How US government is structured. US public policy issues. State vs Local government. US domestic policy issues. American political topics. How the Federal Government works. How State Government works. All books are free online.
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Table of contents
- Book Collections on U.S. Public Policy Issues
- More Collections on Government in the United States Topics
- Suggested Books on US Public Policy Issues
- Vintage Books on U.S. Public Policy Issues
- Book Collections on State and Local Government, City Planning
- Suggested Books on Local, State, and Federal U.S. Government
- Book Collections on the Structure and Function of U.S. Federal Government
- Suggested Books on the Structure and Function of Federal Government
- Related Pages on Century Past
Book Collections on U.S. Public Policy Issues
Urbanization Books – Collection
About 800 urbanization books from the Internet Archive. Some books: Urbanization in the Americas, Urbanization in Nigeria, Life and Politics in Metropolitan America, Urbanization in Newly Developing Countries, Essays on World Urbanization, The Urban Caribbean, West African Urbanization, The New Chinese City, Urbanization in Australian history 1788-1900, The City in American Life, Urban Society, Asian Urbanization: a Hong Kong casebook, Urban Sociology in Canada, The Urbanization of Japanese Labor 1868-1955, The Urban Informal Sector in Latin America, The City in Modern Africa, The Changing Canadian Inner City, Making Sense of Urban Theory, The Black Urban Condition, The Urban South: a history, The Rise of Modern City Culture in 19th Century America, Urban Society, Urban Economics, Urban Colonialism and the World-Economy, many more.
Democratic Party U.S. Books – Collection
About 250 Democratic Party U.S. books from the Internet Archive. Some books: The Democratic Party in American Politics, A Democrat Looks at his Party, The History of the Democratic Party, The Democratic Party in America, What’s Wrong with the Democrats and How to Fix It, How a Progressive Democratic Party Can Win and Govern, Blue Dixie, The Emerging Democratic Majority, The Democratic Party in Transition 1918-1932, The Death of Liberalism, Architects of Ruin, Positively American, The Democrats from Jefferson to Clinton, many more.
U.S. Political Parties Books Free – Collection
About 3700 U.S. Political Parties Books Free at the Internet Archive. Some books: The Two-Party System in the U.S., Political Parties and Political Behavior, Parties, Politics and Public Policy in America, Political Parties and Pressure Groups, Evolution of American Political Parties, National Party Conventions, Political Parties and Elections in the U.S., Labor and Farmer Parties in the U.S., The Republican Party in American Politics, Political Parties and the State, many more.
Gun Control Books PDF – Collection
About 250 free gun control books pdf. Some books: Gun Violence, Arizona Gun Owner’s Guide, Things You Can Do to Defend Your Gun Rights, Guns in America, Unintended Consequences, How to Own a Gun and Stay Out of Jail, Guns in Your Home, 50 Things You Can Do about Guns, People For and Against Gun Control, The Gun Culture and Its Enemies, Can Gun Control Work?, The Politics of Gun Control, The Case for Banning Handguns, Targeting Guns: firearms and their control, many more. Gun control books pdf.
Civil Rights Movements Books – Collection
About 970 Civil Rights Movements books from the Internet Archive. Some books: Knowing Your Civil Rights, A History of the American Civil Rights Movement, Civil Rights Chronicle: the African American Struggle for Freedom, The Poetry and Politics of China’s Democracy Movement, The Struggle for Civil Rights, The Freedom Riders, The Civil Rights Movement and the People Who Made It, Eyes on the Prize, Race & Democracy, Walls Come Tumbling Down, Freedom’s Children, Black in Selma, Black Women Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, many more.
More Collections on Government in the United States Topics
More Free Books at Internet Archive on Government in the United States Topics
Suggested Books on US Public Policy Issues
CORE BOOKS – US Public Policy Issues – American Political Topics
‘Book Collections‘ and ‘Vintage Books‘ are at the bottom.
Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America
Carr, Patrick J. and Kefalas, Maria
Beacon 2009
“Discusses the hollowing out of small-town America, a phenomenon in which young people graduate from high school and leave their small hometowns, many never to return, and discusses why it is important to the country to keep rural heartland towns growing and thriving.
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
Duany, Andres; Plater-Zyberk, Elizabeth and Speck, Jeff
North Point 2000
A manifesto by America’s most controversial and celebrated town planners, proposing an alternative model for community design. Founders of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are at the forefront of this movement, and in Suburban Nation they assess sprawl’s costs to society, be they ecological, economic, aesthetic, or social.
The Britannica Guide to Political and Social Movements that Changed the Modern World
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica 2010
“Few forces are more powerful than a group of people united by a common cause. Collective objectives, known as movements, have been known to radically alter the course of human history. This book traces an array of important political and social movements from their inception to their apex, with plentiful side discussions of notable proponents.” – Publisher.
The Encyclopedia of Censorship
Green, Jonathan
Facts on File 2005
Although censorship may seem like a thing of the past, current controversies over books, movies, and websites prove it to be a very timely and critical issue. The Encyclopedia of Censorship presents a full range of information about the history and evolution of censorship and its role in society today.
Gun Control
Henderson, Harry
Facts on File 2000
This examination of the history and issues of gun control “includes an annotated bibliography, chronology, glossary, biographical listing, a chapter on how to research the topic, laws and court cases, and a list of applicable organizations and agencies.” -Publisher.
See our books on Aging Process PDF
The City in History: Its Origins, its Transformations, and its Prospects
Mumford, Lewis
Harcourt, Brace 1961
“More than a history of the forms and functions of the city throughout the ages, this is a portrait of the development of man as a religious, a political, an economic, a cultural, and a sexual being.” The classic study of the city — its origins, its transformations, and its prospects. Winner of the National Book Award.
The Builders: Houses, People, Neighborhoods, Governments, Money
Mayer, Martin
Norton 1978
Housing policy, Urban renewal, City planning, Construction industry, Federal aid to community development, Urban economics.
See our True Crime Books Free PDF Download
Arrival City: How the Largest Migration in History is Reshaping our World
Saunders, Doug
Pantheon 2010
For the first time ever, more people are living in cities than in rural areas. Between 2007 and 2050, the world’s cities will have absorbed 3.1 billion people. Urbanization is the mass movement that will change our world during the twenty-first century, and the “arrival city” is where it is taking place. These are the places where newcomers try to establish new lives and to integrate themselves socially and economically. Saunders takes us on a tour of these vital centers. He uncovers the stories—both inspiring and heartbreaking—of the people who live there, and he shows us how the life or death of our arrival cities will determine the shape of our future.
Encyclopedia of Gun Control and Gun Rights
Utter, Glenn H.
Oryx 2000
“A listing of the court cases, personalities, laws, and groups involved in the regulation of guns. The book begins with an essay on the issues in the gun-control battle and a short guide to the court cases and groups involved, placing them in the opposing camps.” -Libr J.
Vintage Books on U.S. Public Policy Issues
VINTAGE BOOKS – US Public Policy Issues – American Political Topics
The Debaters’ Handbook Series
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
– Selected Articles on Capital Punishment
– Selected Articles on Child Labor
– Selected Articles on Compulsory Insurance
– Selected Articles on the Conservation of Natural Resources
– Selected Articles on the Employment of Women
– Selected Articles on Government Ownership of Telegraph and Telephone
– Selected Articles on Immigration
– Selected Articles on the Income Tax, with special reference to graduation and exemption
– Selected Articles on Minimum Wage
– Selected Articles on National Defense
Selected Articles on Restriction of Immigration
– Selected Articles on Unemployment
– Selected Articles on Woman Suffrage
Democracy and Social Ethics
Addams, Jane
Macmillan 1902
Contents: Charitable effort; Filial relations: Household adjustment; Industrial amelioration; Educational methods; Political reform. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904.
Contents: Charitable effort — Filial relations — Household adjustment — Industrial amelioration — Educational methods — Political reform.
New Encyclopedia of Social Reform …
Including all Social-Reform Movements and Activities, and the Economic, Industrial, and Sociological Facts and Statistics of all Countries and All Social Subjects
Bliss, W: D. P. ed.
