Congress, Presidents, and American Politics

Lee H. Hamilton

Description

When Lee H. Hamilton joined Congress in 1965 as a US Representative from southern Indiana, he began writing commentaries for his constituents describing his experiences, impressions, and developing views of what was right and wrong in American politics. He continued to write regularly throughout his 34 years in office and up to the present. Lively and full of his distinctive insights, Hamilton's essays provide vivid accounts of national milestones over the past fifty years: from the protests of the Sixties, the Vietnam War, and the Great Society reforms, through the Watergate and Iran-Contra affairs, to the post-9/11 years as the vice chairman of the 9/11 commission. Hamilton offers frank and sometimes surprising reflections on Congress, the presidency, and presidential character from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. He argues that there are valuable lessons to be learned from past years, when Congress worked better than it does now. Offering history, politics, and personal reflections all at once, this book will appeal to everyone interested in understanding America of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Introduction

1. The Johnson Years (1965–1968): A Remarkable Time to Begin in Congress
Passing Medicare
The Other War in Vietnam
Thanksgiving 1966
Luncheon at the White House
Visit to the CIA
President Johnson Off the Record
Urban Riots
The Regular Order
The U.S. Role in the World
Senate Hearings on the Vietnam War
Civil Disorder after Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Assassination of Robert Kennedy

2. The Nixon Years (1969–1974): Accomplishments Amid Turmoil
Christmas at the Nixon White House
Changing the House Seniority System
Meeting with Student Protesters
Reducing the Voting Age
Setting up our System of Government
Reports on Trip to War Zone
The Pentagon Papers
Nixon's Trip to China
Evaluation of the Apollo Program
Inauguration 1973
The Costs of the Vietnam War
The Vice President's Resignation
The House Judiciary Committee and Impeachment
After Watergate

3. The Ford Years (1974–1976): A Needed Respite
The Pardon
As We Leave Vietnam
The Middle Class
The Women's Rights Movement
Politicians
Democracy and Capitalism
Big Government
Congress and Foreign Policy

4. The Carter Years (1977–1980): Intra-party Discord
Inauguration Day 1977
Human Rights
Reorganizing the Federal Bureaucracy
The Panama Canal Treaty
An Assessment of the Carter Administration
The Congressional Budget Process
A Good Word For America
The Gasoline Shortage
The Iranian Hostage Crisis
Deregulation

5. The Reagan Years (1981–1988): Letting the Democratic Process Work
President Reagan Looks at Social Security
Improving Intelligence Analysis
The Week the Government Stopped
Reflections on the 97th Congress
The Military Balance
Religion in Politics
How a Member Decides
The Appeal of Congress
Our Constitutional Heritage
Issues of the Future
Covert Actions in a Democratic Society
The Reagan-Gorbachev Summit
The Budget Legacy of the Reagan Years
The Quiet Crisis

6. The George H. W. Bush Years (1989–1992): A New World Order
SDI reassessment
House Ethics Reform
Supply-side Economics
National Spending Priorities
Lessons of the Great Society
The United States Flag and the Constitution
The Balanced Budget Amendment
The President's Arms Control Speech
Congressional Perks
The Confirmation Process
Iraq and the Persian Gulf War One Year Later

7. The Clinton Years (1993–2000): Opportunity Lost
Questions About Congress
Reinventing Government
Public Cynicism
The Term Limit Movement and Congressional Change
The Contract with America
A Sensible Role for Government
The Budget Battle
Civility in Congress
The Budget Surplus
The Starr Report and the Congressional Response
The Work of Congress
The Record of the 105th Congress
Why Voting Matters

8. The George W. Bush Years (2001–2008): A Timid Congress
Why the President Needs the Help of Congress to Make Foreign Policy
The Merits of Citizen Engagement
Why Congress Needs to Assert Itself
Oversight At Last
We Urgently Need Redistricting Reform
Our Leaders Must Find a Balance on Iraq
What Politics Should Be About
The Ten Commandments of Citizenship

9. The Obama Years (2009–2014): Continuing Struggles
Is Congress Up To The Task Before It?
Polarization Will Not Disappear Quickly
Here's An Idea For Congress: Try Democracy
In Congress, Going Big Isn't Always the Answer
It's Not Just Congress: Citizens Also Have Room to Improve
The Invisible Lawmakers
The Justices and the Scramble for Cash
Now It's Time to Focus on the Economy
The Summer of Our Discontent

