Virginia Politics & Government in a New Century: The Price of Power

by Jeff Thomas

Overview

The modern political landscape of Virginia bears little resemblance to the past. The commonwealth is a nationally influential swing state alongside stalwarts like Florida or Ohio. But with increased power comes greater scrutiny—and corruption. Governor Bob McDonnell received a jail sentence on federal corruption charges, later vacated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Corporate influence on the state legislature and other leaders resulted in numerous ethics violations. Scandal erupted at the prestigious University of Virginia when the school ousted its president amid political drama and intrigue. Author Jeff Thomas reveals the intersection of money, power and politics and the corrosive effect on government in a new era.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467137409
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	10/24/2016
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Jeff Thomas attended college at the Duke University School of Engineering and graduate school at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs. After college, he served as a teacher for one year through the Harvard Center for International Development's World Teach program. After graduate school, he worked in health policy in Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in numerous local and national newspapers and academic journals.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Virginia Way and the Governor 11

1 Legislature: Elections and Entitlements 25

2 Corporate Politics: Power and Ethics 55

3 Policymaking: Health Care Reality and Ideology 79

4 Local Government: Education and Economic Development 111

5 Higher Ed: Manufacturing Crises at the University of Virginia 133

Conclusion: The Commodification of Government 157

Methodology and Literature Review 175

Acknowledgements 181

Notes 183

Bibliography 257

Index 263

About the Author 271

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent summation of how and why the stars have so aligned can be found in a new book, "Virginia Politics & Government in a New Century, The Price of Power," by Jeff Thomas (The History Press).

Thomas, a Duke University engineering graduate who worked in non-profits in the District, lays out in painstaking detail how largely unregulated money donations have led to an extraordinary web of conflicts of interest. This paradigm has been going on for years and has been largely unquestioned, until now." The Washington Post

From the Publisher