minority floor leader in Keifer's stead. "[A]lthough Keifer was the minority's candidate for Speaker, Reed became its acknowledged leader, and ever after, so long as he served in the House, remained the most conspicuous member of his party.

qas: question: Prior to 1883 there is evidence that serious caucus fights occured in what years?
answers: text: 1871 and 1873

question: What prominent ex-speaker was nominated for minority role in 1875?
answers: text: James Blaine

question: What former appropriations chairman was nominated for minority leader in 1876,77,79?
answers: text: James A. Garfield

question: In what year do Democrats contend that the Speaker position began?

question: What were the Republicans fighting for in 1877 and 1879?

question: What did the Republican fight for minority speakership indicate?

question: During what three years was Keifer nominated by Democrats?

question: What did Democrats nominate James A. Garfield for in 1875?
context: Another scholar contends that the minority leader position emerged even before 1883. On the Democratic side, "there were serious caucus fights for the minority speakership nomination in 1871 and 1873," indicating that the "nomination carried with it some vestige of leadership." Further, when Republicans were in the minority, the party nominated for Speaker a series of prominent lawmakers, including ex-Speaker James Blaine of Maine in 1875, former Appropriations Chairman James A. Garfield of Ohio, in 1876, 1877, and 1879, and ex-Speaker Keifer in 1883. "It is hard to believe that House partisans would place a man in the speakership when in the majority, and nominate him for this office when in the minority, and not look to him for legislative guidance." This was not the case, according to some observers, with respect to ex-Speaker Keifer.

qas: question: Is there a consensus about the time that minority leadership officially emerged as a position?
answers: text: there is disagreement among historical analysts

question: What party characteristics emerged in the house in late 19th century?
answers: text: strong party organization and professional politicians

question: What were these conditions effective for in the house?
answers: text: establishment of a more highly differentiated House leadership structure.

question: What do some voters not always agree with?

question: When was House leadership structure first established?

question: What does the publc not agree about when Congress was formed?

question: What did professional organizations help establish for society?

question: At what level was the public voting in the latter part of the 19th century?
context: In brief, there is disagreement among historical analysts as to the exact time period when the minority leadership emerged officially as a party position. Nonetheless, it seems safe to conclude that the position emerged during the latter part of the 19th century, a period of strong party organization and professional politicians. This era was "marked by strong partisan attachments, resilient patronage-based party organizations, and...high levels of party voting in Congress." Plainly, these were conditions conducive to the establishment of a more highly differentiated House leadership structure.

qas: question: Which party has always elevated minority floor leaders to speakership?
answers: text: Democrats

question: Why were republicans upset with Mann?
answers: text: objecting to their private bills on the floor

question: What year did Republicans regain control while Rober Michel was Minority Leader?
answers: text: 1994

question: What have Republicans always elevated their minority floor leader to when obtaining majority status?

question: What pattern have Democrats not always followed?

question: Who did Democrats elect to be speaker in 1903?

question: How many Demcorats were angry with James R. Mann in 1911?

question: Who was Frederick Gillett a protege of?
context: Second, Democrats have always elevated their minority floor leader to the speakership upon reclaiming majority status. Republicans have not always followed this leadership succession pattern. In 1919, for instance, Republicans bypassed James R. Mann, R-IL, who had been minority leader for eight years, and elected Frederick Gillett, R-MA, to be Speaker. Mann "had angered many Republicans by objecting to their private bills on the floor;" also he was a protégé of autocratic Speaker Joseph Cannon, R-IL (1903–1911), and many Members "suspected that he would try to re-centralize power in his hands if elected Speaker." More recently, although Robert H. Michel was the Minority Leader in 1994 when the Republicans regained control of the House in the 1994 midterm elections, he had already announced his retirement and had little or no involvement in the campaign, including the Contract with America which was unveiled six weeks before voting day.

qas: question: What is the leadership structure when party controls house and presidency?
answers: text: Speaker normally assumes a lower profile and defers to the President

question: Is the Senate or the House more partisan?
answers: text: more partisan nature of the House

question: What minority leaders have played prominenct roles to opposing incumbent president?
answers: text: Gerald Ford, Richard Gephardt, Nancy Pelosi, and John Boehner

question: What minority leader has run for President?

