Congress: Keystone of the Washington Establishment, Revised Edition

Description

This highly readable book makes a strong case that a Washington establishment does exist and that members of Congress are responsible for it. Fiorina’s description of the self-serving interconnections that have developed between Congress, bureaucrats, and citizens with special interests leads to provocative and disturbing conclusions about the way our political system works. First published in 1977, this greatly enlarged second edition discusses the new developments that have occurred over the past twelve years, provides supportive data through the 1988 election, and reveals Fiorina’s current thoughts on Congress and American politics. Reviews of the first edition: “A stimulating indictment of the role of Congress in perpetuating a triangle of self-interest: constituents want benefits at someone else’s expense; Congressmen, seeking reelection, try to oblige; bureaucrats want growth for their agencies and accordingly provide favors for Congressmen. The general welfare is ill-served.”—Foreign Affairs “A fascinating book . . . on the factors which keep members of Congress in office . . . . A tract that no student of Congress can afford to neglect.”—Eric M. Uslaner, American Political Science Review “Written with insight, originality, and verve.”—Washington Monthly Contents List Of Figures And Tables Preface To The Second Edition Acknowledgments Part One Introduction 1. The Case Of The Vanishing Marginals 2. The Marginal District: Some Brief Remarks about the Victim 3. The Vanishing Marginals: Who Done It? 4. A Tale Of Two Districts 5. The Rise Of The Washington Establishment 6. Back To The Vanishing Marginals: Some Loose Ends 7. Some Circumstantial Evidence Surrounding The Rise Of The Washington Establishment 8. Alternative Views 9. What Lies Ahead? Part Two Introduction 10. Some More-Than-Circumstantial Evidence 11. Confusions And Clarifications 12. Underemphases And New Developments 13. Looking Back and Looking Ahead Notes Index