In this study of the Reagan cutbacks, Rubin provides a description of the economic and political factors that contributed to the retrenchment program. She identifies four basic themes in the politics of cutbacks: managing the Federal government; controlling the bureaucracy; the President's ability to influence Congress; and the role of interest groups. The author presents case studies to illustrate the cutback process in five Federal agencies--how the President took control of an agency; whether the agency defended itself against cutbacks and how bureaucratic opposition was surmounted; what the nature of political support was; how the interest groups intervened; what the nature of the relationship between the President and the Congress was during the period of the cutbacks; and what the effects on the quality of management were. ISBN 0-582-28473-2 (pbk.): $14.95.