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Arizona's Statesman:
Congressman John J. Rhodes
Minority Leader: Post Watergate
In 1976, John Rhodes published a book entitled The Futile System. At the time the book was written, Rhodes had been in Congress for twenty-four years — twenty-two of those spent in the minority party and three as Minority Leader. The book not only gives the reader an insider’s look at how Congress works, but also examines the mechanics of the legislative process and forecasts the agenda of a Congress in the hands of a Republican majority. Rhodes's contention was that prolonged control of Congress by either party leads to bureaucratic stagnation and gridlock; therefore, periodic changes of party control are necessary and in the best interest of the nation.
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The Futile System is a document remarkable for its prescience and continued timeliness, having preceded the “Contract with America” and “compassionate conservatism” by nearly two decades. Excerpts from The Futile System are presented here for their historical value and as an illustration of John Rhodes’s foresight.
