Citizens as Legislators
Title | Citizens as Legislators PDF eBook |
Author | Shaun Bowler |
Publisher | Parliaments & Legislatures |
Total Pages | 0 |
Release | 1998 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 9780814207772 |
Early in the twentieth century, many American states began experimenting with direct democracy. Direct democracy -- primarily the initiative device -- allows groups to place directly before voters laws affecting taxation, spending, term limits, school choice, gay rights, immigration, and numerous other state issues. Ballot initiatives were expected to allow citizens the option of getting around legislators, who were seen as beholden to wealthy interests; early defenders of the process argued it would make state politics more responsive to the public will, and more responsible. Citizens as Legislators examines direct democracy in America at the end of the twentieth century to see if it has lived up to these expectations.The seven contributors to this volume use the American experience with direct democracy to investigate some fundamental questions of politics: Can modern democracy have direct citizen participation in legislation? What are the consequences of more (or less) direct citizen access to government?The authors look at the context of initiative campaigns and detail the rise of the modern initiative campaign industry. They examine how campaigns affect voters and how voters deal with the array of decisions they face in direct democracy states. They go on to explain why certain policy outcomes are different in direct democracy states.
Citizen's Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials
Title | Citizen's Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials PDF eBook |
Author | Bradford Fitch |
Publisher | The Capitol Net Inc |
Total Pages | 119 |
Release | 2010 |
Genre | Lobbying |
ISBN | 1587332329 |
One part research studies, one part interviews and focus groups, and one part experience, this text provides practical guidance on preparing for and meeting with elected officials and staff, writing effective letters and e-mails to elected officials, and strategies for influencing legislators face to face.
A Citizen Legislature
Title | A Citizen Legislature PDF eBook |
Author | Ernest Callenbach |
Publisher | |
Total Pages | 100 |
Release | 1985 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN |
Representing America
Title | Representing America PDF eBook |
Author | Rebekah Herrick |
Publisher | Lexington Books |
Total Pages | 136 |
Release | 2007 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN | 9780739117279 |
During the 1990s, many members of the House of Representatives could be characterized as citizen legislators - they either voluntarily limited their term in office or they had no prior political experience. Representing America compares the representational styles of these legislators with the professional legislators, who make a career out of being a legislator, elected at the time.
Why Are You Here?
Title | Why Are You Here? PDF eBook |
Author | Franklin L. Kury |
Publisher | University Press of America |
Total Pages | 112 |
Release | 2014-10-08 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 0761864636 |
Why Are You Here?: A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens is a challenge to America’s 7,382 state legislators and their constituents to critically examine their state legislature and take appropriate action to improve it. This is a handbook telling how legislatures came to be, how they function, and discussing how they have fallen in public esteem. The book provides an analytical discussion for evaluating how any legislature deals with four issues: personal greed, criminal and ethical scandal, the influence of money and lobbying, and self-serving legislative seat apportionment. The last section is a “Legislative Toolbox” that provides information helpful in evaluating legislatures and readings of a patriotic nature that enhance idealism and spirit.
Toward an Ethic of Citizenship
Title | Toward an Ethic of Citizenship PDF eBook |
Author | William K. Dustin |
Publisher | iUniverse |
Total Pages | 260 |
Release | 2000-01-11 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 9781469742304 |
The idea for this book arose out of a little known political scandal, known as "phonegate", that occurred in Minnesota in the early 1990's in which a number of legislators were found to have been abusing their phone privileges. The hubris of the legislature in response to the discovery of this abuse not only made me rather angry, but, since I had been called for jury duty the year before, gave me the idea that service in the legislature ought to be a duty of citizenship like jury duty. Although the idea of the citizen legislature goes back to Aristotle, serious consideration of it raises the question of what is meant by citizenship and representation. This book addresses that question. It is an attempt to develop a model of citizenship in which representation is simultaneously a fundamental right and the highest obligation. After developing these ideas at a rather high level of abstraction, the book concludes with a proposed constitutional amendment for the State of Minnesota to illustrate how the model will work in practice.
The Citizen Role in Legislative Effectiveness
Title | The Citizen Role in Legislative Effectiveness PDF eBook |
Author | Citizens Conference on State Legislatures |
Publisher | |
Total Pages | 72 |
Release | 1973 |
Genre | Citizens' associations |
ISBN |