Book Review: Larry J. Sabato

Introduction

Larry Joseph Sabato was born on August 7, 1952. He is an American Political scientist and political research analyst. He is a Gooch Professor of Politics professor at the University of Virginia, and also a director of its research center for politics. In this paper we are going to review of Larry Joseph Sabato's most famous book, PAC Power: Inside the World of Political Action Committees.

Review

The basic premise of Sabato book PAC Power: Inside the World of Political Action Committees is how Washington works is that the structure of political power has changed dramatically since 1974. This was the year in which Congress began vigorously to reassert itself in the face of the growth of executive power during the Vietnam War and the abuse of power in the Watergate scandal. Most of Smith's analysis centers on the Reagan era, although other presidencies receive occasional attention.

One of the main features of the sea change in the political structure is the decline in presidential power. It is now harder for a president to build coalitions in Congress, for example, because the sources of congressional power have become spread over a wider area. The reason for this is partly that the parties have been weakened by the emergence of television as a primary medium of communication, giving politicians direct access to the electorate. As a result, many congressmen are more independent than before, and those who are able to exploit the new game of “video politics” can acquire a considerable power base.

Another feature of the new politics that has also had the effect of spreading power over a larger base is the vast increase in the number and influence of special interest groups. In 1961 only 365 lobbyists were registered; in mid-1987 the number had shot up to ...