Why Congressional Reforms Fail - Reelection and the House Committee System

For decades, advocates of congressional reforms have repeatedly attempted to clean up the House committee system, which has been called inefficient, outmoded, unaccountable, and even corrupt. Yet these efforts result in little if any change, as members of Congress continually obstruct what could fairly be called innocuous reforms.What lies behind the House's resistance to change? Challenging recent explanations, Scott Adler contends that legislators resist rearranging committee powers and jurisdictions for the same reason they cling to other aspects of House structure-the ambition for reelection. The system's structure works to the members' advantage, helping them obtain funding (and favor) in their districts. Using extensive evidence from three major reform periods-the 1940s, 1970s, and 1990s-Adler shows that the reelection motive is still the most important underlying factor in determining the outcome of committee reforms, and he explains why committee reform in the House has never succeeded and probably never will.

About the author

Scott Adler is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Summary

For decades, advocates of congressional reforms have attempted to clean up the House committee system, without success. Adler contends that legislators resist the changes due to the ambition for reelection. using extensive evidence Adler shows a system conditioned to fail.

Product details

• Authors: E. Scott Adler
• Assisted by: University Of Chicago Press (Editor)
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.06.2002
• EAN: 9780226007564
• ISBN: 978-0-226-00756-4
• No. of pages: 263
• Dimensions: 16 mm x 23 mm x 2 mm
• Weight: 369 g
• Series: American Politics & Political; American Politics & Political Economy S.; American Politics/Political Economy Series Appe (CHUP); American Politics and Political Economy Series
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration