Jess: The Political Career of Jesse Marvin Unruh

by Jackson K. Putnam

Overview

Jesse Marvin Unruh acquired a national political reputation despite the fact that he never gained office above the California governmental level. He spent sixteen years (1955-1970) in the state legislature, seven of them as assembly speaker. While there he secured passage of moderate-liberal legislation and upgraded the quality of the state legislature to the number one position in the nation. Unruh curbed the power of special interest lobbies and induced them to support his legislative program. He also kept the state Democratic Party in a moderate political position as the Republicans moved ever further to the right. Although Governors Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan frustrated his desire to attain the Governorship, Unruh was elected State Treasurer in 1974. He transformed the office into one of great power to such an extent that by the time of his death in 1987 he was being referred to as 'the best governor California never had.' In the meantime, his close connections with the Kennedy family, especially John and Robert, his reputation as a political pundit, and his powerful influence on Wall Street, earned Unruh great respect far beyond his California base.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761830672
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	03/22/2005
Pages:	462
Product dimensions:	6.86(w) x 10.30(h) x 1.33(d)

About the Author

Jackson K. Putnam is Professor Emeritus of History at California State University, Fullerton. Professor Putnam received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. He is also author of Old-Age Politics in California and Modern California Politics.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction and Acknowledgments Chapter 2 Youth: From Land to Sea, 1922-1945 Chapter 3 Studying, Working, and Running, 1945-1954 Chapter 4 The Legislator: Apprenticeship, 1955-1957 Chapter 5 The Road to the Speaker's Chair, 1958-1961 Chapter 6 The Speaker: Unruh and His System 1961-1968 Chapter 7 The Speaker's Agenda: Political, Socio-economic, and Cultural Chapter 8 The Speaker and the Governor: Pat Brown, 1962-1966 Chapter 9 The Speaker and the Governor: Ronald Reagan, 1967-1968 Chapter 10 Reagan, Unruh, and RFK in the 1968 Election Chapter 11 Minority Leader and Free Agent, 1969-1970 Chapter 12 The Race for Governor, 1970 Chapter 13 The Treasurer: An Overview of Unruh's Post-Legislative Career, 1970-1987 Chapter 14 Summary and Epilogue Chapter 15 Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Jess's major contention is that Unruh was a solid New Deal liberal who staved off the growing tides of extremism through the politics of moderation. The book's best sections elucidate this theme...Putnam's detailed attention assembly protocol, as well as to so many different kinds of legislation, will interest many aficionados of California politics.--Eric Boime, San Diego State University "Southern California Quarterly "

From the Publisher

Jess's major contention is that Unruh was a solid New Deal liberal who staved off the growing tides of extremism through the politics of moderation. The book's best sections elucidate this theme...Putnam's detailed attention assembly protocol, as well as to so many different kinds of legislation, will interest many aficionados of California politics.

Southern California Quarterly - Eric Boime