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The Laws that Shaped America 1st Edition

by Dennis W. Johnson (Author)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 13 ratings
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For better and sometimes for worse, Congress is a reflection of the aspirations, wants, and priorities of the American people. It reflects the kaleidoscope of special interests and unselfish service to others, of favors sought and sacrifices made. During each two-year session of Congress, thousands of pieces of legislation are proposed, many hundreds are given serious consideration, but far fewer are eventually enacted into law. Most enactments have limited impact, affect few, and are quietly forgotten in the flow of legislative activity. However, a small number of laws have risen to the level of historical consequence. These are the laws that have shaped America, and they are the subject of this book.
Which pieces of legislation were the most significant for the development of the nation? Which have had an immediate or lasting impact on our society? Which laws so affected us that we could not imagine how our lives would be without them? Dennis W. Johnson vividly portrays the story of fifteen major laws enacted over the course of two centuries of American democracy. For each law, he examines the forces and circumstances that led to its enactment--the power struggles between rival interests, the competition between lawmakers and the administration, the compromises and principled stands, and the impact of the legislation and its place in American history.

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  1. ISBN-10
    0415999731
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0415999731
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publication date
    April 16, 2009
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1.23 x 9 inches
  7. Print length
    544 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"I have greatly enjoyed reading The Laws That Shaped America, a fast-moving narrative, with colorfully drawn settings and nuanced descriptions of major players. Dennis Johnson addresses major themes fundamental to lawmaking and representative democracy while effectively illustrating the inherent frustration, sluggishness, complexity, and unpredictability of the legislative process. He has brilliantly mastered a vast amount of source material with proper tone, balance, and emphasis. I learned a great deal from this book."

―Richard Baker, author of The Senate of the United States: A Bicentennial History

“Dennis Johnson has produced a masterly account of America’s landmark acts of Congress, which will be of interest to anyone interested in history and politics for years to come. It is both highly readable and exhaustive in its research. I highly recommend this book.”

― Robert B. Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus of the United States Senate

About the Author

Dennis W. Johnson is professor and former associate dean of the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, Washington, D.C. He is the author of Congress Online: Bridging the Gap between Citizens and their Representatives (Routledge, 2004) and No Place for Amateurs: How Political Consultants are Reshaping American Democracy (Second edition, Routledge, 2007).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (April 16, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0415999731
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0415999731
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.23 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.23 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 13 ratings

About the author

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Dennis W. Johnson

Dennis W. Johnson

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Dennis Johnson is professor emeritus, George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. For most of his career, Dennis was a university professor, but for a decade he took a break from teaching and writing; he worked on Capitol Hill and later became a political consultant. His writings have concentrated on the history of American public policy and the professionalization of modern campaigns. Two new books will be coming out in mid 2022. Campaigns, Elections, and the Threat to Democracy, 2d ed (Oxford) and American Public Policy: Federal Domestic Policy Achievements and Failures, 1901-2022 (Routledge). Dennis has also written Democracy for Hire: A History of American Political Consulting (Oxford, 2016), a major contribution to the study of political consulting and its impact on campaigns and elections. He also is co-editor, with his GSPM colleague Lara M. Brown, of Campaigning for President 2016 (Routledge, 2017). Dennis lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife Pat and their dog Snickers. For fun, he tries to read and write Chinese and learn how to juggle. Much harder than writing books!

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Top reviews from the United States

Placesiremember
5.0 out of 5 stars Laws that Shaped America
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2012
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This is a great and intense review of the American history. I give this book as gifts to family and friends.
Highly recommended.
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Robert A. Waller
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2014
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Excellent preparation for a course I am teaching in the Fall.
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