Taking the Initiative: Leadership Agendas in Congress and "the Contract With America" (American Governance and Public Policy)

Whatever one's political affiliation, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" signed on September 27, 1994 by over 300 Republican candidates to the 104th Congress, was a Capitol Hill milestone. Debate lingers on whether it was the key to the first Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in over 40 years. Through interviews and archival research, Bader (UCLA Center for American Politics and Public Policy) assesses the precedents, issues, priorities, and impact of this historic, if ambiguous, ten-point leadership agenda. Includes informative tables on the legislative impact of priorities and Congressional vs. presidential initiatives. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.