Power and Money: Writing about Politics, 1971-1987

In a series of articles in the Baltimore Sun, Edsall exposed a pyramid of patronage and shady deals that dominated the administration of Maryland Gov. Marvin Mandell who was convicted for racketeering in 1978. The links between money and power, the author charges, are no less prevalent in Washingtonboth Republicans and Democrats utilize payoffs, lobbying and connections to raise funds. In this collection of pieces reprinted mostly from the Washington Post, he reveals his flair for balanced investigative reporting. He provides evidence for his contention that the Reagan administration has redistributed income from the poor to the rich through the tax system. Analyzing the realignment occurring within the two major parties, he ponders the fact that the Democrats have lost popular support even though the party's constituency among poor and moderate-income families has fared badly during the Reagan years. His compelling study explains why the Reagan legacya staggering national debtwill severely limit the options available to a Democrat elected president in the near future. (July)