The A* Politics Blueprint : Congress

Master the hardest US Politics topic.

Congress is where most students lose marks. The legislative process is complex, representation is debated, and oversight powers are constantly tested.

This guide gives you everything you need to dominate Congress questions.

What's inside:

📝 The Three Models of Representation – Trustee, Delegate, and Resemblance (with modern examples)
🏛️ The Legislative Process – Every stage from initiation to presidential signature (including filibuster rules)
⚖️ Oversight Powers – How Congress checks the President and Judiciary (with recent case studies)
🔍 Committee System – Legislative and oversight roles (with specific examples like the January 6th Committee)
📊 Reasons for Legislative Failure – Gridlock, partisanship, and weak party discipline
💡 Evaluation Framework – How to argue whether Congress is effective (both sides covered)

Key evidence included:

✅ Trump impeachments (2019, 2021) – vote counts and partisan breakdown
✅ Biden's legislative struggles after 2022 midterms
✅ National Defense Authorization Act veto override
✅ Government shutdowns and budget battles
✅ Merrick Garland vs Amy Coney Barrett appointments

Perfect for questions like:

• "Evaluate the extent to which Congress effectively checks the President"
• "Assess the effectiveness of congressional oversight"
• "To what extent is Congress representative?"