Scandal Proof: Do Ethics Laws Make Government Ethical (Paperback)

~ G. Calvin MacKenzie (Author), Michael Hafken (Author) "For young William O. Douglas, who later served for more than three decades on the U.S. Supreme Court, the call changed his life..." (more)
Key Phrases: new ethics regulations, recusal statement, presidential recruiting, White House, Office of Government Ethics, Government Act (more...)

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Product Description

1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10930, the first step in a long series of efforts to regulate the ethical behavior of executive branch officials. A few years later Lyndon B. Johnson required all senior officials to report assets and sources of non-government income to the Civil Service Commission. The reaction to Watergate opened the floodgates to more laws and rules: the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, subsequent expansions of that act in the 1980s and 1990s, and sweeping executive orders by Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

The consequence of these aggressive efforts to scandal proof the federal government is a heavy accumulation of law and regulation administered by agencies employing hundreds of people and spending millions of dollars every year. Ethics regulation has been one of the steady growth sectors in the federal government for decades.

This book explores the process that led to the current state of ethics regulation in the federal executive branch. It assesses whether efforts to scandal proof the federal government have been successful, what they have cost, and whether reforms should be considered.

Informed by research of unprecedented scope and depth, Scandal Proof provides a balanced assessment of the character and impact of federal ethics regulatory efforts—in the process raising an important question: Is there a better way to ensure honest government in Washington?

About the Author

G. Calvin Mackenzie is the Goldfarb Distinguished Professor of American Government at Colby College and an adviser to the Brookings’ Presidential Appointee Initiative.

Michael Hafken is a research analyst at the Brookings Institution.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815754035
• ISBN-13: 978-0815754039
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,133,739 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtfully written account, February 13, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Written by G. Calvin Mackenzie (Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government at Colby College and an Adviser to the Brookings Presidential Appointee Initiative) with the assistance of Michael Hafken (Research Analyst at the Brookings Institution), Scandal Proof: Do Ethics Laws Make Government Ethical? offers an insightful analysis of the laws designed to regulate the ethical behavior of the federal government from 1961 (when President Kennedy signed Executive Order 10930), down to modern-day executive orders by Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. These efforts to "scandal-proof" government have been costly to finance in terms of taxpayer dollars, yet they have they been successful? Examining their real impact on how things are done, and presenting the question of whether there are better ways to bring more honesty to Washington government, Scandal Proof is a thoughtfully written account and highly recommended for students of Ethics and Political Science.