Cozy Politics: Political Parties, Campaign Finance, and Compromised Governance
Peter Kobrak | | ISBN: 978-1-58826-023-9 $65.00 |
| ISBN: 978-1-58826-067-3 $25.00 |
| 2002/273 pages/LC: 2001048640 |
DESCRIPTION
Cozy politics, Peter Kobrak contends, is shredding the already fragile fabric of political rapport between citizens and their government. Exploring the insidious system that encourages elected officials to cooperate with their supposed opponents—rather than with their own constituents—he reveals the enormous power that wealthy donors and interest-group supporters wield over politicians, congressional decisionmakers, and agency agendas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Kobrak is professor emeritus of public administration and political science at Western Michigan University. He has written extensively on public spending and political decisionmaking.
CONTENTS
- Introduction.
- THE CHANGING POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.
- Three-fifths of America.
- Why Parties Matter.
- The Once-and-Future Party.
- THE ESCALATION OF COZY POLITICS.
- Uncontrollable Campaign Costs and Their Consequences.
- Pathways to Congressional Decisionmaking.
- FROM COMPROMISED GOVERNANCE TO DEMOCRATIC BALANCE.
- Agency Compromise and Privatization.
- Reinventing Political Parties.
"A good example of reformist and liberal arguments about the failed potential of American democracy.... It will make a good textbook, and in addition, offers some useful insights to professional students of political parties, campaign finance, and policymaking.... The text has a lively and accessible style."—John C. Green, Perspectives on Politics
"Kobrak offers a powerful indictment of the U.S. political system."—Choice
"This is a penetrating assessment of the money-crazed, low-turnout, pork-barrel system of politics in the United States—a political system spiraling out of control."—Darrell West, Brown University