Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 264
Trim: 6 x 9¼
978-0-7425-1908-4 • Paperback • February 2003 • $49.00 • (£38.00)
Cindy Skrzycki is a business columnist for The Washington Post, specializing in the nexus between government, business, and regulation.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 I The Long Arm of the Regulators: The Ubiquitous Regulatory State
Chapter 3 II The Regulators: Who Makes the Rules, and How Much Power Do They Have?
Chapter 4 III Special Interests: Bending the Will of the Regulators
Chapter 5 IV The End of the Century Crucible of Reform: The Critical Testing Ground for Regulation
Chapter 6 V The Price Tag of Regulation: The Cost-Benefit Equation
Chapter 7 VI The Future of Regulation: From Enron and Homeland Security to Globalization
Few people know more about the underworld of government regulation than Cindy Skrzycki. Here she guides us through the labyrinthian depths and points out the most important sights along the way—who regulates, how regulations get made, and in what ways they shape our daily lives.
— Robert B. Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and Maurice B. Hexter Professor of Social and Economic Policy, Brandeis University
The Regulators is a useful, lively, and entertaining book on the federal bureaucracy. No, that is not an oxymoron! Cindy Skrzycki, the Washington Post's long time reporter on the regulatory beat, knows better than anyone the stories of political power struggles, lobbying duels, and legal battles that have taken place 'inside the Beltway' in the last 20 years. These include the role of the powerful White House agency known as 'OIRA,' the appropriateness of placing a value on human life, and the fight over 'midnight regulations.' She has combined her best insights and stories into this highly readable volume, which will be of interest to lawyers, political scientists, and students of all ages—anyone who wants to know how things really work inthe halls of Washington..
— Jeffrey Lubbers, Washington College of Law, American University
Cindy Skrzycki shines a bright light on the most important, yet least understood process of government: converting the broad laws that Congress and the president enact into tight rules that actually govern real behavior. Her sentences are sharp and to the point, her prose easily understandable, and her insights right on target. This book is an essential reader for both the regulated (us) and the regulators (them).
— Paul Light, New York University and The Brookings Institution
Cindy Skrzycki shines the light of her reporter's intelligence on what is certainly the most obscure but arguably the most important area of government—the regulatory agencies. Consumers, business people, and political buffs will all find her revelations riveting.
— David S. Broder, The Washington Post
An extremely clear, helpful, and intelligent guide. Highly recommended.
— Cass Sunstein, University of Chicago
The Regulators is a useful, lively, and entertaining book on the federal bureaucracy. No, that is not an oxymoron! Cindy Skrzycki, the Washington Post's long time reporter on the regulatory beat, knows better than anyone the stories of political power struggles, lobbying duels, and legal battles that have taken place 'inside the Beltway' in the last 20 years. These include the role of the powerful White House agency known as 'OIRA,' the appropriateness of placing a value on human life, and the fight over 'midnight regulations.' She has combined her best insights and stories into this highly readable volume, which will be of interest to lawyers, political scientists, and students of all ages—anyone who wants to know how things really work in the halls of Washington.
— Jeffrey Lubbers, Washington College of Law, American University
Revealing.
— The Charlotte Observer
Skrzycki's book is quite an accopmlishment. It's a book about federal bureaucracy—perhaps the dullest, driest, most mundane subject matter imaginable— and Skrzycki makes it fascinating.
— Fox News
The book will make absorbing reading for anyone interested in American politics and regulation.
— Regulation
Engaging . . . well-crafted. Highly recommended.
— Choice Reviews
—Washington Post columnist Cindy Skrzycki applies a fresh and unique approach to regulatory politics and policy.
—She makes federal regulation, a complicated and tough subject, come alive.
—Key Washington Post columns on regulatory politics and policy are jumping off points for showing the federal bureaucracy in action and linking it to studies of public administration and law.
—Gives students a vivid flavor of the real politics of regulation.
—Clearly details theinteractions between Congress, interest groups, and bureaucratic agencies.
—Looks ahead to the growing importance of global regulation and harmonization of rules.
—Tables, figures, documents, press releases, and more add to understanding the politics ofregulation—and who really runs Washington.
—Chapter opening cartoons add levity and accessibility to a subject often considered forbidding.
—Chapter summaries wrap up key points.
—"To Learn More" sections link students with web resources, classroom projects, and real-life problem solving.
—The author's witty style covers targets of regulation ranging from Swiss cheese and wine to Firestone and Enron. Through it all, she shows who the regulators are, what and how they regulate, and the effects—inten