Actors, athletes, and astronauts
Subtitle: political amateurs in the United States Congress
By: David T. Canon.
Series: American politics and political economy series; American politics and political economy.
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 1990
Place of publication: Chicago
Language: eng
Number of pages: 180
Subjects: United States. Congress; Legislators -- United States; Politicians -- United States; Amateurism
Description: The U.S. Congress is typically seen as an institution filled with career politicians who have been seasoned by experience in lower levels of political office. In fact, political amateurs have comprised roughly one quarter of the House of Representatives since 1930. The effect of amateurs' inexperience on their political careers, roles in Congress, and impact on the political system has never been analyzed in detail. Written in a lucid style accessible to the nonspecialist, David T. Canon's Actors, Athletes, and Astronauts is a definitive study of political amateurs in elections and in Congress. Canon examines the political conditions that prompt amateurs to run for office, why they win or lose, and whether elected amateurs behave differently from their experienced counterparts. Challenging previous work which presumed stable career structures and progressively ambitious candidates, his study reveals that amateurs are disproportionately elected in periods of high political opportunity, such as the 1930s for Democrats and 1980s for Republicans.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.