Rivals for Power: Presidential-Congressional Relations

(Hardback, Seventh Edition)

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Now in its seventh edition, Rivals for Power: Presidential-Congressional Relations brings together the knowledge of leading scholars and scholar-practitioners alike to explain the complex political dynamic between the president and Congress. Contributors analyze the structural, political, and behavioral factors that shape this relationship, while showing how and why rivalry has tended to intensify when different parties control the two branches.

Intended for students, scholars, public officials, and the general public, Rivals for Power offers an accessible and engaging analysis of executive and legislative rivalry across a span of eras, with particular attention to developments from the Obama, Trump, and Biden presidencies.

Reviews

Thurber and Tama present an excellent edited volume studying seemingly every facet of the relationship between Congress and the president. The authors outline the complex political dynamics, intense constitutional rivalry, and evolving electoral and policy demands that define this relationship. This well-written bookclearly intended for a general audienceshould be commended for its comprehensive nature and its impressive list of contributors. [A] valuable contribution to the scholarly literature about Congress, the presidency, and American politics. Highly recommended. All readership levels. * Choice Reviews *
Nobody better understands the unique power dynamics of the American political system than Jim Thurber. The competition and cooperation, the distortions of partisanship, the (sometimes ignored) constitutional constraints, all come under the Thurber microscope in this absolutely invaluable study. Shaped by Professor Thurber's guiding hand, Rivals for Power is a marvelous compilation of work by some of America's top political scholars, combining to give us all a better understanding of the complex machinations of American government. -- Former Congressman Mickey Edwards, lecturer and visiting professor, Princeton University
For the 7th edition, James Thurber has done it again: he has enlisted top scholars to write perceptive essays about congressional-presidential relations. This concise volume addresses enduring questions and contemporary issues in a way that will appeal to college students and practitioners alike. It will be a valuable addition to courses on Congress, the presidency, and American politics in general. -- John J. Pitney Jr., Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics, Claremont McKenna College

Author Bio

James A. Thurber is University Distinguished Professor of Government and Founder (1979) and Former Director (1979-2016) of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University in Washington, D.C.