question: What was Gerald Ford most interested in talking about when campaigning?

question: What office did Nancy Pelosi at one time consider running for?

question: What role does the incumbent President have when Congress is dominated by more than one party?

question: Why would the President be seen as leader of the opposition?
context: In the instance when the Presidency and both Houses of Congress are controlled by one party, the Speaker normally assumes a lower profile and defers to the President. For that situation the House Minority Leader can play the role of a de facto "leader of the opposition", often more so than the Senate Minority Leader, due to the more partisan nature of the House and the greater role of leadership. Minority Leaders who have played prominent roles in opposing the incumbent President have included Gerald Ford, Richard Gephardt, Nancy Pelosi, and John Boehner.

qas: question: What influences role of minority leader?
answers: text: personality and contextual factors

question: Obligations for minority leader are stated in what document?
answers: text: House rule book.

question: How is the minority leader able to accomplish addition demands and tasks?
answers: text: minority leader is provided with extra staff resources—beyond those accorded him or her as a Representative

question: What are some things the style and role of the White House is influenced by?

question: What obligations are associated with the White House?

question: What kind of staff are provided to work at the White House?

question: What is the role of staff at the White House?

question: What are placed on the instutional role of the White House?
context: The style and role of any minority leader is influenced by a variety of elements, including personality and contextual factors, such as the size and cohesion of the minority party, whether his or her party controls the White House, the general political climate in the House, and the controversy that is sometimes associated with the legislative agenda. Despite the variability of these factors, there are a number of institutional obligations associated with this position. Many of these assignments or roles are spelled out in the House rule book. Others have devolved upon the position in other ways. To be sure, the minority leader is provided with extra staff resources—beyond those accorded him or her as a Representative—to assist in carrying out diverse leadership functions. Worth emphasis is that there are limits on the institutional role of the minority leader, because the majority party exercises disproportionate influence over the agenda, partisan ratios on committees, staff resources, administrative operations, and the day-to-day schedule and management of floor activities.

qas: question: How many private calendar objector members does minority leader appoint?
answers: text: three

question: What 2 commissions is the minority leader a member of?
answers: text: House Office Building Commission; he or she is a member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission

question: Who does minority leader have informal ties with for scheduling house matters?
answers: text: majority party leaders

question: How many institutional functions does the House office Building Commission have?

question: Where can the House Office Building Commission appoint individuals to?

question: How many Members can the House Office Building Commission name to serve as Private Calendar objectors?

question: What other group is overseen by the House Office Building Commission?

question: What is the House Office Building Commission able to convene?
context: In addition, the minority leader has a number of other institutional functions. For instance, the minority leader is sometimes statutorily authorized to appoint individuals to certain federal entities; he or she and the majority leader each name three Members to serve as Private Calendar objectors; he or she is consulted with respect to reconvening the House per the usual formulation of conditional concurrent adjournment resolutions; he or she is a traditional member of the House Office Building Commission; he or she is a member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission; and he or she may, after consultation with the Speaker, convene an early organizational party caucus or conference. Informally, the minority leader maintains ties with majority party leaders to learn about the schedule and other House matters and forges agreements or understandings with them insofar as feasible.

qas: question: According to democratic rules of the 106th congress what committee does minority leader chair?
answers: text: Policy Committee

question: According to democratic rules of the 106th congress what committee does minority leader head?
answers: text: Steering Committee

question: According to democratic rules of the 106th congress what campaign membership do they have?
answers: text: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

question: According to democratic rules of the 106th congress what leadership members do they appoint?
answers: text: Democratic Leadership Council

question: What kind of responsibilities does the Policy Committee have?

question: Who can the Policy Committee call the meetings of?

question: What committee does the Policy Committee oversee?

question: To what council does the Policy Committee name members to?