Funk 1908 Dewey Dec. 303 Rf
Brief and clear statement of nearly every important reform movement of our age. By specialists and containing brief bibliographies. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904
“A useful popular work, intended for the general reader, not for the special student. Principal articles are by specialists and are signed, short articles are unsigned. Bibliographies are brief and refer principally to works in English. Contains many biographical sketches, including some of living men.” – Standard Catalog: Sociology Section (1918).
The Peril of the Republic; Are We Facing Revolution in the United States?
Brewer, Daniel Chauncey
NY: Putnam’s Sons 1922
Selected Articles on Direct Primaries
Fanning, C. E., comp.
H. W. Wilson 1918
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
Selected Articles on Election of U.S. Senators
Fanning, C. E., comp.
H. W. Wilson 1912
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
Woman and the Republic; a Survey of the Woman-suffrage Movement in the United States and a Discussion of the Claims and Arguments of its Foremost Advocates
Johnson, Helen Kendrick
Appleton 1897
Asserts in 12 well written and outspoken chapters that woman suffrage is not in accord with true democratic principle. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904.
Selected Articles on the Initiative and Referendum
Phelps, Edith M., comp. 1914
H. W. Wilson
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
Selected Articles on Woman Suffrage
Phelps, Edith M., comp.
H. W. Wilson 1916
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
“Common Sense” Applied to Woman Suffrage
Putnam-Jacobi, Mary, M.D.
Putnam 1894
Plea to the Constitutional convention of New York, 1894, for the political equality of women. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904
“After John Stuart Mill’s classic work, it is, doubtless, the most comprehensive, clearly reasoned and lucidly stated argument in the favor of political equality for women that has yet been made.”
Extracts of Letters from Poor Persons who Emigrated Last Year to Canada and the United States. Printed for the Information of the Labouring Poor, and their Friends in this Country
Scrope, G. Poulett
London: Ridgway, 1832 Dewey Dec. 325.1
Working and living conditions for laborers in Britain and Ireland in 1830 were very poor, and unemployment was high. The editor produced this collection to encourage the poor to emigrate to the U.S. and Canada, where opportunities for the unskilled were much better. The short extracts contain information about work availability, wages, cost of living, and living conditions experienced by British and Irish immigrants to various places in North America.
Book Collections on State and Local Government, City Planning
Public Administration Books PDF – Collection
About 950 free Public Administration books pdf. Be patient as the page loads. Some books: Teaching Public Administration and Public Policy, Current Issues in Public Administration, Managing Public Programs, Public Health Administration and Practice, Canadian Public Administration, Public Health, Public Administration of Recreational Services, Administration of Public Airports, Public Personnel Administration, Mastering Public Administration, Implementing Public Policy, Inside Bureaucracy, U.S. Government Manual, many more.
Municipal Government Books PDF – Collection
About 620 Municipal Government books pdf from the Internet Archive. Some books: About the People Who Run Your City, American City Government, Practice of Municipal Administration, Efficiency in City Government, City Politics, Town Government in Vermont, American Cities: their method of business, The City-Manager Profession, The Politics of American Cities, Urban Politics in America, Municipal Government in the U.S., Your Mayor: local government in action, Urban Canada and its government, Running City Hall, City Politics and Planning, many more.
Local Government Books PDF – Collection
About 930 local government books pdf from the Internet Archive. Some books: Local Government in the Modern World, Local Government, California State & Local Government in Crisis, The Michigan Township Board, Local Government in Georgia, Indiana State and Local Government, Local Government in Southern Nigeria, Local Government in China under the Ch’ing, Local Politics, Local Government in 19th Century Ireland, City Politics, Intro to French Local Government, Survey of Rural Local Government in New Zealand, History of Local Government in England, New York State and the Metropolitan Problem, many more.
City Planning Books – Collection
About 1,850 free online city planning books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “City Planning”. Some Books: The Future Use of Urban Land, The City Planning Process, Urban Planning in the 1960s, Washington: design of the federal city, Cities and Planning in the Ancient Near East, Town Planning in London, A New Theory of Urban Design, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Urban Planning and Municipal Public Policy, The City in the World of the Future, Rebuilding Cities, The Community Builders, Origins of Modern Town Planning, many more.
