<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but if you want to know how Congress really works,
Review: According to John G. Geer, a textbook account of a representative democracy is that representatives attempt to translate the public's view into governmental action. Legislators are supposed to represent and act on the interests of the electorate. Gere cites Edmund Burke's distinction between `trustee' democracy, in which politicians lead public opinion, and `delegate' democracy, in which politicians follow the public's will. Jean-Jacaques Rousseau believed that, ''the deputies of the people are not representatives; they are merely its agents". He expressed extreme cynicism regarding the British system of representation: "The English people believes itself to be free. It is greatly mistaken; it is free only during the election of the members of parliament, Once they are elected, the populace is enslaved; it is nothing." To the extent that Arnold's theory of Congressional behavior suggests that it is more necessary for legislators to identify issues that could make them vulnerable to challengers and to find the safe margin of decision making than for them to strictly adhere to the constituency opinion in roll-call voting, the US representative system seems to fall under `trustee' democracy, and is antidemocratic in the Rousseauian sense.
Rating: 
Summary: a book which questions democratic accountability in congress
Review: According to John G. Geer, a textbook account of a representative democracy is that representatives attempt to translate the public's view into governmental action. Legislators are supposed to represent and act on the interests of the electorate. Gere cites Edmund Burke's distinction between 'trustee' democracy, in which politicians lead public opinion, and 'delegate' democracy, in which politicians follow the public's will. Jean-Jacaques Rousseau believed that, ''the deputies of the people are not representatives; they are merely its agents". He expressed extreme cynicism regarding the British system of representation: "The English people believes itself to be free. It is greatly mistaken; it is free only during the election of the members of parliament, Once they are elected, the populace is enslaved; it is nothing." To the extent that Arnold's theory of Congressional behavior suggests that it is more necessary for legislators to identify issues that could make them vulnerable to challengers and to find the safe margin of decision making than for them to strictly adhere to the constituency opinion in roll-call voting, the US representative system seems to fall under 'trustee' democracy, and is antidemocratic in the Rousseauian sense.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but if you want to know how Congress really works,
Review: see the Congressional Deskbook, which describes how Congress really works, how a bill becomes law, the federal budget process, and has good research tips.Also, the Congressional Deskbook is updated every 2 years. CHOICE describes the Deskbook as "A valuable, detailed, and highly functional synthesis of information about the legislative branch." and said it is "Highly Recommended." The publisher, TheCapitol.Net, has a complete Table of Contents and sample sections, plus hundreds of links about Capitol Hill, on their web site: thecapitol.net They also publish a valuable visual aid if you teach the legislative or congressional budget process: the Congressional Operations Poster. Best bet is to get both: Arnold's book and the Congressional Deskbook.
<< 1 >>
| 
