1st Edition

The U.s. Congress And The German Bundestag Comparisons Of Democratic Processes

    582 Pages
    by Routledge

    582 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book examines the lawmaking bodies of the United states and the Germany and their constitutional duties and limitations. It is a first ever joint US-German parliamentary study that compares and contrasts two of the democratic West's most powerful legislatures.

    Preface -- Introduction -- Problems of Legislative Comparisons -- The United States and the Formation of the Bundestag -- Introduction -- The United States and the Formation of the Bundestag -- Representatives and Those They Represent -- Introduction -- Congress as a Representative Institution -- Representation in the Federal Republic of Germany -- The Social Composition of Congress -- The Social Composition of the Bundestag -- Constitutional Context -- Introduction -- Congress and the Individual States: Centralized Balancing of Interests -- The Bundestag and the Federal System -- Congress and the Third Power -- Relationship of the Bundestag and the Federal Constitutional Court -- Organization and Operation -- Introduction -- Parties and Committees in Congress -- Parties (Parliamentary Groups) and Committees in the Bundestag -- Interest Representation in the Capitol -- Interest Group Representation in the Bundestag -- Policy Areas -- Introduction -- Congress and Economic Policy: The Federal Budget -- Economic and Social Policy in the Bundestag -- The Voice of Congress in Foreign Policy -- Foreign Policy in the Bundestag -- Strategic Arms Policy: War and Peace Between Congress and President -- Control of Security Policy -- Assessment of Technological Consequences in the U.S. Congress -- Science and Technology in the German Bundestag Examined Through the Committee on Research and Technology -- Media and Public Opinion -- Introduction -- Legislators and Media Producers: Congress and Communication in the U.S. -- The Bundestag and Media in the Federal Republic of Germany -- Comparative Summary -- Summary: Comparing Congress and the Bundestag -- Statistical Appendix -- Introduction

    Biography

    Uwe Thaysen, Roger H. Davidson, Robert Gerald Livingston