The New Freshmen, the 103rd Congress, and National Defense: Separating Rhetoric from Reality
Abstract
The entry of 124 new members into the 103rd Congress (1993-95), the most since the 1948 election, reflects powerful undercurrents in our political life, yet to be articulated or understood. Previous changes in the composition of Congress have been accompanied by substantial changes in national policy. The mandate in this election, if there is one at all, is to be found at the presidential level. Despite the substantial increase of new members, the changes in Congress are less pronounced and more subtle. This stands in sharp contrast to the last two elections (1964 and 1974) that brought in large numbers of new congressmen and senators. Those elections substantially altered the ideological and partisan balance. The 1992 election changes the racial and gender composition of Congress and perhaps the tone of the institution. The new members reflect the national concern with domestic issues and, if their campaigns are any indication, they seem to have given little thought to national security policy. Deciphering their impact is far from simple because of the low saliency of national security issues. In no other national election since 1936 have these issues been given such meager attention.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA264956
Entities
People
- Robert J. Bresler
Organizations
- United States Army War College