Congresses, Senates, & Legislative Bodies Books - Page 6

What Makes You Think We Read the Bills

H. L. Richardson

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Editorial Review:

Have you ever wondered what really happens when your elected representatives get together to: spend your money; write laws making some things illegal, others illegal; and, try to "satisfy" all the lobbyists at the same time? You can stop wondering. Bill Richardson has let the cat out of the bag. You'll be both amused and outraged at his tales of the day to day shenanigans in your state and national capitols. Does your legislator suddenly stop being your representative? He's just suffered Peer-Group Shift (see Chapter 12). Does The Majority Elect? (answer in Chapter 18). Have you heard gossip about Sexy Solons? (read Chapter 21). There are wildly funny chapters -- Ze Mooz (4) Burros and the Pill (9), Gangrene and the Board of Education (16) -- as well as plenty of straight talk about how and why our legislators are no longer ours. Throughout GOA founder and retired State Senator Richardson's breezy text is the underlying theme that "this can't go on much longer, enough is enough!" He offers many thoughtful reflections on why our legislatures have gone off the tracks, and scores of helpful suggestions how to put things right. By the time you reach Chapter 15 -- A Full-Time Legislature -- Yuk! -- you'll agree.

Fighting the Unbeatable Foe: Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, the Washington Years

Tom Diemer

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Editorial Review:

Howard Metzenbaum's Senate years - Howard Metzenbaum, a poor Jewish kid from the inner city of Cleveland who fought his way to wealth and the United States Senate, became one of Ohio's most dominant politicians in the second half of the twentieth century. He represented his state for nineteen years on Capitol Hill, despite being to the political left of most of his heartland constituents. "Fighting the Unbeatable Foe" tells his story - from his stunning upset of John Glenn to his years as a powerful and outspoken member of the U.S. Senate.Metzenbaum joined the Senate in 1974 and, despite never holding an official party leadership post or chairing a committee, fought his way to the top. He succeeded through sheer force of will and with a brilliant mind and a steely determination that drove him to take extreme measures to get his way. Though known to his colleagues as "Senator No" because of his willingness to tie up the Senate in parliamentary knots for hours on end to block legislation he didn't like, hallmarks of conservative politicians, Metzenbaum was among the Senate's most unabashedly liberal members." Fighting the Unbeatable Foe" is the first biography of Metzenbaum, a fascinating individual who, against the odds, rose from humble beginnings to become a multimillionaire businessman and one of the most effective and powerful senators in the land. By conducting interviews with Metzenbaum's friends, foes, political scientists, and journalists and consulting primary-source materials, Tom Diemer provides new details about Metzenbaum's business deals, his successes on Capitol Hill, and also his embarrassing failures and miscalculations. Metzenbaum remains among the most interesting and paradoxical figures in the history of Ohio politics. His story will be enjoyed by anyone interested Ohio history and politics.

Total Lobbying: What Lobbyists Want (and How They Try to Get It)

Anthony J. Nownes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

not a great book. 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Really just a case study of a handful of lobbyists in a few different fields. GREATLY glosses over the corporate and private interest lobbying community. I would not recommend.

Wonderful Text 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Anthony Nownes has done it again! Total Lobbying is an engaging text for scholars and students alike. Original Research + Engaging Style = Instant Classic! A must read for scholars of group politics.

Editorial Review:

This book offers a scholarly yet accessible overview of the role of lobbying in American politics. It draws upon extant research as well as original data gathered from interviews with numerous lobbyists across the United States. It describes how lobbyists do their work within all branches of government, at the national, state, and local levels. It thus offers a substantially broader view of lobbying than is available in much of the research literature. Although tailored for students taking courses on interest group politics, Total Lobbying offers an indispensable survey of the field for scholars and others concerned with this important facet of American politics.

Congress Reconsidered

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Editorial Review:

As students and scholars have come to expect from this classic reader, Dodd and Oppenheimer's winning team of distinguished scholars delivers the most up-to-date, accessible, and cutting-edge research on the development of the modern Congress. Over the course of seven editions, this innovative volume was the first to detail and assess the reforms of the 1970s, to trace the rise of a new congressional oligarchy in the 1980s, to recognize the Democrats' tenuous hold on congressional power in the early 1990s, and to chart the historic significance and impact of the new Republican Congress of the past decade. Ever on the forefront of the field, the eighth edition assesses how Congress is responding to the challenges of a new century, from campaign finance reform, heightened partisanship, and renewed deficit spending to international terrorism and the expanding political role of ethnic and racial minorities.

In addition to Dodd and Oppenheimer's timely and cogent assessment of the 2004 elections, contributions--thirteen new to this edition and five completely revised--reflect original scholarship, place new developments within broader historical perspective, and consider the future direction of Congress.

Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir

John S. McCain, Mark Salter

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Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In 1999, John McCain wrote one of the most acclaimed and bestselling memoirs of the decade, Faith of My Fathers. That book ended in 1972, with McCain’s release from imprisonment in Vietnam. This is the rest of his story, about his great American journey from the U.S. Navy to his electrifying run for the presidency, interwoven with heartfelt portraits of the mavericks who have inspired him through the years—Ted Williams, Theodore Roosevelt, visionary aviation proponent Billy Mitchell, Marlon Brando in Viva Zapata!, and, most indelibly, Robert Jordan. It was Jordan, Hemingway’s protagonist in For Whom the Bell Tolls, who showed McCain the ideals of heroism and sacrifice, stoicism and redemption, and why certain causes, despite the costs, are . . .

Worth the Fighting For

After five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, naval aviator John McCain returned home a changed man. Regaining his health and flight-eligibility status, he resumed his military career, commanding carrier pilots and serving as the navy’s liaison to what is sometimes ironically called the world’s most exclusive club, the United States Senate. Accompanying Senators John Tower and Henry “Scoop” Jackson on international trips, McCain began his political education in the company of two masters, leaders whose standards he would strive to maintain upon his election to the U.S. Congress. There, he learned valuable lessons in cooperation from a good-humored congressman from the other party, Morris Udall. In 1986, McCain was elected to the U.S. Senate, inheriting the seat of another role model, Barry Goldwater.
During his time in public office, McCain has seen acts of principle and acts of craven self-interest. He describes both ex-tremes in these pages, with his characteristic straight talk and humor. He writes honestly of the lowest point in his career, the Keating Five savings and loan debacle, as well as his triumphant moments—his return to Vietnam and his efforts to normalize relations between the U.S. and Vietnamese governments; his fight for campaign finance reform; and his galvanizing bid for the presidency in 2000.
Writes McCain: “A rebel without a cause is just a punk. Whatever you’re called—rebel, unorthodox, nonconformist, radical—it’s all self-indulgence without a good cause to give your life meaning.” This is the story of McCain’s causes, the people who made him do it, and the meaning he found. Worth the Fighting For reminds us of what’s best in America, and in ourselves.

Barack Obama, the New Face of American Politics (Women and Minorities in Politics)

Martin Dupuis, Keith Boeckelman

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Editorial Review:

Barack Obama's election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 is one of the most interesting and colorful political campaigns in recent history. His rousing keynote address at the Democratic National Convention that same year made his name a household word. The "Obama for Illinois" crusade offers important insights into American politics. The authors explore the role of money, political party, ethnicity, religion, and the issues facing our society today. Obama's straightforward policy recommendations, message of hope and inclusion, and charismatic style propelled him to the national spotlight. Obama has the potential to shape America and to reshape U.S. politics as he campaigns for the White House. Obama's state senate career and his decision to enter the U.S. Senate race are examined in this book. Despite a primary field of six competitors, Obama received more than half of the Democratic vote, defeating a multimillionaire and the state comptroller, a well-known figure in the Democratic Party. The general election imploded for the Republicans in the first few weeks of the campaign when it was revealed that their candidate was embroiled in a sex scandal. Alan Keyes, the ultraconservative, outspoken African American who had run for president twice and for the U.S. Senate from Maryland, was recruited to challenge Obama. But Obama, whose skill with the media and whose ability to raise funds was evident even in those early days of his career, easily won the race with 70 percent of the vote. The authors analyze Obama's ability to speak to the concerns of multiple constituencies by appealing to a coalition of voters that transcends race, class, and gender. At the start of his presidential run, Obama gives new meaning to the American dream.

Constitutional Conflicts Between Congress and the President

Louis Fisher

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Editorial Review:

Nearly three decades after its initial publication, Louis Fisher's durable classic remains at the head of its class--a book that Congressional Quarterly called "as close to being indispensable as anything published in this field." This newly revised and updated fifth edition emphatically reinforces that sterling reputation.

Fisher dissects the crucial constitutional disputes between the executive and legislative branches of government from the Constitutional Convention through President Clinton's impeachment battles to the recent controversies over President Bush's conduct as commander in chief. He ventures beyond traditional discussions of Supreme Court decisions to examine the day-to-day working relationships between the president and Congress.

To scholars, this book offers a comprehensive examination of the institutions and issues of public law. For practitioners, general readers, and students of American government, it demonstrates how constitutional issues shape and define current events.

New material in this edition:

* Post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

* Military tribunals and NSA eavesdropping

* Kosovo war in 1999

* Impeachment of President Clinton

* Termination of ABM treaty

* Controversies over appointments and removals

* Disputes over executive orders and proclamations

* Presidential signing statements

* Developments with item veto and pocket veto

* Public access to intelligence budgets

* FBI search warrant of congressman's office

* State secrets privilege

* Presidential and vice-presidential immunity

The Third House: Lobbyists, Power, and Money in Sacramento

Jay Michael, Dan Walters

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Dear Governor: About That Healthcare Crisis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Sensible even dialogue on important issue 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Too much political discourse these days seems to be polarizing -- either inconsequential rallying of people who already agree with you or screaming against people who don't. This book is a refreshing departure. It's a sensible, even dialogue --with some vital, specific suggestions -- about what is arguably the most complex policy challenge we're facing today. Here's hoping that decision makers, the medical community, and voters all read this book. It's a step in the right direction to a solution!

