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Description of  Legislating in the Dark: Information and Power in the House of Representatives (Chicago Studies in American Politics)

The 2009 financial stimulus bill ran to more than 1,100 pages, yet it wasnt even given to Congress in its final form until thirteen hours before debate was set to begin, and it was passed twenty-eight hours later. How are representatives expected to digest so much information in such a short time. The answer? They arent. With Legislating in the Dark, James M. Curry reveals that the availability of information about legislation is a key tool through which Congressional leadership exercises power. Through a deft mix of legislative analysis, interviews, and participant observation, Curry shows how congresspersonslacking the time and resources to study bills deeply themselvesare forced to rely on information and cues from their leadership. By controlling their rank-and-files access to information, Congressional leaders are able to emphasize or bury particular items, exploiting their information advantage to push the legislative agenda in directions that they and their party prefer. Offering an unexpected new way of thinking about party power and influence, Read more