CongressPowers

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Congress Powers
The congress members in the U.S act as lawmakers by supporting, writing and passing essential bills. As a representative of their constituents, they are required to offer solutions to problems as they arise. In the past, their roles included what most of them called “bringing the bacon home.” Elected members in the Congress allocate funds in their districts for developments projects hence increasing their representative abilities (Stratmann, et al., 509). In this regard, they influence national budget to secure help for their states and districts. Using an earmark method, districts representatives channel some of the bill funds to be used for tax exemptions or on particular projects. Using this method, proper roads, airports, and hospitals have been established in specific districts influenced by their elected officials hence enhancing the representation.
The money senators and other representatives’ direct monies in their districts and states to finance appropriation project bills that are not subject to any planned form of rigorous scrutiny and analysis. Although this is done to enhance representation for the benefit of citizens, some members engage in it for their political gains.
In some ways, the ability of members to direct monies for developments in their states and districts is seen to damage the interests of the nation. In this case, citizens across the country have demonstrated reduced interest on state matters. Due to increased representation, people tend to ignore some critical national practices like voting as they are assured of good representation irrespective of who is in power.

Reduced participation in domestic matters creates a condition where majority interest is usurped by minority due to increased non-involvement levels.
In a nutshell, an increased representation has both weaknesses as well as strengths; it discourages public engagement on national issues as well as ensuring balanced development through proper funding of projects. To ensure control, elected officials must be honest and engage public in state and districts project to encourage participation.

Work Cited
Stratmann, Thomas, and Martin Baur. “Plurality rule, proportional representation, and the German Bundestag: How incentives to pork-barrel differ across electoral systems.” American Journal of Political Science (2002): 506-514.