The Dance of Legislation has long been considered a classic description of the legislative process. In it, Eric Redman draws on his two years as a member of Senator Warren Magnuson's staff to trace the drafting and passing of a piece of legislation - S.4106, the National Health Service Bill - with all the maneuvers, plots, counterplots, frustrations, triumphs, and sheer work and dedication involved. He provides a vivid picture of the bureaucratic infighting, political prerogatives, and Congressional courtesies necessary to make something happen on Capitol Hill. In a Postscript to the 2000 edition, Redman reflects on how that process has, and has not, changed in the thirty years since the book was first published.

A classic description of the legislative process, tracing the drafting and passing of a single piece of legislation with all the maneuvering, frustrations, and triumphs involved.

About the Author

Eric Redman was a logger, longshoreman, Rhodes Scholar, and writing teacher, as well as a legislative aide. Today he is a Seattle attorney specializing in public policy and energy law. Richard E. Neustadt is Douglas Dillon Professor of Government emeritus, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Reviews

"What Redman has written about the evolution of a health bill could be written about comparable constellations of personalities and pressures affecting an education or a housing or farm or tax bill. But few writers have actually produced a book that has such a useful blend of information, self-deprecatory humor, and keen rendering of the distinctive atmosphere of Congress."

* New York Times Book Review *

"An outstanding book for undergraduates interested in politics."

* Choice *



Book Information
ISBN 9780295980232
Author Eric Redman
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of Washington Press
Publisher University of Washington Press
Weight(grams) 363g