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Working Congress: A Guide for Senators, Representatives, and Citizens
In 1964, as the polarizing Civil Rights Act made its way through the House and Senate, and Congress navigated one of the most tumultuous eras in American history, a Harris Poll put the institution's approval rating at 60 percent. Why then, fifty years later, has the public's approval of Congress eroded to an all-time low of 10 percent? Working A Guide for Senators, Representatives, and Citizens seeks to isolate the reasons for Congress's staggering decline in public opinion, and to propose remedies to reverse the grave dysfunction in America's most important political institution.
Aided by the input of retired members of Congress from both major parties, editor Robert Mann and his fellow contributors identify paralyzing partisan rancor as perhaps the most significant reason for the American public's declining support of its main representative body. The lack of mutual trust within Congress reflects (and creates) the suspicion and animosity of the great majority of Americans. Working Congress argues that members of Congress must find a path to cooperation if they are to function as the representative institution the Founders intended.
Trenchant chapters by Mickey Edwards, Ross K. Baker, Frances E. Lee, Brian L. Fife, Susan Herbst, and Mark Kennedy analyze the problems and challenges facing Congress and suggest solutions to counteract partisan gridlock. Though these scholars and former members share a conviction that men and women of good will can and should work together, they do not assume that their solutions will herald a bipartisan utopia. Instead, they recognize that Congress is, and will always be, a work in progress.
Aided by the input of retired members of Congress from both major parties, editor Robert Mann and his fellow contributors identify paralyzing partisan rancor as perhaps the most significant reason for the American public's declining support of its main representative body. The lack of mutual trust within Congress reflects (and creates) the suspicion and animosity of the great majority of Americans. Working Congress argues that members of Congress must find a path to cooperation if they are to function as the representative institution the Founders intended.
Trenchant chapters by Mickey Edwards, Ross K. Baker, Frances E. Lee, Brian L. Fife, Susan Herbst, and Mark Kennedy analyze the problems and challenges facing Congress and suggest solutions to counteract partisan gridlock. Though these scholars and former members share a conviction that men and women of good will can and should work together, they do not assume that their solutions will herald a bipartisan utopia. Instead, they recognize that Congress is, and will always be, a work in progress.
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 3, 2017
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I thought that this book was extremely interesting. As an non-US person, it was quite a good way of understanding Congress. It came across as the US's version of the House of Commons, and I found that rather interesting. The author also separated his own views, which I particularly liked. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to figure out fact and opinion in these types of books, but Robert Mann was brilliant. It really was a very good guide to Congress, and I've come out of this audiobook enlightened.
The narration was also superb on this book. I really enjoyed the way that the narrator kept a clear tone throughout. It made it much easier to connect to the content of the book.
I thought that this book was extremely interesting. As an non-US person, it was quite a good way of understanding Congress. It came across as the US's version of the House of Commons, and I found that rather interesting. The author also separated his own views, which I particularly liked. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to figure out fact and opinion in these types of books, but Robert Mann was brilliant. It really was a very good guide to Congress, and I've come out of this audiobook enlightened.
The narration was also superb on this book. I really enjoyed the way that the narrator kept a clear tone throughout. It made it much easier to connect to the content of the book.
January 9, 2023
This is an absolutely astounding book. So many people I've met are either bewildered or bothered by the way the American Congress operates, and there aren't a lot of well known, clear, and *bipartisan* guides to what to do about it. Thankfully, this book is written by people who understand it well—by both former members, scholars, and just generally people who definitely know what they are talking about, but are clearly trying to be as objective as possible. This being said, the book advocates for something I've always thought might be preferable: a Congress that is generally less partisan, and more inclined towards working together to get things done.
What's great about this book though, is it doesn't just say the latter sentence—which has been said so commonly that it might as well be a platitude at this point—but it also approachably illustrates clear ways this might be done. And what's especially fantastic, is it's geared towards people who are within Congress, so it dispenses with fluff or sophistry in favor of well-reasoned, decidely balanced policy proposes and cultural preferences they'd prefer to establish.
While this book is genuinely very exciting for me to read—I've been wondering about why Congress is the way it is for years, but never dug into it the way I should have—it might be incredibly dull for those not fairly motivated provided politics is not their thing. But if it *is* your thing, and what you want is to truly understand Congress from a nuanced perspective, with actual clear recommendations for making Congress better—incredibly difficult and implausible though they may be—I'd consider this book a phenomenal starting point, especially if (like myself) you are previously unitiated in understanding why Congress is the way it is.
What's great about this book though, is it doesn't just say the latter sentence—which has been said so commonly that it might as well be a platitude at this point—but it also approachably illustrates clear ways this might be done. And what's especially fantastic, is it's geared towards people who are within Congress, so it dispenses with fluff or sophistry in favor of well-reasoned, decidely balanced policy proposes and cultural preferences they'd prefer to establish.
While this book is genuinely very exciting for me to read—I've been wondering about why Congress is the way it is for years, but never dug into it the way I should have—it might be incredibly dull for those not fairly motivated provided politics is not their thing. But if it *is* your thing, and what you want is to truly understand Congress from a nuanced perspective, with actual clear recommendations for making Congress better—incredibly difficult and implausible though they may be—I'd consider this book a phenomenal starting point, especially if (like myself) you are previously unitiated in understanding why Congress is the way it is.
August 14, 2017
This review is for the audiobook version of Working Congress.
Working Congress is better, albeit shorter, than I expected. I expected it would be fairly one-sided, but it feels pretty evenly balanced. This is a good primer for US voters who want to understand why Congress can't seem to get anything done even when one party holds a majority.
If anything, the brevity of the book made me want to check out more by the contributors, especially Frances E. Lee and Mark Kennedy.
Narrator Jim Seybert does a fine job with the text. He comes off sounding somewhere in-between an NPR talk show host and cable news political commentator--which is completely appropriate for this material.
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
Working Congress is better, albeit shorter, than I expected. I expected it would be fairly one-sided, but it feels pretty evenly balanced. This is a good primer for US voters who want to understand why Congress can't seem to get anything done even when one party holds a majority.
If anything, the brevity of the book made me want to check out more by the contributors, especially Frances E. Lee and Mark Kennedy.
Narrator Jim Seybert does a fine job with the text. He comes off sounding somewhere in-between an NPR talk show host and cable news political commentator--which is completely appropriate for this material.
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
December 5, 2020
This is a pretty good book about Congress if you don't really follow politics, there was little within it that was new or unfamiliar to someone who is knowledgeable about Congress and it's challenges. With the exception of the chapter written by the author himself, much of this I had heard before. The author's chapter however was quite excellent.
December 20, 2014
An interesting array of views from people who really know Congress
Anyone who holds any hope that the political paralysis on Capitol Hill can be cured should read this book. The snippets from people who have served there are enlightening. I found Herbst's views on the civility and incivility particularly interesting.
Anyone who holds any hope that the political paralysis on Capitol Hill can be cured should read this book. The snippets from people who have served there are enlightening. I found Herbst's views on the civility and incivility particularly interesting.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews