Congress as Public Enemy: Public Attitudes toward American Political Institutions (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology) First Edition Edition

by John R. Hibbing (Author), Elizabeth Theiss-Morse (Author)

1 customer review

ISBN-13: 978-0521483360

ISBN-10: 0521483360

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$9.13 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Condition: Used - Very Good

In Stock. Sold by MAMA'S PLACE, Inc., Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

53 Used from $0.01

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$57.00 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

May take an extra 1-2 days to ship.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

22 New from $31.89

FREE Shipping.

Turn on 1-Click ordering

More Buying Choices

22 New from $31.89 53 Used from $0.01 3 Collectible from $9.85

78 used & new from $0.01

See All Buying Options

Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

This timely book describes and explains the American people's alleged hatred of their own branch of government, the U.S. Congress. Focus group sessions held across the country and a specially designed national survey indicate that much of the negativity is generated by popular perceptions of the processes of governing visible in Congress. But Hibbing and Theiss-Morse conclude that the public's unwitting desire to reform democracy out of a democratic legislature is a cure more dangerous than the disease.

Congress as Public Enemy: Public Attitudes toward American Political Institutions (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)

$57.00 FREE Shipping. May take an extra 1-2 days to ship. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

John R. Hibbing

3

Paperback
$29.97
Gary King

24

Paperback
$31.22
Leonie Huddy

5

Paperback
$56.26

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite a sensationalistic title, this highly theoretical explication of public attitudes toward all three branches of federal government offers no hard evidence of any citizen revolts in the making; nor is it likely to incite any. Based on findings drawn in 1992 from 1400 30-minute telephone interviews with a nationwide sample of voting-age residents, plus eight two-hour focus-group sessions of 10 participants each at locations across the country, the book is a densely written, abstruse work likely to appeal mostly to political scientists. Readers not familiar with the scholarly sources cited will have to accept the authors' summaries?and debunkings ?of previous research on faith, there being scant explanation of prior research. The authors examine at length the difference between people's feelings toward the various institutions of government and toward the members of those bodies. Perhaps most disturbing is their view that the American people, while supporting the notion of a democratic government, have little patience for the actual workings of democracy, its unruly debates and inevitable compromises.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Congress, the people's branch of government, is passionately ridiculed with great regularity by the people. But why? Does everyone really despise Congress, and what about it do they hate? These questions have finally been posed in a major research project conducted by two political scientists at the University of Nebraska. Blending the findings of a 1400-person national telephone survey and eight two-hour focus group meetings of average Americans at sites around the country, the authors discovered that most people dislike the legislative process (e.g., lengthy debate, compromise, interest group activity) and not the institution. From their wealth of original data, Hibbing and Theiss-Morse compare public support for each branch of government as an institution and public support for the people who hold office in each branch. The public, they contend, draws a reasonably clear distinction between the constitutional system, which they favor, and the contemporary Washington political system, which they loathe. This is an important book for students of Congress, public opinion, and American politics generally. A major contribution to our understanding of contemporary American politics, it should be widely quoted and cited.?Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Product Details

Series: Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First Edition edition (September 29, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521483360
ISBN-13: 978-0521483360
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,348,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #459 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Specific Topics > Propaganda & Political Psychology
- #995 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > Legislative Branch
- #4764 in Books > Textbooks > Social Sciences > Political Science > Government

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars

5 star		100%
4 star		0%
3 star		0%
2 star		0%
1 star		0%

See all verified purchase reviews

Share your thoughts with other customers

Write a customer review

Top Customer Reviews

Do we hate Congress and if so, why?

By Gregory M Talmage on December 13, 2000

Format: Paperback

Years ago, Richard Fenno introduced the idea of the `congressional paradox'---a phenomenon explaining that although a majority of Americans distrust Congress as an institution, that negative sentiment, however, did not extend to individual attitudes about one's own congressional representative. In Congress as Public Enemy, Hibbing and Theiss-Morse investigate the causes of and the reasoning behind public disillusionment toward the United States' top legislative body. Along the way, the authors discover dissatisfaction with Congress comes not only from the viewpoint that Congress is overprofessionalized and coddled by the hands of special interests, but Americans contain a wide discontent for the legislative processes. Interestingly, the authors observe this finding as troublesome. Authors state, "People profess a devotion to democracy in the abstract but have little or no appreciation for what a practicing democracy invariably brings with it...People do not wish to see uncertainty conflicting opinions, long debate, competing interests, confusion, bargaining, and compromised, imperfect decisions. They want government to do its job quietly and efficiently...In short, we submit, they often seek a patently unrealistic form of democracy." (Pg. 147) I believe we must ask ourselves is this true discontent or misunderstanding? Can civic education increase appreciation for the process? Does this discontent toward the process extend to public perceptions of state legislatures? A well researched and written work! Strongly recommended for anyone interested in the study of political psychology.

Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Report abuse

See all verified purchase reviews (newest first)

Write a customer review

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Congress as Public Enemy: Public Attitudes toward American Political Institutions (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)

Set up a giveaway

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads

Congress as Public Enemy: Public Attitudes toward American Political Institutions (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology) First Edition Edition

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $9.13 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $57.00 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From Library Journal

Product Details

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$9.13 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$57.00 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open