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Fighting Liberal: The Autobiography of George W. Norris
In his foreword Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., places the distinguished senator from a conservative state in the best liberal tradition.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
419 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1961
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 23, 2017
Some nice insights into politics as a whole from long enough ago that I had no clue. I think I could have followed better if I had more political history knowledge before reading, but I did in general enjoy the style of writing.
October 24, 2019
George W. Norris is on just about everyone's ranking of the 10 best ever to serve in the Senate. The
remarkable thing is that he accomplished it all in Frank Sinatra's phrase,"My Way". Unlike his friend
and associate Bob LaFollette of Wisconsin who built a political machine of his own to assure his
dominance in his home state base, Norris from the time he led the House revolt against Speaker Joe
Cannon never had the support of the regular Republican party. They were always looking to knife him.
He came by his early Republicanism in a traditional way. He was born in Ohio during the Civil War
to a woman who was widowed soon after with three daughters and young George. There was a
brother who was in the Civil War and died in it. That was enough to be a Republican in the Union
states. After getting a law degree he moved west and eventually settled in McCook, Nebraska. Being a lawyer led to a judgeship and in 1902 he was elected to five terms in the House of Representatives.
In those years Norris first showed his maverick tendencies in leading a fight against the Speaker
to liberalize the House rules. Speaker Cannon was virtually a dictator, but that changed in 1910
when seniority replaced Cannon's whim.
Norris says had it not been that Nebraska had instituted party primaries even before the direct
election of US Senators with the 17th Amendment ain't no way he would have been elected to the
Senate. But he did win the primary an the legislature elected him for the first of 5 terms.
In the Wilson administration he supported some of the New Freedom reforms. But was one of 6
Senators to vote against declaring war on the Central Powers. He followed that up with refusing
to ratify the Versailles Treaty.
In the 20s Norris supported Prohibition, but he was the first to take an interest in the flooding of
the Tennessee River and the hardship it cost. Henry Ford offered to run a proposed Tennessee
Valley Authority as a private concern. Norris beat that back in the Senate and it took over a decade
when Franklin Roosevelt signed Norris's legislation that created the TVA as we know it. Norris
also bolted his party to support both Alfred E. Smith and FDR when they ran.
In 1930 the GOP bosses put up a man who was also named George W. Norris in the Senate primary
to defeat him. That story is quit unbelievable, but true.
Norris on the state level worked for Nebraska to adopt a one house legislature. It did but it is the
only state to do so. In 1932 he and Fiorello LaGuardia got legislation passed to outlaw what was
called a 'yellow dog contract'. Where an employer in hiring a worker has him sign a contract saying
he will not join a union. Abuses in the mining industry led to this reform.
And Norris was the author of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which set a fixed date for
Congress and the President and Vice President to be inaugurated. Quite a record.
In 1936 Norris ran as an Independent and won finally breaking formally with the Republicans. But
he was defeated for a 6th term in 1942 and died in 1944.
In those years left he dictated this memoir and it truly is Norris. No ghostwriter could have done
justice to this man and his achievements.
remarkable thing is that he accomplished it all in Frank Sinatra's phrase,"My Way". Unlike his friend
and associate Bob LaFollette of Wisconsin who built a political machine of his own to assure his
dominance in his home state base, Norris from the time he led the House revolt against Speaker Joe
Cannon never had the support of the regular Republican party. They were always looking to knife him.
He came by his early Republicanism in a traditional way. He was born in Ohio during the Civil War
to a woman who was widowed soon after with three daughters and young George. There was a
brother who was in the Civil War and died in it. That was enough to be a Republican in the Union
states. After getting a law degree he moved west and eventually settled in McCook, Nebraska. Being a lawyer led to a judgeship and in 1902 he was elected to five terms in the House of Representatives.
In those years Norris first showed his maverick tendencies in leading a fight against the Speaker
to liberalize the House rules. Speaker Cannon was virtually a dictator, but that changed in 1910
when seniority replaced Cannon's whim.
Norris says had it not been that Nebraska had instituted party primaries even before the direct
election of US Senators with the 17th Amendment ain't no way he would have been elected to the
Senate. But he did win the primary an the legislature elected him for the first of 5 terms.
In the Wilson administration he supported some of the New Freedom reforms. But was one of 6
Senators to vote against declaring war on the Central Powers. He followed that up with refusing
to ratify the Versailles Treaty.
In the 20s Norris supported Prohibition, but he was the first to take an interest in the flooding of
the Tennessee River and the hardship it cost. Henry Ford offered to run a proposed Tennessee
Valley Authority as a private concern. Norris beat that back in the Senate and it took over a decade
when Franklin Roosevelt signed Norris's legislation that created the TVA as we know it. Norris
also bolted his party to support both Alfred E. Smith and FDR when they ran.
In 1930 the GOP bosses put up a man who was also named George W. Norris in the Senate primary
to defeat him. That story is quit unbelievable, but true.
Norris on the state level worked for Nebraska to adopt a one house legislature. It did but it is the
only state to do so. In 1932 he and Fiorello LaGuardia got legislation passed to outlaw what was
called a 'yellow dog contract'. Where an employer in hiring a worker has him sign a contract saying
he will not join a union. Abuses in the mining industry led to this reform.
And Norris was the author of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which set a fixed date for
Congress and the President and Vice President to be inaugurated. Quite a record.
In 1936 Norris ran as an Independent and won finally breaking formally with the Republicans. But
he was defeated for a 6th term in 1942 and died in 1944.
In those years left he dictated this memoir and it truly is Norris. No ghostwriter could have done
justice to this man and his achievements.
January 16, 2018
This Senator was a remarkable man, without whom we would be far worse off as a nation. He was essential in the fiscally-prudent approach to electrification using co-ops. Even now, 80 years later, it is hard to imagine a superior approach. But learning about the rest of his life was fascinating, from the window into medical realities from 1860-1905 to the never-ending bullshit of party machines in politics and the small men (sometimes women) that make them possible.
April 14, 2025
Autobiographies can be hit or miss I guess. Interesting insight into the mechanics of Congress, but got a little dry in some parts.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews