Raising Hell for Justice: The Washington Battles of a Heartland Progressive
by David Obey
University of Wisconsin Press, 2007 eISBN: 978-0-299-22543-8 | Cloth: 978-0-299-22540-7 Library of Congress Classification E840.8.O225A3 2007 Dewey Decimal Classification 328.73092
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
David Obey has in his nearly forty years in the U.S. House of Representatives worked to bring economic and social justice to America’s working families. In 2007 he assumed the chair of the Appropriations Committee and is positioned to pursue his priority concerns for affordable health care, education, environmental protection, and a foreign policy consistent with American democratic ideals.
Here, in his autobiography, Obey looks back on his journey in politics beginning with his early years in the Wisconsin Legislature, when Wisconsin moved through eras of shifting balance between Republicans and Democrats. On a national level Obey traces, as few others have done, the dramatic changes in the workings of the U.S. Congress since his first election to the House in 1969. He discusses his own central role in the evolution of Congress and ethics reforms and his view of the recent Bush presidency—crucial chapters in our democracy, of interest to all who observe politics and modern U.S. history.
Best Books for Regional General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians, and Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the Public Library Association
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
David R. Obey (D-Wausau) is the longest-serving member of the U.S. Congress in Wisconsin history and is the current chair of the House Appropriations Committee. In the 1980s and early 1990s, he chaired the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, which funded America’s economic and political response to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
REVIEWS
"Dave Obey’s story reminds us that in a city of quicksand it is still possible to stand on principle as a servant of your ideals and the public.”—Bill Moyers, author of Moyers on America
“More than a shrewd and candid inside look at Congress, written by a gutsy battler for liberal causes and a man with a rich appreciation for the foibles of his colleague, Obey has produced a great testament to the enduring values of our system of representative government, a reminder of what public service can really mean when rendered by a person of courage and character.”—David S. Broder, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post
“Raising Hell for Justice is a powerful and enlightening political memoir by one of America’s all-time great legislators. Obey is one of a vanishing breed in Congress whose entire career in public life has been committed to both advancing a principled agenda and working constructively with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to hammer out agreements that advance that agenda. Obey burns with a passion sparked by his childhood experience growing up in an economically vulnerable working class family and channeled into politics and policy-making by his embrace of Catholic social justice and La Follette progressivism. His compelling memoir demonstrates how ennobling and satisfying a career in the first branch of government can be.”—Thomas E. Mann, W. Averell Harriman Chair and senior fellow in governance studies, Brookings Institution
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<new recto>
Contents
Acknowledgments 000
Prologue 000
Part 1. Foundation Years
1. Roots 000
2. College Years 000
Part 2. The Other End of State Street
3. Political Baptism 000
4. Learning State Government 000
5. "You're Going to Congress" 000
Part 3. One of 435: Years of Learning
6. New Kid on the Block 000
7. Digging in for the Long Haul 000
8. Alvin 000
9. Pushing for Change 000
10. Nixon Goes 000
11. New Job, New Rules, New Enemies 000
12. Life with Jimmy 000
Part 4. Years of Responsibility
13. Fighting Reaganomics 000
14. Two New Jobs, One Secret War 000
15. Working with Bush I 000
16. Poison in the House, Poison at Home 000
17. The Clinton Clean Up Brigade 000
18. The Chairmanship 000
Part 5. Priorities and Presidents
19. Gingrich Takes Over 000
20. Impeachment Again 000
21. In the Trenches with Clinton 000
22. George Bush, Jr. 000
23. 9/11: The World Changes 000
24. Misled into War 000
Part 6. Other Battles
25. Hell Bent on Deregulation 000
26. Environment under Assault 000
27. Limiting Money in Politics 000
Part 7. Summing Up
28. Presidents 000
29. Values 000
Appendixes
My Conscience, My Vote 000
000
Index 000
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
Raising Hell for Justice: The Washington Battles of a Heartland Progressive
by David Obey
University of Wisconsin Press, 2007 eISBN: 978-0-299-22543-8 Cloth: 978-0-299-22540-7
David Obey has in his nearly forty years in the U.S. House of Representatives worked to bring economic and social justice to America’s working families. In 2007 he assumed the chair of the Appropriations Committee and is positioned to pursue his priority concerns for affordable health care, education, environmental protection, and a foreign policy consistent with American democratic ideals.
Here, in his autobiography, Obey looks back on his journey in politics beginning with his early years in the Wisconsin Legislature, when Wisconsin moved through eras of shifting balance between Republicans and Democrats. On a national level Obey traces, as few others have done, the dramatic changes in the workings of the U.S. Congress since his first election to the House in 1969. He discusses his own central role in the evolution of Congress and ethics reforms and his view of the recent Bush presidency—crucial chapters in our democracy, of interest to all who observe politics and modern U.S. history.
Best Books for Regional General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians, and Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the Public Library Association
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
David R. Obey (D-Wausau) is the longest-serving member of the U.S. Congress in Wisconsin history and is the current chair of the House Appropriations Committee. In the 1980s and early 1990s, he chaired the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, which funded America’s economic and political response to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
REVIEWS
"Dave Obey’s story reminds us that in a city of quicksand it is still possible to stand on principle as a servant of your ideals and the public.”—Bill Moyers, author of Moyers on America
“More than a shrewd and candid inside look at Congress, written by a gutsy battler for liberal causes and a man with a rich appreciation for the foibles of his colleague, Obey has produced a great testament to the enduring values of our system of representative government, a reminder of what public service can really mean when rendered by a person of courage and character.”—David S. Broder, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post
“Raising Hell for Justice is a powerful and enlightening political memoir by one of America’s all-time great legislators. Obey is one of a vanishing breed in Congress whose entire career in public life has been committed to both advancing a principled agenda and working constructively with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to hammer out agreements that advance that agenda. Obey burns with a passion sparked by his childhood experience growing up in an economically vulnerable working class family and channeled into politics and policy-making by his embrace of Catholic social justice and La Follette progressivism. His compelling memoir demonstrates how ennobling and satisfying a career in the first branch of government can be.”—Thomas E. Mann, W. Averell Harriman Chair and senior fellow in governance studies, Brookings Institution
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<new recto>
Contents
Acknowledgments 000
Prologue 000
Part 1. Foundation Years
1. Roots 000
2. College Years 000
Part 2. The Other End of State Street
3. Political Baptism 000
4. Learning State Government 000
5. "You're Going to Congress" 000
Part 3. One of 435: Years of Learning
6. New Kid on the Block 000
7. Digging in for the Long Haul 000
8. Alvin 000
9. Pushing for Change 000
10. Nixon Goes 000
11. New Job, New Rules, New Enemies 000
12. Life with Jimmy 000
Part 4. Years of Responsibility
13. Fighting Reaganomics 000
14. Two New Jobs, One Secret War 000
15. Working with Bush I 000
16. Poison in the House, Poison at Home 000
17. The Clinton Clean Up Brigade 000
18. The Chairmanship 000
Part 5. Priorities and Presidents
19. Gingrich Takes Over 000
20. Impeachment Again 000
21. In the Trenches with Clinton 000
22. George Bush, Jr. 000
23. 9/11: The World Changes 000
24. Misled into War 000
Part 6. Other Battles
25. Hell Bent on Deregulation 000
26. Environment under Assault 000
27. Limiting Money in Politics 000
Part 7. Summing Up
28. Presidents 000
29. Values 000
Appendixes
My Conscience, My Vote 000
000
Index 000
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE