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Klappentext The checks and balances provided by the three branches of federal government are essential to nurturing and maintaining American democracy. With the guidance of coeditors Paul J. Quirk and Sarah A. Binder, this collection of essays examines the role of the Legislature in American democracy and the dynamic between the other branches of government, and discusses possible measures for reform.The volume addresses questions such as: How does Congress serve the values of democracy and American constitutional principles? Which conceptions of those values does it implement, and which does it overlook or fail to realize? What are Congress's strengths and weaknesses in performing the tasks of democratic governance? What reforms, if any, are necessary to ensure the health and success of Congress as an institution of democracy in the future? Zusammenfassung A collection of essays by the nation's leading Congressional scholars examine the history, identity, roles, and future of the Legislative Branch. Inhaltsverzeichnis DIRECTORY OF CONTRIBUTORS GENERAL INTRODUCTION: The Legislative Branch as an Institution of American Constitutional Democracy INTRODUCTION: Congress and American Democracy: Institutions and Performance SECTION I: IDEALS AND DEVELOPMENT 1: Charles Stewart III: Congress and the Constitutional System 2: Eric Shickler: Institutional Development of Congress 3: David R. Mayhew : Actions in the Public Square SECTION II: ELECTIONS AND REPRESENTATION 4: Gary C. Jacobson: Modern Campaigns and Representation 5: Sarah A. Binder: Elections, Parties, and Governance 6: David T. Canon : Representing Racial and Ethnic Minorities SECTION III: STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES 7: David W. Rohde: Committees and Policy Formulation 8: Barbara Sinclair: Parties and Leadership in the House 9: Steven S. Smith : Parties and Leadership in the Senate SECTION IV: POLICY AND PERFORMANCE 10: Frances E. Lee: Interests, Constituencies, and Policy Making 11: Paul J. Quirk: Deliberation and Decision Making 12: Christopher J. Deering: Foreign Affairs and War 13: Eric Patashnik: Budgets and Fiscal Policy 14: Forrest Maltzman: Advice and Consent: Cooperation and Conflict in the Appointment of Federal Judges 15: Charles R. Shipan : Congress and the Bureaucracy SECTION V: ASSESSMENTS AND PROSPECTS 16: John R. Hibbing: Images of Congress 17: C. Lawrence Evans: Politics of Congressional Reform 18: Paul J. Quirk and Sarah Binder: Congress and American Democracy: Assessing Institutional Performance APPENDIX INDEX ...
