Why Are You Here?: A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens

by Franklin L. Kury

Overview

Why Are You Here? A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens is a challenge to America’s 7,382 state legislators and their constituents to critically examine their state legislature and take appropriate action to improve it. This is a handbook telling how legislatures came to be, how they function, and discussing how they have fallen in public esteem. The book provides an analytical discussion for evaluating how any legislature deals with four issues: personal greed, criminal and ethical scandal, the influence of money and lobbying, and self-serving legislative seat apportionment. The last section is a “Legislative Toolbox” that provides information helpful in evaluating legislatures and readings of a patriotic nature that enhance idealism and spirit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761864622
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	10/08/2014
Pages:	110
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Franklin L. Kury served six years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and eight years in the Pennsylvania State Senate. He was a leader in environmental and government reform legislation. His first book, Clean Politics, Clean Streams, was cited by name and used by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the landmark environmental law decision in the Robinson Township case in 2013.

Visit the author's website at www.franklinkury.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Handbook for Action

PART ONE: ORIGINS AND PURPOSES
Chapter One: The Constitutional Basis
Chapter Two: The Work and Nature of Legislatures

PART TWO: SOURCES OF DISCONTENT
Chapter Three: Personal Benefits versus Public Service
Chapter Four: Scandal and Ethics Questions
Chapter Five: Expenditures of Money Meant to Influence
Chapter Six: Apportioning State Legislative and U.S. Congressional Districts

PART THREE: THE ULTIMATE QUESTION–WHY ARE YOU HERE AT YOUR STATE CAPITOL?
Chapter Seven: Legislators
Chapter Eight: Constituents

PART FOUR: THE LEGISLATIVE TOOLBOX
A.Online and Organization Information Sources
B.Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading
C.Readings for the Legislative Spirit
1.Article 61 of Magna Carta
2.Burke’s Bristol Constituency Speech (excerpt)
3.The Declaration of Independence
4.De Tocqueville’s Comments on American State Legislatures.
5.Legislative Corruption in Montana (Montana Supreme Court Opinion Excerpt)
6.Amanda Holt on Legislative Redistricting


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PHOTO CREDITS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INDEX

Editorial Reviews

"Why Are You Here?" is a pep talk for state lawmakers and the constituents they serve— an effort to bolster the work of legislatures at a time when they need it most. Diligently navigating some of the states' most pressing problems, Kury provides a concise, yet enduringly rich, source of knowledge and advice for anyone interested in the legislative process.... In just 100 pages, he covers a lot of ground, from the constitutional foundations of legislative government to the ethical dilemmas lawmakers are bound to face in office.... Whether consumed in an afternoon or consulted on a need-to-know basis, "Why Are You Here?" is both a trove of personal knowledge and expertise and a practical guide to the ins and outs of legislative practice.

State Legislatures Magazine

It's a book that should be on the desks of 253 state House and Senate members.. . .Why Are You Here?: A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens, by former Sen. Franklin Kury, touches on virtually every aspect of what legislators should be thinking.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

[This book is] a treasure trove of information on how state legislatures operate that will provide students from high school to college.. . .[The book] should be required reading for any who would enter legislative office and for any high school to college-age student who would better understand its workings.

Midwest Book Review