The Meanest Man in Congress : Jack Brooks and the Making of an American Century (eBook)

Jack Brooks and the Making of an American Century

Brendan McNulty, Timothy McNulty, Jim Wright (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2019
576 Seiten
NewSouth Books (Verlag)
978-1-60306-411-8 (ISBN)

Infos

The meanest man in Congress was also the most successful in terms of passing legislation and bi-partisan leadership. The story of Jack Brooks's colorful life and accomplishments, including his friendship with presidents and key political figures during the nearly 50 years he was in Congress, is told in this book. — There is no existing biography on Jack Brooks — The message about Brooks's style of governance is timely — The Brooks family will help NewSouth secure attention for the book in political circles, including in D.C. — Political biographies remain popularA native of Beaumont, Texas, and a World War II veteran, Jack Brooks served for forty-two years in the U.S. Congress, representing Texas’s 9th district. One of the most influential congressmen nobody ever heard of, Brooks is finally getting his due in this new biography, the first ever written about his life. The Meanest Man in Congress: Jack Brooks and the Making of an American Century chronicles in fascinating detail not only the career of a remarkable lawmaker, which spanned the tenures of ten U.S. presidents, but also the epic sweep of American history in the latter half of the 20th century, from the Kennedy assassination to the Iran-Contra affair. Packed with anecdotes about the irascible Brooks based on his personal correspondence, interviews with his peers and family members, and more, this meticulous biography traces the incredible life and times of a true public servant, a man who applied his tenacious will to practical, across-the-aisle governance for the good of his constituents and his country. At a time when Brooks’s brand of selfless service is in short supply and American politics has become a zero-sum game, distinguished authors Timothy McNulty and Brendan McNulty bring into high relief the character of a man who knew how to compromise and bargain, negotiate and cooperate to get things done.

Inhalt

Contents
Preface / ix
 Introduction / 3
Part I—Jack Brooks for Congress! / 10
1Dallas 1963 / 11
2The Early Years / 41
3War! / 60
4Legislature and Lamar / 97
5First Race for Congress / 112
6First Term / 128
7The Late 1950s / 147
8Rising Texas Tide / 162
Part II—The Art of the Possible / 185
9Legislation: 1961-1965 / 186
10Power in the Presidency / 197
11Legislation: 1965-1968 / 212
12All the Way with LBJ / 226
13Legislation: 1969-1972 / 239
14Congressional Operations / 248
15Waste / 259
16Procurement / 268
17Family Life / 278
Part III—The Meanest Man in Congress / 283
18‘The Executioner’ / 284
19‘Snake Killer’ / 326
20Iran-Contra / 360
21Reaganomics and Runaway Spending / 387
22Mindless Cannibalism / 412
23House Judiciary / 434
 24Crime Bill / 445
251994 Election / 475
26Epilogue / 489
 Acknowledgements / 503
Appendices / 506
 Key Accomplishments / 507
 About the Authors / 509
 Index of Persons / 510
 References / 527
 Brooks on the Presidents / 560

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.5.2019
• Zusatzinfo: 50 b&w photos
• Verlagsort: Montgomery
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Essays / Feuilleton
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Geschichte / Politik
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
• Schlagworte: A-bomb • Air Force One • appropriations • AT&T • Automatic Data Processing • Banking • Beaumont Enterprise • Bill Clinton • bipartisan • bipartisan legislation • Bob Dole • Brooks Act • Brooks Act of 1965 • Brooks Committee • Budget • chairmanship • Civil Rights • Congress • congressional appropriations • darpa • Dwight Eisenhower • electronic data processing • Federal Budget • Gao • general accounting office • General Services Administration • George H.W. Bush • Gerald Ford • Goa • Government • Government Activities Subcommittee • Guadalcanal • GUAM • Gun Owners of America • Harry Truman • Hillary Clinton • House Judiciary Committee • houston chronicle • IBM • Inspectors General Act • Jack Brooks • Janet Reno • Jeb Brooks • JFK • Jimmy Carter • Jim Wright • Joe Biden • Kennedy Assassination • Lady Byrd Johnson • Lamar University • Legislation • Legislative • Lyndon B. Johnson • Military • Nasa • National Rifle Association • Newt Gingrich • New York Times • nuclear bomb • Oliver North • Omnibus Violent Crime Bill of 1994 • Oversight • Pentagon • Petroleum • Politics • procurement • Richard Nixon • Ronald Reagan • South • Southern Manifesto • spindletop • Steve Stockman • Strom Thurmond • supersonic transport • Tea Party • Texas delegation • Texas Monthly • Vietnam War • Washington Examiner
• ISBN-10: 1-60306-411-7 / 1603064117
• ISBN-13: 978-1-60306-411-8 / 9781603064118