Explain how you’ll vote on this bill
Paper must be double spaced, with 12 point font and include section headers for each of the paper sections noted below (Three Representational Roles and Role You Choose, Influence of Legislative Leaders, Rank and Explain Influences of Institutional Factors, and Explain Your Vote)
Objective: The objective for this assignment is for students to understand and critically analyze the multiple pressures on policy makers in Texas as they most listen to their leaders, the governor, the voters (social responsibility) and their own conscience (personal responsibility) in deciding how to cast their vote on a controversial issue.
Assignment: You have recently been elected as a Republican to the Texas House of Representatives from a competitive district (even number of Democrats, Republicans and Independents) just outside of Dallas. One of the first bills that you must vote on is House Bill 3- a Bill to require the death penalty for anyone convicted of selling opioids for a third time. Your constituents support the bill as does the Governor your party, but you oppose it on grounds that the death penalty should be reserved for heinous crimes (pre-meditated murder). The Speaker of the House opposes the bill as welll.
In explaining how you will vote on the bill, be sure to explain the following:
Please be sure to address and include all of these as subject headers
What Representational Role you will adopt (trustee, delegate or politico).
How will the Speaker of the House, the Lt. Governor and Governor of Texas influence the fate of the bill?
How do you think constituents might try to influence your vote?
Which factors noted above and in your notes (constituents, governor, party leaders and your own opinion) will influence your vote? Rank them in importance.
Will you vote for or against the bill? Please explain your answer thoroughly. You should refer back to the representational role here.
The paper should include subject headers (ie. Representational Roles, Influence of Legislative Leaders, etc.)
Solution Preview
Introduction
There are a variety of factors which will influence how a member of the Congress will cast his or her votes. One of the factors to be considered will be the political party of the member of the Congress. This factor is highly significant and may sway the votes being cast by the member of Congress. The next factors also to be considered will be the constituents and personal beliefs of the individual regarding the matter. The personal opinions of an individual will highly be considered by some of the House Representatives when they are faced with certain bills which may involve the approval or disapproval of abortion or when contemplating capital punishment for a specific crime.
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