question: Where can the Policy Committee nominate party members to?
context: The minority leader has a number of formal and informal party responsibilities. Formally, the rules of each party specify certain roles and responsibilities for their leader. For example, under Democratic rules for the 106th Congress, the minority leader may call meetings of the Democratic Caucus. He or she is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; names the members of the Democratic Leadership Council; chairs the Policy Committee; and heads the Steering Committee. Examples of other assignments are making "recommendations to the Speaker on all Democratic Members who shall serve as conferees" and nominating party members to the Committees on Rules and House Administration. Republican rules identify generally comparable functions for their top party leader.

qas: question: Who plays an influential role in the formation of party policy?
answers: text: A party's floor leader

question: In what role are the floor leader's instrumental for legislation?
answers: text: guiding legislation favored by his party through the House, or in resisting those programs of the other party that are considered undesirable by his own party

question: How are floor leaders kept informed of legislative status?
answers: text: contacts with his party's members serving on House committees, and with the members of the party's whip organization

question: What does the whip organization play a role in forming in conjunction with party leaders?

question: What programs are resisted by the whip organization?

question: What does the whip organization devise and implement for the party?

question: What is the whip organization kept constantly informed about?

question: What committees does the whip organization oversee?
context: A party's floor leader, in conjunction with other party leaders, plays an influential role in the formulation of party policy and programs. He is instrumental in guiding legislation favored by his party through the House, or in resisting those programs of the other party that are considered undesirable by his own party. He is instrumental in devising and implementing his party's strategy on the floor with respect to promoting or opposing legislation. He is kept constantly informed as to the status of legislative business and as to the sentiment of his party respecting particular legislation under consideration. Such information is derived in part from the floor leader's contacts with his party's members serving on House committees, and with the members of the party's whip organization.

qas: question: How much concern do minority leaders have for campaigning?
answers: text: hardly any major aspect of campaigning that does not engage their attention

question: Who establishes leadership PACs?
answers: text: Minority leaders

question: Outside of Washington how much involvement do minority leaders have in campaigns?
answers: text: travel around the country to speak on behalf of party candidates; and they encourage incumbent colleagues to make significant financial contributions

question: What kind of campaigner is the DCCC?

question: Who does the DCCC campaign for?

question: How much does the DCCC focus on campaigning?

question: What kind of candidates are recruited by the DCCC?

question: Why does the DCCC establish leadership PAC's?
context: Provide Campaign Assistance. Minority leaders are typically energetic and aggressive campaigners for partisan incumbents and challengers. There is hardly any major aspect of campaigning that does not engage their attention. For example, they assist in recruiting qualified candidates; they establish "leadership PACs" to raise and distribute funds to House candidates of their party; they try to persuade partisan colleagues not to retire or run for other offices so as to hold down the number of open seats the party would need to defend; they coordinate their campaign activities with congressional and national party campaign committees; they encourage outside groups to back their candidates; they travel around the country to speak on behalf of party candidates; and they encourage incumbent colleagues to make significant financial contributions to the party's campaign committee. "The amount of time that [Minority Leader] Gephardt is putting in to help the DCCC [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] is unheard of," noted a Democratic lobbyist."No DCCC chairman has ever had that kind of support."

qas: question: Does minority leader act solely to advance party objectives?
answers: text: in consultation with other party colleagues

question: Does minority leader always employ same strategy for party objectives?
answers: text: options selected depend on a wide range of circumstances

question: Does dissension and cohesion of majority party factor into minority strategy?
answers: text: may provide the minority leader with greater opportunities to achieve his or her priorities than if the majority party exhibited high degrees of party cohesion

question: What did majority parties use to advance bills in the 1900's?

question: What is usually strongly holding the Progressives together?

question: In what year did Democrats have a majority?

question: What did Progressives cohesion in 1900 provide for the majority party?

