Author Description

The Guide to Current American Government is a collection of the best of recent Congressional Quarterly reporting, as published in the highly acclaimed and newly expanded CQ Weekly magazine. Arranged in four sections-Foundations of American Government, Political Participation, Government Institutions, and Politics and Public Policy-the Guide complements introductory American government textbooks and is ideal for research or general reading. The selections in this volume present balanced, nonpartisan reporting and analyses of many of the most important current political issues. Topics include the struggle for leadership of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections, the Bush administration's scaled-down second-term agenda, lingering questions raised by recent judicial confirmation battles in the Senate, the new era for the Republican Party following the departure of former House majority leader Tom DeLay, issues surrounding the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and warrantless surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency. Also included in this Guide are indepth reports on a wide range of timely subjects, among them the immigration reform debate, attempts to overhaul the tax code, a Bush administration plan for consumer-driven health care and litigation over obesity brought against the food industry. An appendix offers useful, accessible explanations of the legislative and budgetary processes, a reader-friendly description of how a bill becomes a law, a glossary of legislative terms and a section on Internet resources for congressional information. The Guide also includes a detailed index. Whether searching for answers to specific questions or browsing for pleasure, students, scholars, researchers and general readers will find the Guide to Current American Government an indispensable resource. Book jacket.