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Full Description
In his thirty-year career representing the citizens of New Mexico in the US Senate, Jeff Bingaman witnessed great things accomplished through the legislative process. He also had a front-row seat for the breakdown of governing norms and the radical increases in polarization and partisanship that now plague what was once called the world's greatest deliberative body. Breakdown: Lessons for a Congress in Crisis traces the development of congressional dysfunction over more than three decades and provides eight case studies that examine how the crisis affects our government's ability to meet major policy challenges. We didn't always have a Senate that failed in its basic public obligations, including catalyzing a robust economy, confronting climate change, improving health care, fixing education, preserving public lands, and avoiding unnecessary wars. We do now.
Presenting insightful analysis of the causes and consequences of the dysfunction in Congress, Breakdown shows how Congress fails at the tasks Americans expect it to perform and, more importantly, how it might begin again to succeed.
Contents
Foreword - Norman J. Ornstein
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I. Dysfunction in the Congress
Chapter One. The Breakdown of Congressional Governing Norms
Chapter Two. Beware the Five Impediments
Part II. The People's Business—Eight Worthy Efforts
Chapter Three. Support a Strong Economy
Chapter Four. Control Deficits and Debt
Chapter Five. Lead in Science and Technology
Chapter Six. Meet Our Energy and Climate-Change Challenges (through 2008)
Chapter Seven. Meet Our Energy and Climate-Change Challenges (2009 and After)
Chapter Eight. Improve Health Care
Chapter Nine. Improve Elementary and Secondary Education
Chapter Ten. Manage and Preserve Public Lands
Chapter Eleven. Avoid Unnecessary Wars
Part III. How Congress Can Do Better
Chapter Twelve. Suggestions for Congress
Chapter Thirteen. Suggestions for Members
Appendix. Jeff Bingaman's Farewell Speech to the Senate
Notes
Index