question: What works better for a majority leader than Republicans being in disarray?
context: Devise Minority Party Strategies. The minority leader, in consultation with other party colleagues, has a range of strategic options that he or she can employ to advance minority party objectives. The options selected depend on a wide range of circumstances, such as the visibility or significance of the issue and the degree of cohesion within the majority party. For instance, a majority party riven by internal dissension, as occurred during the early 1900s when Progressive and "regular" Republicans were at loggerheads, may provide the minority leader with greater opportunities to achieve his or her priorities than if the majority party exhibited high degrees of party cohesion. Among the variable strategies available to the minority party, which can vary from bill to bill and be used in combination or at different stages of the lawmaking process, are the following:

qas: question: What is the purpose of Obstruction?
answers: text: frustrating the majority party's ability to govern or attracting press and media attention to the alleged ineffectiveness

question: How can obstruction be employed?
answers: text: motions to adjourn, appeals of the presiding officer's ruling, or numerous requests for roll call votes

question: Is it safe to employ negative strategy?
answers: text: "going negative" carries risks

question: What may be a risk negative tactic?
answers: text: if his party fails to offer policy alternatives that appeal to broad segments of the general public

question: Who's attention is attracted when the public forms a negative campaign?

question: What does the majority party do that makes the public want to respond with a negative campaign?

question: What was Gephardt Dilatory accused of being a part of?

question: What is forming policy alternatives also considered to be by the press?

question: What is the public able to do on its own against policies that aren't popular?
context: A look at one minority leadership strategy—partisan opposition—may suggest why it might be employed in specific circumstances. The purposes of obstruction are several, such as frustrating the majority party's ability to govern or attracting press and media attention to the alleged ineffectiveness of the majority party. "We know how to delay," remarked Minority Leader Gephardt Dilatory motions to adjourn, appeals of the presiding officer's ruling, or numerous requests for roll call votes are standard time-consuming parliamentary tactics. By stalling action on the majority party's agenda, the minority leader may be able to launch a campaign against a "do-nothing Congress" and convince enough voters to put his party back in charge of the House. To be sure, the minority leader recognizes that "going negative" carries risks and may not be a winning strategy if his party fails to offer policy alternatives that appeal to broad segments of the general public.

qas: question: What important aim of minority leader pertaining to elections?
answers: text: develop an electorally attractive agenda of ideas and proposals

question: How can a minority leader attempt to set some agenda for house?
answers: text: may employ, or threaten to use, discharge petitions to try and bring minority priorities to the floor.

question: How many signatures are required on a discharge pertition?
answers: text: 218

question: What non party affiliated voters are critical for party to attract in elections?
answers: text: independents and swing voters

question: How many Republicans are affiliated with the GOP?

question: What agenda has been changed at least 218 times?

question: Why do independents and swing voters usually register to vote?

question: Where do independents and swing voters hope more votes will come from to their party?

question: What tactic can swing voters use to get minority priorities voted on?
context: Promote and Publicize the Party's Agenda. An important aim of the minority leader is to develop an electorally attractive agenda of ideas and proposals that unites his or her own House members and that energizes and appeals to core electoral supporters as well as independents and swing voters. Despite the minority leader's restricted ability to set the House's agenda, there are still opportunities for him to raise minority priorities. For example, the minority leader may employ, or threaten to use, discharge petitions to try and bring minority priorities to the floor. If he or she is able to attract the required 218 signatures on a discharge petition by attracting majority party supporters, he or she can force minority initiatives to the floor over the opposition of the majority leadership. As a GOP minority leader once said, the challenges he confronted are to "keep our people together, and to look for votes on the other side."

qas: question: How do minority leaders keep party priorities publicized?
answers: text: "talking points" for constituent meetings in their districts; they help to organize "town meetings"

question: What items are discussed at party retreats?
answers: text: issues and assess the party's public image; they create "theme teams" to craft party messages

question: How do minority leaders gauge party preferences?
answers: text: conduct surveys of party colleagues

question: What can the public send for use at town meetings?

question: What does the public organize to talk about health care and education?

question: Where does the public usually organize town meetings?

question: Why would the public want to create surveys to gauge public party opinion?

