Description
Book SynopsisWinner of the Society for History in the Federal Government''s George Pendleton Prize for 2013The United States Senate has fallen on hard times. Once known as the greatest deliberative body in the world, it now has a reputation as a partisan, dysfunctional chamber. What happened to the house that forged American history''s great compromises?In this groundbreaking work, a distinguished journalist and an eminent historian provide an insider''s history of the United States Senate. Richard A. Baker, historian emeritus of the Senate, and the late Neil MacNeil, former chief congressional correspondent for Time magazine, integrate nearly a century of combined experience on Capitol Hill with deep research and state-of-the-art scholarship. They explore the Senate''s historical evolution with one eye on persistent structural pressures and the other on recent transformations. Here, for example, are the Senate''s struggles with the presidency--from George Washington''s first, disastrous visit to t
Trade ReviewThere is much to admire in this single volume, such that the general reader will find their interest whetted while the specialist will be inspired to deepen their understanding of this unique institution. * William Sheward, Political Studies Review *
This first-rate comprehensive study is likely to set the standard for historical scholarship on the US Senate. Chock-full of fascinating stores from insider's prespectives, The American Senate is entertaining and engaging. The American Senate is a must read for any serious historian or political scientist, yet still accessible to the general public. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *
Whether discussing money and elections, campaign reform, the origins of the filibuster, the Senate's investigatory power or its role in ratifying treaties or debating the great issues of the day, the authors pack the narrative with wide-ranging information and anecdotes." * Kirkus Reviews *
An excellent choice for history buffs and political scientists. * Library Journal *
A multidimensional study of the history, traditions and culture of the United States Senate... Whether discussing money and elections, campaign reform, the origins of the filibuster, the Senate's investigatory power or its role in ratifying treaties or debating the great issues of the day, the authors pack the narrative with wide-ranging information and anecdotes. A useful, engaging primer for anyone wishing to understand the politics, precedent and procedures that have shaped the Senate. * Kirkus Reviews *
The American Senate should be required reading for anyone new to the chamber: interns, staffers, even senators. There's unlikely to be another single volume quite as comprehensive anytime soon, a fact that can probably be attributed to the authors." * Roll Call *
[A] thoroughly researched book by two veteran Senate observers . . . Baker has done a superb job of combining his deep knowledge of the Senate with that of McNeil, to complete it and illuminate the evolution of the upper chamber of Congress through the efforts of the more than 1,900 people who have served." * The Hill *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Preface ; Prologue: Entering the Contemporary Senate ; 1: Money and Politics: Electing U.S. Senators ; 2: The Collapse of Campaign Finance Reform ; 3: Dancing with Presidents: A Wary Embrace ; 4: Struggling for Primacy: From TR to FDR ; 5: Losing Ground to the Imperial Presidency ; 6: Living with the House of Representatives ; 7: The Center to Which Everyone Comes ; 8: Leadership Empowered: The Modern Era ; 9: The Senate Investigates ; 10: The Watchdogs ; 11: Debate, Deliberation, and Dispute ; 12: Dilatory Tactics ; 13: Reform and Reaction ; To the Future ; Notes ; Selected Bibliography ; Index
