Ira Shapiro has worked in senior positions in the U.S. Senate and served as a leading U.S. trade negotiator, ultimately earning the rank of ambassador. He resides in Potomac, Maryland.

“By reminding us of what the U.S. Senate was, Ira Shapiro awakens us to what this increasingly shaky pillar of American democracy still could be. In so doing, he gives us not only a riveting historical account, but also a prescription of how to restore health to our political system and true patriotism to public debate.”

• Prologue1977Chapter 1: The GrindChapter 2: The NaturalChapter 3: Great Expectations, Different AgendasChapter 4: Hawk and DoveChapter 5: The Appearance of ImproprietyChapter 6: The Liberal Filibuster1978Chapter 7: A Year of Living DangerouslyChapter 8: The Panama Canal FightChapter 9: Venturing into the Middle EastChapter 10: An Epic Business-Labor ClashChapter 11: Saving New YorkChapter 12: Closing Days1979Chapter 13: Before the StormChapter 14: Energy Battles After the Iranian RevolutionChapter 15: Fighting the Economic TideChapter 16: SALT II: Death by a Thousand Cuts1980Chapter 17: A Tough Political ClimateChapter 18: America’s Last FrontierChapter 19: Fighting to SurviveChapter 20: The Lame-Duck SessionEpilogueAcknowledgmentsA Note on SourcesInterviewsNotesBibliographyIndex

Ira Shapiro has worked in senior positions in the U.S. Senate and served as a leading U.S. trade negotiator, ultimately earning the rank of ambassador. He resides in Potomac, Maryland.

“By reminding us of what the U.S. Senate was, Ira Shapiro awakens us to what this increasingly shaky pillar of American democracy still could be. In so doing, he gives us not only a riveting historical account, but also a prescription of how to restore health to our political system and true patriotism to public debate.”

• Prologue1977Chapter 1: The GrindChapter 2: The NaturalChapter 3: Great Expectations, Different AgendasChapter 4: Hawk and DoveChapter 5: The Appearance of ImproprietyChapter 6: The Liberal Filibuster1978Chapter 7: A Year of Living DangerouslyChapter 8: The Panama Canal FightChapter 9: Venturing into the Middle EastChapter 10: An Epic Business-Labor ClashChapter 11: Saving New YorkChapter 12: Closing Days1979Chapter 13: Before the StormChapter 14: Energy Battles After the Iranian RevolutionChapter 15: Fighting the Economic TideChapter 16: SALT II: Death by a Thousand Cuts1980Chapter 17: A Tough Political ClimateChapter 18: America’s Last FrontierChapter 19: Fighting to SurviveChapter 20: The Lame-Duck SessionEpilogueAcknowledgmentsA Note on SourcesInterviewsNotesBibliographyIndex

Ira Shapiro has worked in senior positions in the U.S. Senate and served as a leading U.S. trade negotiator, ultimately earning the rank of ambassador. He resides in Potomac, Maryland.

“By reminding us of what the U.S. Senate was, Ira Shapiro awakens us to what this increasingly shaky pillar of American democracy still could be. In so doing, he gives us not only a riveting historical account, but also a prescription of how to restore health to our political system and true patriotism to public debate.”

• Prologue1977Chapter 1: The GrindChapter 2: The NaturalChapter 3: Great Expectations, Different AgendasChapter 4: Hawk and DoveChapter 5: The Appearance of ImproprietyChapter 6: The Liberal Filibuster1978Chapter 7: A Year of Living DangerouslyChapter 8: The Panama Canal FightChapter 9: Venturing into the Middle EastChapter 10: An Epic Business-Labor ClashChapter 11: Saving New YorkChapter 12: Closing Days1979Chapter 13: Before the StormChapter 14: Energy Battles After the Iranian RevolutionChapter 15: Fighting the Economic TideChapter 16: SALT II: Death by a Thousand Cuts1980Chapter 17: A Tough Political ClimateChapter 18: America’s Last FrontierChapter 19: Fighting to SurviveChapter 20: The Lame-Duck SessionEpilogueAcknowledgmentsA Note on SourcesInterviewsNotesBibliographyIndex