Burdett A. Loomis, Editor University of Kansas July 1998  |
| Editor's note:
This edition of "Extension of Remarks" follows up on the previous edition, which focused on "sick legislatures" and the impact of professionalism. In this edition, Alan Rosenthal takes a crack at establishing the criteria for "the good legislature." This ambitious subject was discussed at a Washington meeting, hosted graciously by Karl Kurtz, Bill Pound, and Carl Tubbesing from the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Rosenthal essay presented here is a substantially modified version of the one presented at that meeting, and the Jewell, Krehbiel, and Evans & Oleszek essays all respond, in various ways, to the initial paper and the discussions that took place in Washington. One further note: Virginia Gray and Wyman Spano, both of the University of Minnesota, responded to the reprint of Charles Mahtesian's article in the January 1998 "Extensions of Remarks." Their comments--as well as the original article--can be found in the LSS Newsletter Readers & Writers Forum.
Contents of this issue: The Good Legislature: Getting Beyond "I
Know It When I See It"
Political Dimensions of a "Good Legislature"
The Good Legislature from a Positivist Perspective
Committee Jurisdictions and the Good Legislature
Contributions to "Extension of Remarks" are encouraged. The total length of such contributions should be four pages, text typed, single spaced, with references following the style of Legislative Studies Quarterly. Works may be edited for content or for length. Please send proposed contributions to Burdett A. Loomis, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-2157. |