About this Item
xi, [1], 244 pages. Notes. Index. Inscribed by the primary author Senator Tom Daschle on the half-title page. The inscription reads "To Carol & Joe-With heart felt best wishes! Tom Daschle 4/16/13". About the authors: Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who represented South Dakota in the United States Senate from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he led the Senate Democratic Caucus during the final ten years of his tenure, during which time he served as Senate Minority Leader and Majority Leader. In 2004, he was defeated for reelection in a close race. Later, he took a position as a policy advisor with a lobbying firm, became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Charles Robbins has been writing about politics and government for decades, as a newspaper reporter, congressional and campaign operative, public affairs executive, Navy officer, and author. Charles Robbins served as Senator Specter s communications director in his Senate office and on his presidential campaign. He is the author of the novel The Accomplice as well as coauthor, with former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, of The U.S. Senate, and coauthor of Senator Specter s Passion for Truth. A former newspaper reporter and Navy reserve officer, he is a graduate of Princeton University, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and the master of fine arts program at Queens University of Charlotte. He lives in Washington, D.C. The second entry in the civics series clearly and concisely explains how the United States Senate works. The U.S. Senate is the second book in the Fundamentals of American Government civics series, exploring the inner workings of this important part of the legislative branch. As with Selecting a President, this book is written for all audiences, but voiced toward any citizen interested in a concise yet authoritative exploration of this representative entity. Written by former Senator Tom Daschle, and co-written by acclaimed journalist Charles Robbins, this compelling and digestible book carefully examines and explains exactly how the Senate operates. From its electoral process to voting procedure, historic beginnings to modern day issues-there is no area of this governmental body left un-revealed. Told with an insider's perspective there is not a more defining or easily accessible compendium detailing the U.S. Senate. Derived from a Kirkus review: Former Senate Majority Leader Daschle and ex-congressional staffer Robbins collaborate to explain the Senate. The authors contrast the rules under which the two legislative branches operate to illustrate their separate functions. They explain why even without the current partisan gridlock, the House of Representatives and the Senate are frequently at odds and how this was deliberately built into the Constitution by the Founding Fathers as a way to temper direct democracy. As part of the checks and balances built into the system, the functions of the two branches are complementary. For example, the Senate bears responsibility for confirming declarations of war and treaties and for the acceptance or rejection of presidential nominations for federal office, but in the case of an Electoral College tie, it is the House that chooses the next president. The rules and traditional practices of the two branches have evolved over time but still reflect their differently perceived functions. Daschle and Robbins show how this is exemplified by the role of Speaker of the House, as compared to that of the Senate majority leader. The House functions as a collective body in which majority rule prevails, and the speaker controls the agenda and floor time allowed to representatives during a debate. Senate rules guard the privileges of each senator, encouraging prolonged debate, including the filibuster, in order to achieve compromise, holds on legislation, etc. The authors cover a wide range of topics, including committee and su.
Seller Inventory # 88861
Contact seller
Report this item