10. Some Concluding Thoughts

Sujets

• American Government
• 20th Century
• Political
• HISTORY
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• Histoire
• Central government
• Federal government of the United States
• Politics
• History of the Americas
• Central
• United States
• National

Informations

• Publié par: Indiana University Press
• Date de parution: 18 avril 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780253020970
• Langue: English

Extrait

CONGRESS, PRESIDENTS, AND
AMERICAN POLITICS
LEE H. HAMILTON
CONGRESS, PRESIDENTS, AND
AMERICAN POLITICS
Fifty Years of Writings and Reflections
This book is a publication of
Indiana University Press
Office of Scholarly Publishing
Herman B Wells Library 350
1320 East 10th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA
iupress.indiana.edu
2016 by Lee H. Hamilton
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hamilton, Lee, author.
Title: Congress, presidents, and American politics : fifty years of writings and reflections / Lee H. Hamilton.
Description: Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 2016. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015050743| ISBN 9780253020864 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780253020970 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: United States-Politics and government-1945-1989. | United States-Politics and government-1989- | Hamilton, Lee.
Classification: LCC E839.5 .H36 2016 | DDC 320.97309/04-dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015050743
1 2 3 4 5 21 20 19 18 17 16
My main debt of gratitude is to my wife Nancy, who is deeply missed by us all, and our children, Tracy, Debbie, and Doug, each of whom has given me pride and support in the years gone by .
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. THE JOHNSON YEARS (1965-68): A REMARKABLE TIME TO BEGIN IN CONGRESS
The Facts about the Medicare Bill
The Other War in Vietnam
Thanksgiving 1966
Luncheon at the White House
Visit to the CIA
President Johnson off the Record
Urban Riots
The Regular Order
The US Role in the World
Senate Hearings on the Vietnam War
Civil Disorder after the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Assassination of Robert Kennedy
2. THE NIXON YEARS (1969-74): ACCOMPLISHMENTS AMID TURMOIL
Christmas at the Nixon White House
Changing the House Seniority System
Meeting with Student Protesters
Reducing the Voting Age
Setting Up Our System of Government
Reports on Trip to War Zone
The Pentagon Papers
Nixon s Trip to China
Evaluation of the Apollo Program
Inauguration 1973
The Costs of the Vietnam War
The Vice President s Resignation
The House Judiciary Committee and Impeachment
After Watergate
3. THE FORD YEARS (1974-76): A NEEDED RESPITE
The Pardon
As We Leave Vietnam
The Middle Class
The Quiet Revolution
Politicians
Democracy and Capitalism
Big Government
Congress and Foreign Policy
4. THE CARTER YEARS (1977-80): INTRAPARTY DISCORD
Some Impressions from the Inauguration
Human Rights
Reorganizing the Federal Bureaucracy
The Panama Canal Treaty
An Assessment of the Carter Administration
The Congressional Budget Process
A Good Word for America
Reflections on the Gasoline Shortage
The Hostage Crisis Worsens
Deregulation
5. THE REAGAN YEARS (1981-88): LETTING THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WORK
President Reagan Looks at Social Security
Improving Intelligence Analysis
The Week the Government Stopped
Reflections on the 97th Congress
The Military Balance: Questions and Answers
Religion in Politics
How a Member Decides
The Appeal of Congress
Our Constitutional Heritage
Issues of the Future
Covert Operations in a Democratic Society
The Reagan-Gorbachev Summit
The Budget Legacy of the Reagan Years
The Quiet Crisis
6. THE GEORGE H. W. BUSH YEARS (1989-92): A NEW WORLD ORDER
SDI Reassessment
House Ethics Reform
Supply-Side Economics
National Spending Priorities
The Lessons of the Great Society
The United States Flag and the Constitution
The Balanced Budget Amendment
The President s Arms Control Speech
Congressional Perks
The Confirmation Process
Iraq and the Persian Gulf War One Year Later
7. THE CLINTON YEARS (1993-2000): OPPORTUNITIES MISSED
Questions about Congress
Reinventing Government
Public Cynicism
The Term Limit Movement and Congressional Change
The Contract with America
A Sensible Role for Government
The Budget Battle
Civility in Congress
The Budget Surplus
The Starr Report and the Congressional Response
The Work of Congress
The Record of the 105th Congress
