Foreword: Jimmy Carter and the price of political courage
Introduction: a shot across the bow
Research design, methodology, and data
Organization of the book
Chapter 1: The veto and presidential influence
Veto politics
Presidential influence
Chapter 2: Mr. Carter goes to Washington
Water subsystems politics
The outsider: the 1976 election
The outsider: transitioning to power
The outsider: cabinet government
Changes in Congress
Chapter 3: water projects and the evolution of the veto strategy
The water wars: round one 1977
Round one: decision and fallout
Round two: the veto strategy
Working to sustain the veto
Chapter 4: Presidential influence in Congress
Building coalitions in Congress: a framework
Results
The override battle from the inside
The tools of influence
Presidential influence in Congress: a summary
Chapter 5: Presidential influence and the politics of pork
Presidential influence in Congress
The water projects veto as strategy
The water wars and the politics of pork
Afterword: the pork barrel and beyond
The current problem
Advice for the next administration and Congress
Appendix: Full model of presidential influence on the veto override.