question: What kind of teams are created by the public to make sure they discuss topics of interest at town meetings?
context: Minority leaders may engage in numerous activities to publicize their party's priorities and to criticize the opposition's. For instance, to keep their party colleagues "on message," they insure that partisan colleagues are sent packets of suggested press releases or "talking points" for constituent meetings in their districts; they help to organize "town meetings" in Members' districts around the country to publicize the party's agenda or a specific priority, such as health care or education; they sponsor party "retreats" to discuss issues and assess the party's public image; they create "theme teams" to craft party messages that might be raised during the one-minute, morning hour, or special order period in the House; they conduct surveys of party colleagues to discern their policy preferences; they establish websites that highlight and distribute party images and issues to users; and they organize task forces or issue teams to formulate party programs and to develop strategies for communicating these programs to the public.

qas: question: With whom does minority leader consult and participate in news conference?
answers: text: counterparts in the Senate—and with the president if their party controls the White House

question: What is the overall party strategy for minority leader?
answers: text: develop a coordinated communications strategy, to share ideas and information, and to present a united front on issues

question: What speaking obligations does minority leader have?
answers: text: floor speeches and close debate on major issues before the House; they deliver addresses in diverse forums across the country

question: What are the purpose of minority leader writings?
answers: text: write books or articles that highlight minority party goals and achievements

question: What kind of news conferences are held by the White House?

question: Who does the White House consult with?

question: What is one of the White House's main objectives?

question: What kind of front does the White House need to show on issues?

question: Where does the President deliver addresses in diverse forums?
context: House minority leaders also hold joint news conferences and consult with their counterparts in the Senate—and with the president if their party controls the White House. The overall objectives are to develop a coordinated communications strategy, to share ideas and information, and to present a united front on issues. Minority leaders also make floor speeches and close debate on major issues before the House; they deliver addresses in diverse forums across the country; and they write books or articles that highlight minority party goals and achievements. They must also be prepared "to debate on the floor, ad lib, no notes, on a moment's notice," remarked Minority Leader Michel. In brief, minority leaders are key strategists in developing and promoting the party's agenda and in outlining ways to neutralize the opposition's arguments and proposals.

qas: question: How often does minority leader speak with president when party controls white house?
answers: text: minority leader confers regularly with the President and his aides about issues before Congress

question: What was Robert Michel's role as minority leader?
answers: text: point man" for Republican presidents

question: Is the minority leader's strategic role always consitent?
answers: text: will vary depending on whether the President is of the same party or the other party

question: When did Gephardt serve as Minority Leader?

question: What did Gephardt function as for Republican presidents?

question: What group was Gephardt successful in wooing that helped Regan with many policy successes?

question: In what year did Clinton have many policy successes?

question: What bill did Robert Michel help help gain support for when under President Clinton in 1981?
context: Confer With the White House. If his or her party controls the White House, the minority leader confers regularly with the President and his aides about issues before Congress, the Administration's agenda, and political events generally. Strategically, the role of the minority leader will vary depending on whether the President is of the same party or the other party. In general, minority leaders will often work to advance the goals and aspirations of their party's President in Congress. When Robert Michel, R-IL, was minority leader (1981–1995), he typically functioned as the "point man" for Republican presidents. President Ronald Reagan's 1981 policy successes in the Democratic controlled House was due in no small measure to Minority Leader Michel's effectiveness in wooing so-called "Reagan Democrats" to support, for instance, the Administration's landmark budget reconciliation bill. There are occasions, of course, when minority leaders will fault the legislative initiatives of their President. On an administration proposal that could adversely affect his district, Michel stated that he might "abdicate my leadership role [on this issue] since I can't harmonize my own views with the administration's." Minority Leader Gephardt, as another example, has publicly opposed a number of President Clinton's legislative initiatives from "fast track" trade authority to various budget issues.

qas: question: What is the difference in role for Minority leader when majority party holds white house?
answers: text: assumes a larger role in formulating alternatives to executive branch initiatives and in acting as a national spokesperson for his or her party

question: What was Gerald Ford's role as minority leader under Johnson administration?
answers: text: propose Republican alternatives

question: What did Ford's alternatives provide for republican's?
answers: text: political protection

question: During what administration was Gerald Ford President?

question: What alternatives did Lyndon Johnson propose?