Editorial Review:

This is the first book on the unique features of the Washington State healthcare crisis in more than a decade, and the only one ever to focus on the healthcare stakeholders that will make reform a failure or a success. Dear Governor: About That Healthcare Crisis is a compilation of open letters to the governor of Washington State from some of the leading public policy and healthcare professionals in the state. Healthcare spending now constitutes $9.7 billion (32.2%) of the Washington State budget, while 750,000 Washingtonians have no health coverage. Of those who do have coverage, 1.3 million will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax income on healthcare. There is a healthcare crisis, and leadership is needed. This book provides much needed insight. This book is a must read: whether you have a vested interested in health policy, involved in healthcare in Washington State, or a concerned citizen.

Heavy Lifting: The Job Of The American Legislature

Alan Rosenthal

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Excellent Book on State Legislatures 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Alan Rosenthal, perhaps the foremost academic authority on state legislatures has published another insightful look into state legislatures. In this latest study, "Heavy Lifting", we learn that most of the public has a good idea how legislatures operate, and they don't like what they see.

The legislature system is designed to look bad in the public eye. Legislators may do a good job fighting for their constituencies, and thus garner the support of the people of their district, yet the interests behind these constituents conflicts with interests represented by other legislators. The meshing of these interests lead to struggles, defeats, and compromises that fail to fully please the interests at hand. From the standpoint of constituents that are viewing an outcome that failed to meet their expectation, the legislative process is a failure. From the standpoint of analyzing how legislative systems should operate, the process may be basically the best possible operation.

The expectations the public has of legislatures has changed, according to Alan Rosenthal. Constituency groups decades ago perhaps understood the reality of compromise better than advocates today realize. The media, which observes that conflict is more interesting than everyday good news, seems more apt to cover the battles of ideas within legislatures. The increasing expense and negativity of political campaigns exacerbates the legislatures' declining perceptions.

The constituent demands upon legislatures appear to be increasing while the available amount of time does not increase. Even gaining support of a majority of both houses of a legislature is not always enough, as the Governor then plays a critical role. Governors present various leadership styles and abilities to cooperate with legislatures, who themselves can be supportive or detrimental towards resolving conflicts between the branches of government.

A good legislator, according to Alan Rosenthal, is one who successfully represents his district's constituents, is skillful at the lawmaking process, and is able to properly balance the legislative role with the role of the Governor. The author surveyed Ohio legislators and found that 62% of Senators and 56% of Representatives surveyed stated that believed more attention to their representational duties would make them better legislators and that 38% of Senators and 44% of Representatives stated more attention to their lawmaking responsibilities would make them better legislators.

Legislators are busy, including legislators from states where the legislature is considered part time. The author surveyed legislators in five states and discovered that 46% of legislators responding stated they spent 60 or more hours per week at their legislative jobs while 29% states they spent from 50 to 59 hours. The number of hours spent working was higher for legislators who served longer, which reflects the additional duties often given to veteran legislators.

The author believes most legislators do successfully represent their districts. They identify with the people of their districts and their needs. Advocating their concerns before both the legislature and administrative agencies is seen a key purpose of their legislative duties. This provides many legislators with the sense of fulfillment they seek from being legislators.

19,000 people from all states were surveyed. It was found that, over the past two decades, 7% stated they had contacted their state representative and 5% stated they had contacted their state senate. While much of such contact was part of an organized effort to contact legislators, it does show that a sizable number of people have personally invested time in reaching out to their representatives. This contact becomes muddled, as there seldom is a clear and consistent message to legislators uniting his or her constituency. Further, the author concludes that most people do not follow closely follow legislative issues and matters.

The growing nationwide organization of many interest groups along with the increased ability to exchange information is making advocacy to legislatures across the nation more active. Political party identification is a strong cohesive force for most legislators, and party identity and party caucuses are strong factors in determining how legislators respond to legislation. At times, attempting to gain a partisan advantage is a critical part of legislative decision making strategies. This can create difficulties, as legislators may find themselves conflicted between their caucus and their constituencies should their goals differ. The author presents this conflict as perhaps a legislator's greatest challenge.

While it is difficult to identify exactly what it is that makes a legislator a good representative, the author notes there should be a positive connection between a legislator and the views of his or her constituency, an ability to deliberate legislation, and an ability to provide leadership, although this requires experience and resources as well as the proper leadership skills.

This is an excellent book for students of state legislatures in particular and of governmental decision making in general.

Editorial Review:

What makes for a "good" legislature? In Heavy Lifting, Alan Rosenthal traveled to five states, interviewing and shadowing legislators to find out the answer. Through this engaging narrative, the author first establishes the most important aspects of American state legislatures--what they are and how they do their jobs--and then graduates to the book's central thesis: Rosenthal argues that, on the whole, the American legislature must be evaluated on the basis of its processes, not its products. He breaks down the legislative process into three principal functions: representing, lawmaking, and balancing the executive, and covers each in turn in the remainder of the book.