State legislators have often been in the shadow of their national counterparts, but they drive the processes of democracy.
Rosenthal brings together a lifetime of research and experience on state legislative politics into one eminently readable volume—a dynamic, inside view of the people involved, the politics that prevail, and the interest groups and lobbyists who advocate their causes. Building on earlier work with new data and recent interviews and observations, Rosenthal looks at the way representation works, Americans’ critical view of their legislatures, the role of legislative leaders, the dynamics of executive-legislative relationships, as well as norms and ethics. Both a complement and contrast to the policymaking process on Capitol Hill, Engines of Democracy proves that no one gives insight into state legislators and their work the way Alan Rosenthal can.
Table of Contents
Introduction
A Perspective on Legislatures Understanding Legislatures
1. WHY LEGISLATURES ARE NOT APPRECIATED
The Practices of Representative Democracy
Why Americans Are Cynical
The View from Within
2. LIVES OF LEGISLATORS
What Motivates People to Run
Opportunities and Resources
Adapting to Legislative Life
Why Legislators Leave
On Balance
3. ROOTED IN THEIR DISTRICTS
What Their Districts Are Like
Serving Their District’s Interests
Expressing Their District’s Views
District Blocks
4. LEGISLATIVE PARTIES AND ELECTIONS
What’s at Stake in Elections
How Incumbents Face Elections
How Political Parties Face Elections
Legislators and Their Parties
Legislative Redistricting
5. INTEREST GROUPS AND LOBBYING
The Nature of Groups
Lobbyists and Their Jobs
Money in the Lawmaking Process
Who Has How Much Power
6. ON LEGISLATIVE TERRAIN
Professionalism
Organization
Ethics
7. THE JOB OF LEADERSHIP
Becoming a Leader
The Responsibilities of Leadership
The Question of Power
8. THE GOVERNOR AS “LEGISLATOR IN CHIEF”
The Sharing of Legislative Powers
Why the Governor Has the Upper Hand
How the Balance Teeters
9. THE STUFF OF LAW
The Workload
How It Gets There
Legislators as Advocates
The Degree of Controversy
Public Policy
10. WHAT MAKES LAWMAKING TOUGH?
Sausage Making and Other Metaphors
Differences and Disagreements
Institutional Bases of Conflict
Complexity and Detail
An Uphill Process
11. HOW MAJORITIES GET MADE
Interest Group Lobbying
How Legislators Decide
Reaching Individual Consensus
How Legislatures Decide
12. HOW WELL DO LEGISLATURES WORK?
An Assessment of Performance
Legislative Reform
Remedying the Ailments That Exist
What Can Be Done to Improve Legislatures
Testimonials
“Alan Rosenthal has done it again. Engines of Democracy is the most extensive and penetrating exploration of state legislatures done to date. This book gives students an excellent insider’s look at legislatures, and it gives legislators and other public practitioners a broader perspective on legislative institutions and legislative processes than they can get from their own state experiences. A superb resource and read for all concerned.”
- Daniel M. Sprague, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Council of State Governments“Alan Rosenthal’s years of observation and work with state legislatures uniquely qualify him to provide insight into these ‘engines of democracy.’ His experience provides the best analysis of the modern state legislature yet written. If you are only to read one book about American government, this is the one.”
- William T. Pound, Executive Director, National Conference of State Legislatures“Alan Rosenthal is to the American State Legislature what Theodore White was to the American Presidency—the master! He is our foremost scholar of this much maligned but vitally important branch of government. Engines of Democracy is his finest book yet and should be required reading for every student of American government and for anyone who aspires to public service. And for those of us old enough to remember the legislative reform movement of the 70s, Rosenthal’s call for a new legislative reform movement today is spot on!”
- Stephen G. Lakis, President, State Legislative Leaders Foundation“Engines of Democracy—Alan Rosenthal’s capstone book—is going to be exceptionally useful not only for students but also for anyone who wants to study state legislatures but knows less about them than Alan (i.e. all of us). It fits so many purposes: an authoritative resource on legislative life around the country, an annotated bibliography of academic research, and one of the rare political science books that can make good bedtime reading.”
- Thad Kousser, University of California, San Diego“Alan Rosenthal is the most highly regarded academic student of the practical issues swirling around state legislatures. Nobody better exists to write this book. Engines of Democracy will be of great value to newly elected state legislators, as well as legislative staff and interns.”
- James Nowlan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign“Alan Rosenthal knows how to put together a book. Engines of Democracy is vintage Rosenthal. It is easy to read, with a mix of interesting examples and anecdotes—the type of thing that keeps students engaged as they read. This book covers the gamut of legislative organization and politics and weaves the thematic elements together into a larger tapestry of legislative experience.”
- Gary Moncrief, Boise State University
Bio(s)
Alan Rosenthal, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
Alan Rosenthal is Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. He has collaborated in activities with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the Council of State Governments (CSG), and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) and worked on projects and studies for legislatures in about 35 states. Currently, he is working with NCSL, the American Political Science Association (APSA), and the Center for Civic Education on the development and communication of a new public perspective on representative democracy.
In New Jersey, he chaired the Ad Hoc Commission on Legislative Ethics and Campaign Finance in 1990, was selected as the independent member and chair of the Redistricting Commission in 1992, and in 1993 received the Governor's Award for Public Service. In 1995 Rosenthal received APSA's Charles E. Merriam Award, which honors a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research.
His recent books include Republic on Trial: The Case for Representative Democracy (Rosenthal et al., 2003) and Heavy Lifting: The Job of the American Legislature (2005).
