Ronald M. Peters

4707. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the New American Politics, by Ronald M. Peters, Jr. [and] Cindy Simon Rosenthal (read 12 May 2010) This book by two University of Oklahoma political science professors is an erudite and careful examination of Nancy Pelosi's career, concentrating on her time as Speaker beginning in 2007. It goes up to the time that the health reform bill was passed by the House this year. In the early part of the book the poly sci jargon is a bit heavy and though I have followed Congress with considerable attention in my youth I found the discussion of the events of 2007 a mite 'heavy.' But the succeeding chapters are very carefully written and illuminating. The authors demonstrate that Pelosi is a very hard worker and has had considerable success as a Speaker--attributable to her savvy and hard work. They recognize she has had some missteps but in general demonstrate that she has been a better Speaker than her predecessors: Wright, Foley, Gingrich, and Hastert.… (más)