Congress and Its Members

Normally, Law has been such a struggle for me to understand. This book, long as it may be, has very good guidelines on how politics really work and why politicians struggle the way they do. Would recommend it to anyone interested in Law and Politics.

I ordered this book with about a dozen other text books, and this was the first one to arrive, and it was brand new. Thanks.

I have ordered this book in its many editions for classes that I have taught on Congress and Legislative Politics. It is one of the best general texts available--and readily accessible to those who are simply interested in the politics of Congress. One of the key points made by the authors is that there are "two Congresses": One of these is the Congress of "how a bill becomes a law," of the actions and politics characteristic of Capitol Hill. The other is the operation of representatives in their home districts, acting on behalf of their constituents, "the folks back home." The two worlds that members of Congress live in (Washington D. C. and "back home") can produce tensions and dilemmas for members of the legislature. But these conflicts help us to understand the complex nature of Congressional politics and decision-making. Lawmakers cannot just live in the one Congress or the other. They must navigate and negotiate between the two. This text covers the full territory, from the history of Congress, to how one ends up getting elected to Congress, to how Congress works and its interactions with other key political actors, to the policy process of which Congress is a key. For anyone--students or citizens--interested in the nature of Congress, this represents a good starting point.

I received my book on time and in great condition!! Better than I had expected! Thank you!!

This is probably the best textbook on Congress for undergraduates that I have seen. Primarily I like it because it's easy to read and very well written, covers all the important topics, and is not tedious. Now you might think being easy to read isn't important since it's for college students. But believe me, if you want students to actually read the assignment, more engaging texts are important.