Description
Book SynopsisIn this book, top congressional scholars, historians, and political scientists provide a compelling picture of Bob Michel and the congressional politics of his day. Marshaling a wealth of biographical, historical, and political detail, they describe Michel’s House of Representatives and how the institution became what it is now.
Trade Review"This book provides a valuable “inside baseball” view of how the process works; the book’s grasp of the complexities of congressional prodecures provide a valuable window into how legislation is made."—Congress & the Presidency
"An excellent primer on effective congressional leadership. The various authors successfully place the life of Michel and his congressional career within a theoretical analysis of congressional politics and consequently offer a valuable resource."—Choice
"Robert H. Michel: Leading the House Minority is a fascinating, richly documented, and authoritative look at Bob Michel’s congressional career. Editors Frank H. Mackaman and Sean Q Kelly have done an excellent job in both selecting contributors and developing a compelling narrative to frame these expertly written chapters. Robert H. Michel: Leading the House Minority should be the first book consulted by readers who are curious about Bob Michel’s legislative legacy."—Jeffrey Crouch, author of The Presidential Pardon Power
"Robert H. Michel: Leading the House Minority is a thoughtful collection about an extremely important congressional Republican leader. The authors explore how Michel attempted to balance the needs of good governance with a desire among Republicans to end their permanent minority status in the House."—Julian E. Zelizer, Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs, Princeton University
"This excellent book explains why Bob Michel was the most effective minority leader in the history of the House of Representatives. Its richly detailed and perceptive essays show that he was a legislator in full: a servant for his district, a watchdog of the public treasury, and a masterful tactician who won historic victories without partisan majorities. Anyone who wants to understand congressional leadership should read Robert H. Michel: Leading the House Minority."—John J. Pitney Jr., Roy P. Crocker Professor of Politics, Claremont McKenna College
Table of Contents
- List of Abbreviations
- Series Foreword, Burdett A. Loomis
- Preface and Acknowledgments, Frank H. Mackaman and Sean Q. Kelly
- 1. Robert H. Michel: A Life Preparing for Public Service, Frank H. Mackaman
- 2. Bob Michel and the Politics of Appropriations, Scott A. Frisch and Sean Q. Kelly
- 3. Bob Michel in the Land of Giants: Relationship Politics in the 1980s, Burdett A. Loomis
- 4. Rising to Leadership in an Era of Political Change: Bob Michel and the 1970s House Minority Party, Scott R. Meinke
- 5. Michel as Minority Leader: Minority Party Strategies and Tactics in the Postreform House, Douglas B. Harris and matthew N. Green
- 6. Leading the Minority: Guiding Policy Change through Legislative Waters, Andrew J. Taylor
- 7. Leading Gently on Taxes, Matthew S. Mendez
- 8. From “Exhilarating Days” to Pragmatic Politics: Bob Michel’s Leadership in the Budget Process, 1981-1994, Daniel J. Palazzolo
- 9. Anticipating the Revolution: Michel and Republican Congressional Reform Efforts, Douglas B. Harris
- 10. Bob Michel and the Legacy of Committee Reform, Colton C. Campbell
- 11. Bob Michel, Newt Gingrich, and the Republican Leadership Dilemma, C. Lawrence Evans
- 12. A “Less Pleasant” Election: Bob Michel and the 1982 Congressional Midterms, Robert David Johnson
- 13. From Expansionism to Protectionism and Back Again: Conditional Incumbency, Disruption, and the Reimagination of Bob Michel’s Representational Style, David C. W. Parker
- 14. Bob Michel Calls It Quits, Frank H. Mackaman
- Appendix: Reflections, Mike Johnson, Ray LaHood, and William “Billy” Pitts
- About Robert H. Michel
- Bibliography
- Contributors
- Index
- A photo gallery follows page 185
