Rostenkowski; The Pursuit of Power and the End of the Old Politics
Rick Bloom (Author photograph) Chicago, IL: Ivan R. Dee, 1999. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. [8], 311,[1] pages. Illustrations Notes. A Note on sources. Index. DJ has some wear and soiling. Signed by the author sticker on the front of the DJ. Signed by the author with sentiment on the title page: with best wishes Richard Cohen. Richard E. Cohen is a journalist and author. He is a congressional correspondent for POLITICO. He received the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for distinguished reporting on Congress in 1990. Cohen also received the Sigma Delta Chi and Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Awards for his investigative reporting. Cohen also works as a weekly columnist for The Washington Post where he is responsible for writing on domestic and foreign politics. He began working for The Post in 1968 as a reporter. During this time, his work focused on police, city hall, education, state government, and national politics. He later worked as the chief Maryland correspondent where he covered the investigation of former Vice President Spiro Agnew. In 1976, Cohen wrote a column for The Post which was published in the Metro section. In 1981, his column was nationally syndicated and it appeared on the op-ed page in The Post. He wrote a biography of Dan Rostenkowski, Rostenkowski: The Pursuit of Power and the End of the Old Politics. He also wrote a book with Jules Witcover called "A Heartbeat Away: The Investigation and Resignation of Spiro T. Agnew." 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. Masterful...not just a book on Rostenkowski; Cohen has spun the tale of the entire modern period of Congress. --Larry Sabato. Daniel David Rostenkowski (January 2, 1928 – August 11, 2010) was a United States Representative from Chicago, serving for 36 years, from 1959 to 1995. He became one of the most powerful legislators in Congress, especially in matters of taxation. He was imprisoned in 1996. A Democrat and son of a Chicago alderman, Rostenkowski was for many years Democratic Committeeman of Chicago's 32nd Ward, retaining this position while also serving in Congress. In national politics, he rose by virtue of seniority to the rank of Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in 1981. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he played a critical role in formulating tax policy during the Republican administration of Ronald Reagan, including the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which cut the top federal bracket to 50%, and the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which further lowered it to 28% and reduced the number of brackets to only two. He was also involved in trade policy, as well as reforms of the welfare system, health care, and Social Security programs. Rostenkowski closed legislative deals between the toughest power brokers in the U.S., from union chiefs to corporate titans to president Reagan and to everyone in between. Rostenkowski's political career, however, ended abruptly in 1994 when he was indicted on corruption charges relating to his role in the Congressional Post Office Scandal, and then narrowly defeated for reelection by Republican Michael Patrick Flanagan. He subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud in 1996 and was fined and sentenced to 17 months in prison. In December 2000, president Bill Clinton pardoned Rostenkowski. Condition: Very good / Good.
Keywords: Dan Rostenkowski, Wilbur Mills, Bill Clinton, Richard Gephardt, U.S. Congress, Corruption, Democratic Party, Ethics, Ways and Means, Richard Daley, Health Care Legislation, Tip O'Neill, Jim Wright
ISBN: 1566632544
[Book #85058]
Price: $70.00