Legislative Learning: The 104th Republican Freshmen In The House (politics And Policy In American Institutions)

Legislative Learning breaks new theoretical and descriptive ground in examining the political perceptions, policy principles and power plays of the influential 104th Republican freshmen in the U.S. House. This even-handed book builds on the work of leading congressional scholars, and provides a detailed evaluation of coalition politics, freshmen style. Barnett shows how political environments can produce legislators who place a premium on their policy-making goals through a nuanced exploration of factors undergirding member perceptions, policy ambitions, class cohesion, and legislative learning. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of Tables......Page 10 Series Editor's Foreword......Page 12 Foreword......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 Acknowledgments......Page 18 The Watershed Congress and Theory Development......Page 22 1997: Three Scenes from Act II of the GOP Revolution......Page 30 The Reelection Goal and Ambition Theory: Mayhew and Fenno Revisited......Page 46 The Development of 104th Freshman Class Cohesion......Page 74 Perspectives of the 104th GOP Freshmen: An Overview......Page 108 Freshmen and Principles: The Contract as Mission......Page 142 Freshmen and Principals: The Perception of a Mandate......Page 168 The Freshmen as a Political Unit: Limitations and Dimensions......Page 186 Leadership and Freshman Class Power Relations in the House......Page 202 Learning by Doing: The Progress of the 104th Class......Page 236 Putting the 104th Freshman Class into Perspective......Page 266 Epilogue......Page 298 Interview List......Page 308 Research Design and Data Acquisition......Page 312 References......Page 316 Index......Page 346 Ch. 1. The Watershed Congress And Theory Development -- Ch. 2. 1997 : Three Scenes From Act Ii Of The Gop Revolution -- Ch. 3. The Reelection Goal And Ambition Theory : Mayhew And Fenno Revisited -- Ch. 4. The Development Of 104th Freshman Class Cohesion -- Ch. 5. Perspectives Of The 104th Gop Freshmen : An Overview -- Ch. 6. Freshmen And Principles : The Contract As Mission -- Ch. 7. Freshmen And Principals : The Perception Of A Mandate -- Ch. 8. The Freshmen As A Political Unit : Limitations And Dimensions -- Ch. 9. Leadership And Freshman Class Power Relations In The House. Ch. 10. Learning By Doing : The Progress Of The 104th Class -- Ch. 11. Putting The 104th Freshman Class In To Perspective. Timothy J. Barnett. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-325) And Index. Based upon freshmen class surveys and interviews, this book seeks to understand the 104th GOP freshmen's high class identity and group power as well as the nature and scope of the class's legislative learning. In November 1994, the Republican party gained control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress for the first time in forty years.