State Governments Books – Collection – State vs Local Government
About 320 State governments books pdf from the Internet Archive. Some books: The Book of the States, State Government, Provincial Politics in Canada, Reorganization of State Governments in the U.S., State Constitutions: the structure of administration, The Government of the Australian States, How States Make Laws, Politics in States and Communities, State and Local Politics, State Fact Finder, many more.
VINTAGE BOOKS – State and Local Government
Municipal Monopolies: A Collection of Papers by American Economists and Specialists
Bemis, E. W. ed.
Crowell 1899
Papers by experts on waterworks, electric and gas lighting, the telephone, and street railways. Favors municipal ownership. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904.
Bibliography of Municipal Problems and City Conditions
Brooks, R. C.
Reform club 1901
Public Service
Garfield, James Rudolph, ed.
Hall and Locke 1911
Volume 6 in a 10-vol. series called “Vocations” edited by William DeWitt Hyde. This volume contains 5 parts; “Good Citizenship”, “Municipal Service”, “The Civil and Foreign Service”, “Army and Navy” and “Charities and Corrections”. Each part has five to seven essays by different people.
Selected Articles on Municipal Ownership
Johnsen, Julia E., comp.
H. W. Wilson 1918
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org.
Selected Articles on the City Manager Plan of Government
Mabie, Edward Charles, comp.
H. W. Wilson 1918
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
Selected Articles on Commission Plan of Municipal Government
Robbins, E. Clyde, comp.
H. W. Wilson 1910
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
Suggested Books on Local, State, and Federal U.S. Government
CORE BOOKS – State and Local Government – State vs Local Government
Public Administration in Modern Society
Corson, John J.
McGraw-Hill 1963
Free books about American government.
The Book of the States 2012
Council of State Governments
Council of State Governments 2012
In addition to general articles on various aspects of state government, this source provides many statistical and directory data, the principal state officials, and such information as the nickname, motto, flower, bird, etc of each state. Free books about American government.
Protecting America’s Health: The FDA, Business, and One Hundred Years of Regulation
Hilts, Philip J.
Knopf 2003
In this history of the Food and Drug Administration, Philip J. Hilts analyzes the century-long, continuing struggle to establish scientific standards as the basis for policymaking on food and drugs. Free books about American government.
American Government 2e
OpenStax
OpenStax
Designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American Government course. Free online books on American government.
Book Collections on the Structure and Function of U.S. Federal Government
Federal Government Books Free – Collection
About 760 Federal government books free from the Internet Archive. Some books: The Price of Federalism, The United States Government Manual, Federal Government, Federalism and the French Canadians, German Federalism Today, A Nation of States, American Federalism in Perspective, Rethinking Federalism, Federalism Power and Political Economy, The Division of Powers in the Indian Constitution, Public Choice and Federalism in Australia and Canada, Federalism and Regionalism in Germany, many more.
Civil Service Books Free – Collection
About 720 Civil Service books free from the Internet Archive. Some books: Civil Service Career Starter, Kaplan Civil Service Exams, Rebuilding the Public Service, Civil Service Handbook, Public Personnel Administration, The Civil Service in Britain and France, Professional and Administrative Career Examination, Democracy and the Public Service, Federal Employees Almanac, Civil Service Reform, The Growth of the British Civil Service 1780-1939, Extraordinary Jobs in Government, The Prussian Bureaucracy in Crisis 1840-1860, many more.
U.S. Politics & Government Books Free – Collection
About 8,500 free online U.S. politics and government books free at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “U.S. Politics & Government”. Some books: Presidents of the United States from Pierce to McKinley, Readings in American Government and Politics, Painless American Government, American Government, American Politics, The Republic: conversations on fundamentals, Voices of Dissent, Our Federal Government: how it works, Government and Politics of the U.S., many more. Free books about political issues in the USA.
U.S. Congress Books PDF – Collection
About 2,100 U.S. Congress Books pdf at the Internet Archive. Be patient as the page loads. Some books: Congressional Directory, Congressional Staff Directory, People’s Guide to Congress, Congress Under Fire, The Congress of the U.S., Committees in Congress, Congress: the electoral connection, The Congressional Process: strategies rules and procedures, How we Choose a Congress, the Legislative Process and the Administrative State, Congress for Dummies, the Power of Congress, many more.
