This scrupulous political biography of Dan Rostenkowski follows his rise to power from modest origins in the Democratic ward politics of Chicago's Polish northwest side, through his national legislative triumphs, and ultimately to his criminal conviction and imprisonment for abuses of House practice. But the story offers much more than Rostenkowski's personal tragedy: it's a tale of the transformation of American political life, and of the fall of old-fashioned congressional politics. An insider's story. Anybody wanting to understand Congress and its place in American politics should read it. Jim Wright. Masterful. . . not just a book on Rostenkowski; Cohen has spun the tale of the entire modern period of Congress. Larry Sabato
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Dan Rostenkowski--Chicago ward politician, 36-year congressman, and former chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee--went from the pinnacle of power to federal prison when he was convicted of corruption in 1994. His downfall makes for fascinating political drama, and Richard E. Cohen, a veteran Congressional reporter for the National Journal and author of three books on Washington, D.C., is well-placed to examine the long and colorful career of this Chicago bull's political life.
Rostenkowski's father was a city alderman in Chicago and a Democratic ward boss who taught his son the importance of taking care of constituents. For Danny, politics was the family business. However, this book is as much about the way Congress worked under Democratic leadership in the '60s, '70s, and '80s as it is about Rostenkowski. Plenty of attention is devoted to internal Democratic power struggles, for instance, while Rostenkowski's kickback scandal receives comparatively little space. At times, Cohen even seems to downplay his wrongdoings, quoting aides and colleagues who said of Rosty, "In the 1990s he used 1950s' rules. The standards changed and he didn't change with them." Cohen writes that the end of Rostenkowski's political career also marked the end of an era in politics and that characters like "Rosty" have "all but disappeared from increasingly bland American politics.... we won't see many more like him." Some might say that's a good thing. --Linda Killian
For more than twenty years Richard E. Cohen has reported on Congress for the National Journal, a nonpartisan magazine located in Washington, D.C. A winner of the Dirksen Prize for distinguished reporting on Congress, he has also written Washington at Work and Changing Course in Washington: Clinton and the New Congress.
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Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. For thirteen years, during a time of Democratic congressional dominance in Washington, Dan Rostenkowski became one of the most influential American legislators of the twentieth century. As chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the representative from Illinois influenced the nations tax laws, international trade, Social Security, health care, welfare, and a good many other areaspolicies that affected most Americans. Richard Cohens scrupulous political biography of Rostenkowski follows his rise to power from modest origins in the Democratic ward politics of Chicagos Polish northwest side, to his legislative triumphs, and ultimately to his criminal conviction and imprisonment for abuses of House practice. Because Rostenkowski served so many years in Congress (1959-1995), his career offers a prism into the changing nature of the institution and of the Democratic party, a change that gradually brought a new bitterness to Washington politics. Even when the congressman gained national influence, he remained close to Chicago politics and his boss, Richard J. Daley; but as he lost touch with local voters, opposed to political reforms, and clung to his personal stubbornness, he greased the skids for his downfall. Mr. Cohen has written a compelling, eye-opening story of American politics at work, portrayed through his career of one of its most fascinating practitioners. With 8 pages of photographs. This scrupulous biography follows Rostenkowski's rise to power from his modest origins in Chicago's Polish northwest side though his national legislative triumphs, to his criminal conviction and imprisonment. Photos. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781566633109
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