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 analyse 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 prioritise short-term electoral gains over long-term governing and problem-solving.
- ISBN13 9780472035274
- Publish Date 16 April 2013 (first published 21 March 2012)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint The University of Michigan Press
- Format Paperback
- Pages 318
- Language English