question: What did Johnson want to provide for Republicans as Minority Leader?

question: What does the President usually act as spokesperson for?

question: What role does the executive branch assume when the house is controlled by the Republicans?
context: When the White House is controlled by the House majority party, then the House minority leader assumes a larger role in formulating alternatives to executive branch initiatives and in acting as a national spokesperson for his or her party. "As Minority Leader during [President Lyndon Johnson's] Democratic administration, my responsibility has been to propose Republican alternatives," said Minority Leader Gerald Ford, R-MI. Greatly outnumbered in the House, Minority Leader Ford devised a political strategy that allowed Republicans to offer their alternatives in a manner that provided them political protection. As Ford explained:

qas: question: What options do minority party have in amendment phase?
answers: text: offer our program as a substitute

question: If minority party loses committ of the whole, then what motion may be filed?
answers: text: motion to recommit and get a vote on that

question: If recommit fails, then what choice needs to be made by minority representatives?
answers: text: say we did our best to come up with a better alternative. Or they could vote for it and make the same argument

question: How many amendments are usually passed in the committee of the Whole per year?

question: How many amendments usually come up for a vote each year?

question: What committee was created by Johnson?

question: What did Johnson usually lay out in a general debate for the Republicans?

question: When the President loses in Committee of the Whole, then what can he file?
context: "We used a technique of laying our program out in general debate," he said. When we got to the amendment phase, we would offer our program as a substitute for the Johnson proposal. If we lost in the Committee of the Whole, then we would usually offer it as a motion to recommit and get a vote on that. And if we lost on the motion to recommit, our Republican members had a choice: They could vote against the Johnson program and say we did our best to come up with a better alternative. Or they could vote for it and make the same argument. Usually we lost; but when you're only 140 out of 435, you don't expect to win many.

qas: question: What is a good technique to foster party harmony?
answers: text: appointment of task forces

question: What colleagues are best to work with to reach a consensus?
answers: text: partisan colleagues with conflicting views

question: What does the creation of leadership positions allow for?
answers: text: way to reach out and involve a greater diversity of partisans in the leadership structure

question: What public need motivates the President before he has daily meetings?

question: What group is the President responsible for the creation of when elected?

question: What positions did task forces want to lay out floor strategy for the creation of?

question: What did task forces for the public want to foster in the minority party?

question: What did colleagues with conflicing views lay out for task forces?
context: Gephardt added that "inclusion and empowerment of the people on the line have to be done to get the best performance" from the minority party. Other techniques for fostering party harmony include the appointment of task forces composed of partisan colleagues with conflicting views to reach consensus on issues; the creation of new leadership positions as a way to reach out and involve a greater diversity of partisans in the leadership structure; and daily meetings in the Leader's office (or at breakfast, lunch, or dinner) to lay out floor strategy or political objectives for the minority party.

qas: question: Who is the chief vote counter for party?
answers: text: The Chief Deputy Whip

question: Who holds the highest appointed Republican position in House?
answers: text: Patrick McHenry.

question: Who is the leader of chief deputy whips in democratic conference?
answers: text: Senior Chief Deputy Whip

question: How long has democratic leader of whips held position?
answers: text: senior chief deputy minority whip, John Lewis, has held his post since 1991

question: What is the House Republican Conference responsible for being?

question: Who is the current Senior Chief Deputy Whip in the Republican conference?

question: Who is the Senior Chief Deputy Whip the assistant to?

question: How many chief deputy whips are in the House Republican Conference?

question: Since what year has Republican Patrick McHenry held his position?
context: The Chief Deputy Whip is the primary assistant to the whip, who is the chief vote counter for his or her party. The current chief deputy majority whip is Republican Patrick McHenry. Within the House Republican Conference, the chief deputy whip is the highest appointed position and often a launching pad for future positions in the House Leadership. The House Democratic Conference has multiple chief deputy whips, led by a Senior Chief Deputy Whip, which is the highest appointed position within the House Democratic Caucus. The current senior chief deputy minority whip, John Lewis, has held his post since 1991.