Description
Book SynopsisThe United States Congress has been described as dysfunctional, gridlocked, polarized, hyperpartisan, chaotic, and do-nothing. In
Changing Cultures in Congress, Donald R. Wolfensberger explains the institutional dynamics behind Congress’s devolution to a body plagued by a win-at-any-cost mentality and a culture of perpetual campaigning.
Trade ReviewThis important book is a must-read for all of us interested in the precipitous decline in the role of Congress in our political system, as it yields power to the president, abandons fair procedures, and struggles to find solutions to our political problems. Written by Don Wolfensberger, one of our keenest observers of Congress (and a colleague of mine for many years), his solutions should surprise and please you. -- Lee H. Hamilton, former U.S. Representative, Indiana
When it comes to the US House of Representatives, few people can surpass Don Wolfensberger. He has been working for it and thinking about it for almost forty years. His book,
Changing Cultures in Congress, is an interesting and readable history of the House. More importantly, it’s about solutions to stop the current gridlock in Congress. -- Trent Lott, former Senate majority leader
Wolfensberger combines a practitioner’s eye and feel for Capitol Hill dynamics with an appreciation for broader analytical themes of interest to legislative and other American politics scholars. This book offers a procedural perspective on contemporary legislative dynamics, focusing on the ways in which partisan politics drives the diminution of the legislative process. It draws appropriately from historical cases and contemporary politics to make plain the long roots of today’s dysfunction on Capitol Hill. -- Sarah Binder, George Washington University and the Brookings Institution
A superb exploration of recent trends in the deliberative capacity of Congress, Wolfensberger's book will be of great interest to scholars, students, and practitioners. His treatment of the complex relationships that can exist between House procedures and party strategy is suitably nuanced, and the careful case studies of major domestic and foreign policy legislation are informative and fun to read. This is the best single treatment we have of procedural maneuvering on Capitol Hill. -- C. Lawrence Evans, College of William and Mary
This is a good, detailed exposition of congressional procedures. Recommended. * Choice *
Changing Cultures in Congress speaks to scholars of the legislative branch, those working within it, as well as those simply seeking to better understand it. Given its timeliness and the seemingly intractable levels of polarization and partisan animosity, it is likely to be informative for many years to come as well. * Political Science Quarterly *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. Rolling Rules: From Level Ground to Partisan Tilt
2. Making House Rules
3. Procedural Triage for Health Care Reform
4. Fraying Purse Strings
5. Whither the War Power?
6. Congress and the Iran Nuclear Deal: Rational Reactor or Design Flaw?
7. Governing in a Political World
Appendix
Notes
Glossary
Index
