In 1975, the American Political Science Association published an innovative computer game called SIMSTATE. The game and accompanying data bank were designed to help undergraduate students understand the dynamics of the budgetary process in American government, particularly at the state level. The game has been used successfully all across the country at all levels of postsecondary education — particularly when students have been given individual policy roles to play in the budgetary process. Still, the present package has two severe limitations. First, except for a brief descriptive booklet, no visual materials (i.e., slides, videotape) have been prepared to describe how the simulation package works and is used to analyze/evaluate the state government decision-making process.

One of the most provocative statements in Jewell and Patterson's recent textbook on the American legislative process is that there is an inherent contradiction between political party and committee leadership. They posit: ‘Where committees are strong and independent, party leadership is weak. Where party leadership is strong, the committees are either weak or simply agents of the party leaders.’ As an example, the authors argue that congressional committees in the United States are strong, proud and independent, whereas the leadership of political parties is comparatively weak. This independence is based in part on the fact that chairmen of committees are selected by seniority and traditionally have not been removed by party leaders. Party lines are often crossed in the voting within committee, and chairmen have considerable say over whether a bill will be reported out or not.