Why Voting Matters
8. THE GEORGE W. BUSH YEARS (2001-2008): A TIMID CONGRESS
Why the President Needs the Help of Congress to Make Foreign Policy
The Merits of Civic Engagement
Why Congress Needs to Assert Itself
Oversight at Last
We Urgently Need Redistricting Reform
Our Leaders Must Find a Balance on Iraq
What Politics Should Be About
The Ten Commandments of Citizenship
9. THE OBAMA YEARS (2009-14): CONTINUING STRUGGLES
Is Congress Up to the Task before It?
Polarization Will Not Disappear Quickly
Here s an Idea for Congress: Try Democracy
In Congress, Going Big Isn t Always the Answer
It s Not Just Congress: Citizens Also Have Room to Improve
The Invisible Lawmakers
The Justices and the Scramble for Cash
Now It s Time to Focus on the Economy
The Summer of Our Discontent
Some Concluding Thoughts
Index
Acknowledgments
This book has benefited from the contributions of many people. The talented staff who assisted me in the writing of the commentaries over the thirty-four years I was in Congress are too numerous to mention individually, but I greatly appreciated their assistance. They contributed a great deal to these pieces-and to my office-over the years. Since I left Congress, Rob Gurwitt has been particularly helpful with the style and readability of my commentaries. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Ken Nelson, with whom I have worked productively for more than thirty years. Ken helped me select the commentaries for the book, and his suggestions on content were invaluable. Rebecca Tolen and Nancy Lightfoot from IU Press provided important guidance throughout the writing and editing process, and meticulous copyediting was provided by Eric Levy.
Of the many sources of information for the book, I would especially note three that were helpful in pulling together the Key Facts sections for the various Congresses: Landmark Legislation, 1774-2012 , by Stephen W. Stathis (CQ Press, 2014), Vital Statistics on Congress, by Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann, Michael J. Malbin, Andrew Rugg, and Raffaela Wakeman ( http://www.brookings.edu ), and CQ Almanac (CQ Press, various years).
CONGRESS, PRESIDENTS, AND
AMERICAN POLITICS
INTRODUCTION
FROM MY EARLIEST DAYS IN CONGRESS I BELIEVED STRONGLY IN the importance of an informed electorate and the regular dialogue between representative and represented. So in March 1965, after being in office for only two months, I wrote my first newsletter for constituents-on the Vietnam War. In December 2014 the commentary that closed out my fiftieth year of writing these was on the need for Congress to focus on long-term economic growth. In between I wrote some two thousand commentaries giving my observations on Congress and American politics, usually on a weekly basis.
I am not aware of a similar effort as extensive by another member of Congress. It took a fair amount of work, both by me and by my staff. And it could be difficult, especially during busy times in Congress, to produce a thousand-word statement each week on key issues of the day, but I felt it was worth the effort. Congress can be a bewildering institution even to those of us who have worked in it for several years; it s even more confusing for the people back home.
The idea for the commentaries arose from what I saw as several needs. When I first went to Congress, my immediate impression was that Washington, DC, needed a lot of explaining to the people back home. I also saw the complexity of the issues early on, and I was not pleased with the coverage of Congress in the media. Plus, from meetings back home I would get a sense about concepts that were not well understood by the public, and I felt that my commentaries could contribute to enhancing the quality of the relationship between elected official and voter. I also found writing the commentaries to be a good way to educate myself-helping me to organize my thoughts and giving me some resources that I could use when I d go back to the district for public meetings, so I could do my best to explain complicated issues of the day in understandable, fairly simple terms.
The commentaries covered a wide range of topics, as illustrated in the list below, which shows the subjects of my weekly Washington Reports in a typical year, 1980. The following year I also started writing a separate Foreign Affairs Newsletter, on a monthly basis, and a few of these are also included in this volume.
WASHINGTON REPORT TOPICS FOR 1980
1. The Future Face of Fa