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Congress Behaving Badly The Rise of Partisanship and Incivility and the Death of Public Trust
Sunil Ahuja
Foreword by Former Congressman Tom Sawyer
Book Code: C9868
ISBN: 0-275-99868-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-99868-4
192 pages, tables
Praeger Publishers
Publication: 3/30/2008
List Price: $44.95 (UK Sterling Price: £25.95)
Availability: In Stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Also Available: Ebook
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects: Reviews:
  • A plain-spoken examination of a serious problem in American representative democracy, highly recommended - especially for anyone serving or considering serving in a public office.
    —Midwest Book Review     May 2008
  • Endorsement From Dan Miller,
    Former member of Congress:     Congress is a mess. Congress knows it and the American people know it. Sunil Ahuja traces Congress's descent to dysfunctionality over the past few decades and explains why it has reached this stage. He offers many apt ideas on how to make our legislative branch effective again, but ultimately it will take a clear expression of the will of the American people at the ballot box to bring about the needed reform.
Description: Partisan rancor and the public exchange of incivilities between members of Congress have become rampant on Capitol Hill and in the media studios since the 1980s. Polarization between mutually repugnant congressional factions has reached the point that the legislative process is paralyzed and democracy is hobbled. Ahuja documents the rise of incivility and the partisan shrillness in Congress, traces its complex causes, identifies its adverse consequences for the functioning of democratic government, and prescribes remedies to curb destructive partisanship and restore dignity and efficiency to the workings of Congress. Ahuja catalogs the most shocking examples of the abrasive new confrontational style as practiced by the likes of Gingrich, Burton, and Pelosi in the House, and by Boxer, Santorum, and Lott in the Senate. He contrasts this "new style" of congressional comportment with the decorum and pragmatism of the "old style" exemplified by such leaders as Foley, Hamilton, and Michel in the House, and by Dirksen, Mansfield, and Moynihan in the Senate. Ahuja identifies six causes of the rise of partisanship and incivility among congressional members: *Political redistricting and imposition of party discipline. *rising influence of adversarial special-interest groups. *adversarial format fostered by the 24-hour news cycle. *rising use of short-term consultants. *increasing insertion of "wedge issues". *avoidance of social interaction among opposing members. The author prescribes measures for restoring civility and moderating partisanship in Congress: reapportioning legislative districts; restricting the influence of consultants, media, and interest groups; and regularizing social interaction among congressional opponents.
Table of Contents:
  • About the Author
  • Preface
  • Chapter 1 The Problem of Incivility and Partisanship
  • Chapter 2 The Capitol Hill Junior High School
  • Chapter 3 Changing of the Guard
  • Chapter 4 Whats Behind Partisanship and Uncivil Debate in Congress?
  • Chapter 5 Whither Confidence and Respect in the Modern Congress?
  • Chapter 6 The Impact of Partisanship and Incivility on the Legislative Process
  • Chapter 7 Democracy is a Conversation
  • Index
LC Card Number: 2007045054
LCC Class: JK1041
Dewey Class: 328
PDF Catalogs:
Praeger Public Library Spring 2008.pdf
PDF Brochures:
Election Brochure.pdf
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