Title

Rostenkowski : the pursuit of power and the end of the old politics

Description

For thirteen years, during a time of Democratic congressional dominance in Washington, Dan Rostenkowski became one of the most influential American legislators of the twentieth century. As chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the congressman from Illinois left his mark on the nation's tax laws, international trade, Social Security, health care, welfare programs, and a good many other policies that affected most Americans. He practiced old-school politics; he passed out political favors liberally; he could be gruff and abrupt. But the route for important legislation ran through Rostenkowski's office.--BOOK JACKET."Richard Cohen's scrupulous political biography of 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."--BOOK JACKET. "Mr. Cohen's story offers much more than Rostenkowski's personal tragedy; it is a tale of the transformation of American political life. Because he served so many years in Congress (1959-1995), Rostenkowski's career illuminates the changing nature of both the institution and the Democratic party."--BOOK JACKET.

Identifier

832204

1566632544

Creator

Cohen, Richard E

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

1999

Program air date: September 19, 1999

Publisher

Ivan R. Dee

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Front endpapers contain notes providing information on Rostenkowski's background, his family, his service of 13 years as Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, his penchant for expensive restaurants and fancy trips, his project to celebrate the bicentennial of the Ways and Means Committee in a lavish history in 1989, and list other politicians mentioned in this book, e.g. Jack Murtha, Kent Hance, Richard Bolling, Wilbur Mills, Bob Bennett and Eric Holder. Other notes state that Rostenkowski always wanted to be Speaker, that the Democrats were not ready for the Reagan onslaught following the 1980 election, but that Rostenkowski was more comfortable with mainstream Republicans in later years. References to Rostenkowski's arch nemesis David Obey and his trial which found him guilty of fraud are also included. -- Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book. -- Examples: p. 123: "Starting in the late 1970s, young activists - such as Democrat Dick Gephardt and Republican Newt Gingrich - seeking to shape the nation's debate made the task of back-room operators like Rostenkowski far more difficult than for their predecessors." -- p. 267: ""I'm here [in prison] for what I admitted tongue in cheek,"" he [Rostenkowski] said. ""I don't think I'm isolated as the only one who did it....I'm not completely convinced that what I did was wrong."" Dispensing gifts to some friends and hiring the children of others was "my way of life," he added. He worked hard at his job, he said, and he didn't have time to pay attention to all the rules changes. He remained emphatic that he did not participate in stamps-for-cash practices." -- p. 287: "Even though Rostenkowski, too, occasionally made mistakes, the fact that he far more often succeeded is a tribute to his political training - from mentors like his father, Richard Daley, Wilbur Mills, and Lyndon Johnson - as well as to his own instincts and common sense."

Subject

"Rostenkowski, Dan."

"United States. Congress. House--Biography."

"Legislators--United States--Biography."

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

Rights

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