Suggested Books on the Structure and Function of Federal Government
Our Federal Government: How it Works
An introduction to the United States government
Acheson, Patricia C.
Dodd, Mead 1984 Dewey Dec. 353
Why have a government? — The writing of the Constitution — The Preamble — The Constitution — The three branches of government — The development of the executive branch — Other White House groups — The executive departments — The development of the legislative branch of the United States government — The organization of the federal judiciary — The independent agencies — The federal government and the citizen — Appendix: The Constitution of the United States of America.
Describes the complexities of the United States government, from the basic elements of the Constitution, the three branches, and the Federal Judiciary, to the growth of the independent agencies. Books about government in the USA.
The Century Book for Young Americans
Showing How a Party of Boys and Girls who Knew How to Use their Eyes and Ears Found Out all about the Government of the United States with pictures of some of the people and places that have made America famous
Brooks, Elbridge S.
Century 1894 Dewey Dec. 353 Y
Under guise of a tour to Washington by a party of boys and girls, author describes actual workings of national government in its various departments. Photographic illustrations. – A.L.A.Catalog 1904.
Guide to Congress
Congressional Quarterly
Congressional Quarterly 2000 Dewey Dec. 328
Focusing on Congress, the United States’ supreme law-making body, this reference covers such issues as how media reporting has affected the ability of Congress to function; and how the GOP leadership and its region of dedicated conservatives changed the tenor of debate in Congress.
“To really understand Congress, there is nothing better than these large volumes.” -Booklist.
The House and Senate Explained: The People’s Guide to Congress
Greenberg, Ellen
Norton 1996
Dewey Dec. 328
Ellen Greenberg sets the stage for both the House of Representatives and the Senate, explaining what the mace and hopper are, how the chambers are laid out, who the onstage actors are and what they do. Her section on the jargon–the most common phrases used–goes far beyond mere description to show how our government operates. She also explains how business is done: what happens on a daily basis and during the weekly schedule and how a bill becomes a law–or doesn’t. The House and Senate Explained includes a chapter on using the Internet to access information about the House, the Senate, and the White House, from getting around Washington to accessing proposed bills to sending E-mail to your congressional representatives. In addition, you’ll learn how to be heard by your representatives and how to take a more active role in committee hearings. A listing of all the congressional committees and subcommittees lets you know where your special concerns are being addressed.
Contents: The stage and the players — The script — Some frequently heard phrases — The legislative day — The rocky road to passage — Reaching out — Surfing the Internet — Appendix: The committees of the House and Senate.
The Next Government of the United States
Kettl, Donald F.
Norton 2009 Dewey Dec. 351
In The Next Generation of the United States, renowned public administration expert Donald F. Kettl argues that our current government and its twentieth-century solutions are increasingly overmatched by twenty-first-century problems.
Drawing data from crises like FEMA’s tragic failure in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he demonstrates the increasingly complex nature of the problems our government must solve and the failings of its current approach. Based on the surprising successes of key officials in crisis situations, Kettl envisions a legion of leaders who run government they way that rocket scientists launch rockets–with strong leadership focused on objectives, held accountable for performance, and linked effectively to citizens so that it acts decisively for the public good. This book is a guide to the problems that ail our government and a road map for their solution.
Guide to United States Government Legislative Documents in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
Library of Congress 1992
Introduction to United States Government Information Sources
An Annotated List of 1000 Titles with a full Analytical Index
Morehead, Joe
Libraries Unlimited 1999
Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to the Presidency
Nelson, Michael, ed.
Congressional Quarterly 1989 Dewey Dec. 351
“The history of the presidency; powers of the office …, the president as a public figure; relations with other branches of government; life in the white House; and many other topics are covered in 37 chapters authored by academic scholars.” -Booklist. Free books about American government pdf.
The Presidency A to Z
Nelson, Michael, ed.
Congressional Quarterly 2003 Dewey Dec. 351
The Presidency A to Z is an invaluable tool for understanding the presidency, both historically and today and for appraising how it and the executive branch have responded to the challenges facing the nation. It provides readers with quick information and in-depth background on the presidency through a comprehensive encyclopedia of over 300 easy-to-read entries.
