Congressional parties, institutional ambition, and the financing of majority control / Eric S. Heberlig and Bruce A. Larson.

Author/creator Heberlig, Eric S., 1970-
Other author Larson, Bruce A., 1960-
Format Electronic
PublicationAnn Arbor : University of Michigan Press, ©2012.
Description1 online resource
Supplemental ContentEBSCOhost
Subjects

Contents Introduction -- Parties, incumbents, and campaign finance in American politics -- Majority status and institutional power -- The growth of member giving -- Brother, can you spare a thousand? who gives to whom? -- Getting ahead by giving a lot: party goals and advancement in the House -- Leveraging funds to pay for the new party fundraising expectations -- Redistribution and the value of a house career -- Beyond legislating.
Abstract Close competition for majority party control of the U.S. House of Representatives has transformed the congressional parties from legislative coalitions into partisan fundraising machines. With the need for ever increasing sums of money to fuel the ongoing campaign for majority control, both Republicans and Democrats have made large donations to the party and its candidates mandatory for members seeking advancement within party and congressional committee hierarchies. Eric S. Heberlig and Bruce A. Larson not only analyze this development, but also discuss its implications for American government and democracy. They address the consequences of selecting congressional leaders on the basis of their fundraising skills rather than their legislative capacity and the extent to which the battle for majority control leads Congress to prioritize short-term electoral gains over long-term governing and problem-solving.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 263-295) and index.
LanguageEnglish.
Source of descriptionDescription based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher.
Genre/formElectronic books.
LCCN 2020707403
ISBN0472028235 e-book
ISBN9780472028238 e-book
ISBNcloth : alk. paper
ISBN9786613532466
ISBN6613532460
Stock number22573/ctt1d8kj73 JSTOR

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Electronic Resources Access Content Online ✔ Available