“Everything in American history leads up to the Civil War or is a consequence of it." -- Ken Burns

About last night:

• Senate primaries
• Only one House incumbent has lost a primary so far -- and he is under indictment.
• Money is not everything: one guy spent $49.55 per registered voter -- and still lost

The Compromise of 1850

Webster 1/26/1830:

"Liberty first and Union afterward”; but everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, blazing on all its ample folds, as they float over the sea and over the land, and in every wind under the whole heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every true American heart—Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!

Daniel Webster, 3/7/1850 (during the South Carolina secession crisis):

I wish to speak to-day, not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a Northern man, but as an American, and a member of the Senate of the United States. 

Thomas Hart Benton and pistols in the Senate



Kansas-Nebraska Act  and Sam Houston

You want polarization? Here's some polarization. Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts

.

Fast forward to Lucius Lamar

Lincoln-Douglas debate (24:32)

Congress and the Civil War

The Lincoln movie and parliamentary procedure




The Lincoln movie, more generally...

The congressional oath of office dates from this era.

Background on the impeachment process.

There is an entire site on the Johnson impeachment.

Another impeachment

John Oliver on Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis

John Oliver discusses the effects of Puerto Rico's debt crisis on Puerto Ricans and Congress's role in it, especially with regards to US laws and how they selectively apply to and impact Puerto Rico. Includes a cameo by Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame! Enjoy.

Congressional History I

• The significance of the first Congress. 
• Senate timeline
• Party divisions: Senate and House
• Polarization (updated graphs)
• Polarization (another visualization)

Federalist 52:

As it is essential to liberty that the government in general should have a common interest with the people, so it is particularly essential that the branch of it under consideration should have an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people. Frequent elections are unquestionably the only policy by which this dependence and sympathy can be effectually secured.

Federalist 55:

THE number of which the House of Representatives is to consist, forms another and a very interesting point of view, under which this branch of the federal legislature may be contemplated. Scarce any article, indeed, in the whole Constitution seems to be rendered more worthy of attention, by the weight of character and the apparent force of argument with which it has been assailed. The charges exhibited against it are, first, that so small a number of representatives will be an unsafe depositary of the public interests; secondly, that they will not possess a proper knowledge of the local circumstances of their numerous constituents; thirdly, that they will be taken from that class of citizens which will sympathize least with the feelings of the mass of the people, and be most likely to aim at a permanent elevation of the few on the depression of the many; fourthly, that defective as the number will be in the first instance, it will be more and more disproportionate, by the increase of the people, and the obstacles which will prevent a correspondent increase of the representatives.

Congressional Tenure:

Territorial Expansion and Slavery

Webster and Benton

How Members Ask for Money

View More: 60 Minutes News|Live News|More News Videos

War

Just as I was playing the musical clip from Hamilton, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

C-SPAN just posted a special page for classroom discussion of war powers.

Politics

• Surveys on national priorities
• Gallup trend

Legalities

• The often-overlooked legal consequences of a declaration of war...
• Declared wars and the much longer list of military actions overseas

The War Powers Resolution

The Iraq War Resolution

President Obama's Libya letter

Perspectives changes once a candidate becomes a president:



Senator Obama on War Powers:

President Obama on war powers:



AUMF Today

Democratic Campaign Financing Logic & a Question on Cruz

This bit from the Daily Show with Trevor Noah (beginning of the clip to 1:47) exposed how Democrats lamentations of campaign finance are perhaps more than a bit ironic. In this case, Hillary's campaign effectively used George Clooney to generate a massive amount of campaign contributions. His awareness of how he was being used, and his motivation for doing so, add to the comedy. The last few seconds of the clip raises questions about what Ted Cruz's purpose is in alienating New York voters.

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/iaj5z7/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-ted-cruz-s-lesson-in--new-york-values-

Congress, President clash over 9/11 bill

A current bipartisan bill that has been introduced in both the House and Senate will allow 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government for any involvement in the attacks. Though Congressional leaders Ryan and McConnell have expressed their concern over the bill, they will cautiously continue to look at the bill and make sure it does as little harm to United States-Saudi relations before passing it. The Saudi Arabian government strongly opposes the bill, and it has threatened to sell off billions of dollars in U.S. assets if the bill passes. President Obama, with diplomatic interests in mind, vows to veto the bill if it makes it through both houses.

http://thehill.com/policy/international/276806-ryan-expresses-skepticism-about-9-11-bill