Biographies of every president and many others important to the office Explanations of broader concepts and powers relating to the presidency Discussions of relations with Congress, the Supreme Court, the bureaucracy, political parties, the media, interest groups, and the public.
Presidential Power: the Politics of Leadership from FDR to Carter
Neustadt, Richard E.
Wiley 1980 Dewey Dec. 353
pt. 1. The original text. Leader or clerk? — Three cases of command — The power to persuade — Professional reputation — Public prestige — Two matters of choice — Men in office — The sixties come next — pt. 2. Later reflections. Appraising a president — Reappraising power — Hazards of transition.
The Oxford Guide to the United States Government
Patrick, John J.
Oxford 2001 Dewey Dec. 321
“Provides information on the American Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court. Covers the key figures, events, and structures that have animated U.S. government for more than 200 years. In addition to coverage of the 2000 Presidential race and election, it features biographies of all the Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Supreme Court Justices, as well as notable members of Congress, including current leadership; historical commentary on past elections, major Presidential decisions, international and domestic programs, and the key advisors and agencies of the executive branch; in-depth analysis of Congressional leadership and committees, agencies and staff, and historic legislation; and detailed discussions of 100 landmark Supreme Court cases and the major issues facing the Court today. Other entries define legal terms and phrases and elaborate on the wide array of government traditions.” -Publisher.
Arrogant Capital: Washington, Wall Street, and the Frustration of American Politics
Phillips, Kevin
Little, Brown 1994 Dewey Dec. 351
Everyone knows that Washington is completely out of touch with the rest of the country. Now Kevin Phillips, whose bestselling books have prophesied the major watersheds of American party politics, tells us why. Washington – mired in bureaucracy, captured by the money power of Wall Street, and dominated by 90,000 lobbyists, 60,000 lawyers, and the largest concentration of special interests the world has ever seen – has become the albatross that Thomas Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers feared: a swollen capital city feeding off the country it should be governing. Throughout most of our history, the genius of American politics was that ballot revolutions every generation swept out failed establishments and created new ones. Now that can no longer happen.
To work again, Washington must be purged and revitalized. In his unique blueprint for a political upheaval, Kevin Phillips puts Washington on notice by sounding a cry for immediate action, offering us a wide variety of remedies – some quasi-revolutionary, others more moderate, but all sure to be controversial.
Using Government Information Sources: Electronic and Print
Sears, Jean L; Moody, Marilyn K.
Oryx 2001
The Congressional Record 1994 to Present
govinfo.gov
U.S. Govt. Printing Office Dewey Dec. 353
“The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. This site contains Congressional record volumes from 140 (1994) to the present. At the back of each daily issue is the “Daily Digest,” which summarizes the day’s floor and committee activities.” Congressional Record Home Page. Free online books on American government.
U.S. Congress – Congressional Hearings 1961-62 to Present
govinfo.gov
U.S. Govt Printing Office Dewey Dec. 353
“A hearing is a meeting or session of a Senate, House, joint, or special committee of Congress, usually open to the public, to obtain information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or evaluate/oversee the activities of a government department or the implementation of a Federal law. In addition, hearings may also be purely exploratory in nature, providing testimony and data about topics of current interest. govinfo contains contain select House and Senate hearings for the 104th Congress (1995-96) forward. Select hearings for previous congresses are also available.” Congressional Hearings Home Page.
The Federal Register
Office of the Federal Register
U.S. Govt Printing Office Dewey Dec. 353
“Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.” -Federal Register Home Page.
The United States Government Manual 1995-2018
Office of the Federal Register
U.S. Govt Publishing Office Dewey Dec. 353
“As the official handbook of the Federal Government, The U.S. Government Manual provides information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on quasi-official agencies; international organizations in which the United States participates; and boards, commissions, and committees.
A typical agency description includes a list of officials heading major operating units, a summary statement of the agency’s purpose and role in the Federal Government, a brief history of the agency, including its legislative or executive authority, and a description of its programs and activities, and information, addresses, and phone numbers to help users locate detailed information on consumer activities, contracts and grants, employment, publications, and other matters of public interest.” – Manual webpage.
Click the 2018 edition of the manual, scroll down to the branch and agency you want, and click “XML” to get the online version, which includes thousands of live links. For help in searching the online manual, go to the site’s homepage, click “Read More” at the end of the first section (“About the U.S. Government Manual”). Free online books on American government.
Budget of the United States Government FY 1996 – FY 2020
Office of Management and Budget
U.S. Govt Printing Office Dewey Dec. 353
“The Budget of the United States Government is a collection of documents that contains the budget message of the President, information about the President’s budget proposals for a given fiscal year, and other budgetary publications that have been issued throughout the fiscal year. Other related and supporting budget publications are included, which may vary from year to year.” -Budget of the U.S. Govt Home Page.
Social Security Collection
About 980free online books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “Social Security”. Some books: Social Security Benefits Handbook, Social Security Act, Social Security for Dummies, Saving Social Security, Social Insurance & Economic Security, Making Sense of Social Security Reform, Social Security and Medicare, Social Security in the 21st Century, Social Security in India, Family Income Support: children in Social Security, Social Welfare in Canada, The Emergence of Social Security in Canada, Social Security Policy in Britain, many more.
The Battle for Social Security
Altman, Nancy
Wiley 2006 Dewey Dec. 368.4
This book illuminates the politics and policy of the current struggle over Social Security in light of the program’s compelling history and ingenious structure. After a brief introduction describing the dramatic response of the Social Security Administration to the 9/11 terrorist attack, the book recounts Social Security’s lively history. Although President Bush has tried to convince Americans that Social Security is designed for the last century and unworkable for an aging population, readers will see that the President’s assault is just another battle in a longstanding ideological war. Prescott Bush, the current President’s grandfather, remarked of FDR, “The only man I truly hated lies buried in Hyde Park.” The book traces the continuous thread leading from Prescott Bush and his contemporaries to George W. Bush and others who want to undo Social Security. The book concludes with policy recommendations which eliminate Social Security’s deficit in a manner consistent with the program’s philosophy and structure.
Social Security Handbook: Overview of Social Security Programs, 2012
Bernan Press
Bernan 2012 Dewey Dec. 368.4
Detailed explanation without commentary of the federal retirement, survivors, disability, black lung benefits, supplementary security income, and health insurance programs, who is entitled to benefits, and how such benefits may be obtained.
Selected Articles on Compulsory Insurance
Bullock, Edna D., comp.
H. W. Wilson 1912 Dewey Dec. 368.4
In the first decades of the 20th century publisher H.W. Wilson produced many volumes in its Debaters’ Handbook Series on social and political issues that were under discussion at the time. Each book contains the full text of selected articles and documents representing opposing views on the issue, along with a substantial bibliography of books and articles.
Most of the books mentioned in these guides are likely to be freely available online. Search by title; first at the Internet Archive (archive.org), then at HathiTrust.org. Referenced magazine articles may also be available online at the same sites, with HathiTrust the preferred site for magazines.
U.S. Social Security: A Reference Handbook
Livingston, Steven G.
ABC-CLIO 2008 Dewey Dec. 368.4
“Details the history and development of the American system of Social Security and examines the serious problems it faces. Covers the “prehistory” of Social Security dating back to the 19th century and projects the program’s likely future over the next several generations. Thematically, chronicles the origination of the initial Social Security Act of 1935, each major reform to the Act through today, the nature and magnitude of the current difficulty facing Social Security, and each major remedy that has been proposed. Also examines programs in other nations and how they have attempted to address similar problems.” -Publisher.
Guide to United States Government Legislative Documents in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
Library of Congress 1992
Introduction to United States Government Information Sources
An Annotated List of 1000 Titles with a full Analytical Index
Morehead, Joe
Libraries Unlimited 1999
Using Government Information Sources: Electronic and Print
Sears, Jean L; Moody, Marilyn K.
Oryx 2001
Encyclopedia of the Central Intelligence Agency
Smith, W. Thomas Jr.
Facts on File 2003
Covers CIA terms, operations, and people including the Bay of Pigs, Operation IVY BELLS, mind-control drug testing, and Robert Philip Hanssen. Providing a reference for both casual readers and researchers, this volume contains more than 500 A-to-Z listings describing key CIA terms, players, equipment, operations, parallel organizations, and portrayals of the CIA in film, television, and fiction.