nc33/MultiSpan_SQUAD huggingface dataset:
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

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

Question: Who's contention is it that the minority party candidate is clearly Minority Leader since 1883?
Answer: Randall Ripley

Question: Although Keifer held minority leader role, who was actual gloof leader?
Answer: Thomas Reed,
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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.

Question: Prior to 1883 there is evidence that serious caucus fights occured in what years?
Answer: 1871 and 1873

Question: What prominent ex-speaker was nominated for minority role in 1875?
Answer: James Blaine

Question: What former appropriations chairman was nominated for minority leader in 1876,77,79?
Answer: James A. Garfield
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

Question: Is there a consensus about the time that minority leadership officially emerged as a position?
Answer: there is disagreement among historical analysts

Question: What party characteristics emerged in the house in late 19th century?
Answer: strong party organization and professional politicians

Question: What were these conditions effective for in the house?
Answer: establishment of a more highly differentiated House leadership structure.
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

Question: Which party has always elevated minority floor leaders to speakership?
Answer: Democrats

Question: What year did Republicans regain control while Rober Michel was Minority Leader?
Answer: 1994

Question: Why were republicans upset with Mann?
Answer: objecting to their private bills on the floor
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

Question: What is the leadership structure when party controls house and presidency?
Answer: Speaker normally assumes a lower profile and defers to the President

Question: Is the Senate or the House more partisan?
Answer: more partisan nature of the House

Question: What minority leaders have played prominenct roles to opposing incumbent president?
Answer: Gerald Ford, Richard Gephardt, Nancy Pelosi, and John Boehner
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

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

Question: What influences role of minority leader?
Answer: personality and contextual factors

Question: Obligations for minority leader are stated in what document?
Answer: House rule book.
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

Question: How many private calendar objector members does minority leader appoint?
Answer: three

Question: What 2 commissions is the minority leader a member of?
Answer: 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?
Answer: majority party leaders
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

Question: Who plays an influential role in the formation of party policy?
Answer: A party's floor leader

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

Question: In what role are the floor leader's instrumental for legislation?
Answer: 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
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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."

Question: How much concern do minority leaders have for campaigning?
Answer: hardly any major aspect of campaigning that does not engage their attention

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

Question: Who establishes leadership PACs?
Answer: Minority leaders
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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:

Question: Does minority leader act solely to advance party objectives?
Answer: in consultation with other party colleagues

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

Question: Does dissension and cohesion of majority party factor into minority strategy?
Answer: 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
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

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

Question: How can obstruction be employed?
Answer: 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?
Answer: "going negative" carries risks

Question: What may be a risk negative tactic?
Answer: if his party fails to offer policy alternatives that appeal to broad segments of the general public
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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."

Question: What important aim of minority leader pertaining to elections?
Answer: develop an electorally attractive agenda of ideas and proposals

Question: How can a minority leader attempt to set some agenda for house?
Answer: 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?
Answer: 218

Question: What non party affiliated voters are critical for party to attract in elections?
Answer: independents and swing voters
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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.

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

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

Question: How do minority leaders gauge party preferences?
Answer: conduct surveys of party colleagues
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

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.

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

Question: What was Robert Michel's role as minority leader?
Answer: point man" for Republican presidents

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

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:

Question: What is the difference in role for Minority leader when majority party holds white house?
Answer: 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?
Answer: propose Republican alternatives

Question: What did Ford's alternatives provide for republican's?
Answer: political protection
Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

"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.

Question: What options do minority party have in amendment phase?
Answer: offer our program as a substitute

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

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

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.

Question: What is a good technique to foster party harmony?
Answer: appointment of task forces

Question: What colleagues are best to work with to reach a consensus?
Answer: partisan colleagues with conflicting views

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