Unorthodox Lawmaking: New Legislative Processes in the U.S. Congress
Books / Paperback
Books › Law › Government › General
ISBN: 0872893065 / Publisher: CQ Press, June 2007
A little over 50 years ago we witnessed about one filibuster per Congress. In the past 20 we have sat through between 25 and 32 of them each session. There is a different dynamic in the houses of legislative power now than there was when representatives went to work in knee breeches. Sinclair (American politics, U. of California at Los Angeles) continues to analyze the what and also the why, closely examining changes in the way the elected make law. She examines changes, analyzes the behaviors in both House and Senate (especially those supposed to resolve differences), and takes apart mega-bills and budgets. She works through a number of new and classic case studies, including energy bills, changes in Medicare, medical malpractice caps, manipulation of budget processes, tax-cutting agendas, and the rule of the majority party. She closes with commentary on the consequences of new, unorthodox lawmaking. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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There is the textbook “how-a-bill-becomes-a-law” diagram, and then there is the way that most major measures really wind their way through the contemporary Congress. Sinclair aptly calls this “unorthodox lawmaking,” and gives students a much more realistic take on today’s legislative process. Bills can follow a number of routes through Congress: they might be considered by several committees, or none; they could be subjected to non-germane amendments or filibustered on the Senate floor; or they may be governed by special rules individually tailored to facilitate or slow a bill’s progress. Whatever the unorthodox route, Sinclair describes the legislative process as it really operates, exploring the range of special procedures, practices, and the factors that have contributed to their emergence. In this timely revision, she focuses especially on how partisan polarization has shaped the legislative process in recent years, with new case studies on the Bush tax cuts, the 2005 energy bill, and the 2003 Medicare/prescription drug bill. Always written with the narrative in mind and providing a unique perspective, Unorthodox Lawmaking introduces novice students to the intricacies of Congress. Sinclair also tackles the larger questions: Does the use of new procedures and practices enhance or inhibit the likelihood of a bill becoming law? What other effects does unorthodox lawmaking have on how Congress functions? This important supplemental reading gives students the tools to assess the relative successes and limitations of the legislative process.
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