This volume examines the shift in the emphasis of the United States Congress from a deliberative body to a focal point for political pressures. The Executive, other federal departments, special interest groups, and professional lobbyists exert increasing and, what some believe is undue, influence on Congress. The result has been to distract the Congress from its primary responsibilities of representation and law making. Invisible handshakes with special interests and political action committees--as opposed to study and deliberation--have an increasing impact on the drafting of legislation. This work analyzes these and other problems and offers some recommendations for change. It also gives a firsthand account of some of the important debates and issues that have shaped Congressional procedures.

This work will be of interest to scholars in U.S. history and government, political science, and contemporary issues. It will also be of interest to legislators at all levels of government.

This is an analysis of the issues and strategies associated with national health care. The work examines legislation pending in the U.S. Congress, proposals by academic institutions and business and industry associations, the law and legislation underlying the existing system, and critical factors contributing to the existing health care crisis. Topics include the uninsured and underinsured, impaired risks and risk pooling, "pay or play" employer mandates, "universal" health care plans, and the so-called "market reforms." The study concludes with a proposal for a national health care plan that provides a package of "basic" benefits to all Americans, without regard to their work status.

As medical insurance costs continue to increase, so do the numbers of Americans who carry no health insurance. This situation, exacerbated by federal budgetary pressures, has stepped up the conflict among all those who have a stake in health benefits: the government, employers, insurers, health providers, and citizens who need affordable health care. Westerfield examines the dilemmas behind the conflict over mandated health care, the strategies employed, and the costs--both social and economic--that must ultimately be borne.

In Part I, the author looks at the impact of existing health care legislation and the vigorously debated issues surrounding the allocation of benefits to specific groups or for specific needs. Part II focuses on the conflicting goals of those who must pay for health care, those who provide it, and those who receive it. The final part begins by addressing major areas of health care, such as AIDS, chemical dependency, child care, and mental health care. Describing the strategies and counterstrategies in the struggle over benefits and costs, the author stresses that it is those most in need--the underclass and the underemployed--who are in danger of becoming the ultimate losers in the battle. This book clarifies and brings a constructive perspective to bear on an issue of concern to a large professional audience as well as to special interest groups representing health care consumers.