American democracy now

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Brief Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments
From the Authors
Dedication
Part I Foundations of American Democracy
	1 PEOPLE, POLITICS, AND PARTICIPATION
		y shd u stdy am dem now? Or, Why Should You Study American Democracy Now?
			How Technology Has Changed Politics
			The Political Context Now
			Americans’ Efficacy
			Thinking Critically: Facts Matter
			Civic Engagement: Acting on Your Views
		What Government Does
		Types of Government
		The Origins of American Democracy
			Democracy’s Origins in Popular Protest: The Influence of the Reformation and the Enlightenment
			The Modern Political Philosophy of Hobbes and Locke
			The Creation of the United States as an Experiment in Representative Democracy
		Political Culture and American Values
			Liberty
			Equality
			Capitalism
			Consent of the Governed
			Individual, Family, and Community
		Ideology: A Prism for Viewing American Democracy
			Analyzing the Sources: A Nation Divided?
			Liberalism
			Conservatism
			Other Ideologies on a Traditional Spectrum: Socialism and Libertarianism
			A Multidimensional Political Model
		The Changing Face of American Democracy
			A Population That Is Growing—and on the Move
			An Aging Population
			A Changing Complexion: Race and Ethnicity in the United States Today
			Changing Households: American Families Today
			Why the Changing Population Matters for Politics and Government
	2 THE CONSTITUTION
		What Is a Constitution?
		The Creation of the United States of America
			British Policies Incite Revolution in the Colonies
			The Common Sense of Declaring Independence
			The State Constitutions
			The Articles of Confederation (1781–1788)
		Crafting the Constitution of the United States
			Areas of Consensus
			Conflict and Compromise over Representation
			Conflict and Compromise over Slavery
			What About a Bill of Rights?
			Congress Sends the Constitution to the States for Ratification
			Thinking Critically: A Debate Over One 2020 Census Question
			The Ratification Debate: Federalists versus Anti-Federalists
			Ratification: Constitution (1788) and Bill of Rights (1791)
		The Constitution as a Living, Evolving Document
			Analyzing the Sources: Article V: Convening a Constitutional Convention
			Formal Amendment of the Constitution
			Interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court
	THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
	3 FEDERALISM
		An Overview of the U.S. Federal System
			Unitary System
			Confederal System
			Federal System
			What the Federal System Means for U.S. Citizens
		Constitutional Distribution of Authority
			Concurrent Powers
			National Sovereignty
			State Sovereignty
			State-to-State Relations: Horizontal Federalism
			Supreme Court Interpretation of the Constitution
			Analyzing the Sources: Which Government Has Sovereignty?
			Judicial Federalism
		Evolution of the Federal System
			Dual Federalism
			Cooperative Federalism
			Centralized Federalism
			Conflicted Federalism
			Partisan Federalism
		Intergovernmental Relations
			Tools of Intergovernmental Relations
			Thinking Critically: Can State Governments Nullify National Marijuana Law?
			Intergovernmental Tensions
			Advantages and Disadvantages of Today’s Federalism
Part II Fundamental Principles
	4 CIVIL LIBERTIES
		Civil Liberties in the American Legal System
			The Freedoms Protected in the American System
			The Historical Basis for American Civil Liberties: The Bill of Rights
			Analyzing the Sources: Balancing the Tension Between Liberty and Security
			Incorporation of the Bill of Rights to Apply to the States
		Freedoms in Practice: Controversy over the Second Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms
			Changing Interpretations of the Second Amendment
			Citizens Engaged: Fighting for a Safer Nation
		Freedoms of Speech, Assembly, and the Press: Supporting Civic Discourse
			The First Amendment and Political Instability
			Freedom of Speech
			Freedom of Assembly and Redress of Grievances
			Freedom of the Press
		Freedoms of Religion, Privacy, and Criminal Due Process: Encouraging Civic Engagement
			The First Amendment and the Freedom of Religion
			The Right to Privacy
			The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments: Ensuring Criminal Due Process
		Civil Liberties Now
			Perceived Intrusions on Free Speech and Assembly
			Perceived Intrusions on Criminal Due Process
			Free Speech on Campus
			Thinking Critically: Should College Campuses Be Allowed to Limit Speech?
	5 CIVIL RIGHTS
		The Meaning of Equality Under the Law
			#MeToo: Sexual Violence Promotes Inequality
		Slavery and Its Aftermath
			Slavery in the United States
			Reconstruction and the First Civil Rights Acts
			Backlash: Jim Crow Laws
			Governmental Acceptance of Discrimination
		The Modern Civil Rights Movement
			Fighting Back: Early Civil Rights Organizations
			The End of Separate but Equal
			The Movement Gains National Visibility
			Local Organizing and Civil Disobedience Strategies
			Analyzing the Sources: A Famous Image from the Civil Rights Era
		The Government’s Response to the Civil Rights Movement
			The Civil Rights Act of 1964
			The Voting Rights Act of 1965
			Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
		Black Lives Matter
			Future of the Movement
		The Movement for Women’s Civil Rights
			The First Wave of the Women’s Rights Movement
			The Second Wave of the Women’s Rights Movement
			The Third Wave of the Women’s Rights Movement
		Exploring Civil Rights
			Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Citizens
			Native Americans’ Rights
			Citizens of Latin American Descent
			Thinking Critically: What Is the Impact of Illegal Immigration?
			Citizens of Asian Descent
			Citizens with Disabilities
		Is Affirmative Action a Constitutional Solution to Discrimination?
			How Affirmative Action Works
			Opposition to Affirmative Action
Part III Linkages Between the People and Government
	6 POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION AND PUBLIC OPINION
		Political Socialization and Civic Participation
			The Process of Political Socialization
			Participating in Civic Life
		Agents of Socialization
			Family Influences on Attitudes, Opinions, and Actions
			The Media’s Ever-Increasing Role in Socialization
			Schools, Patriotism, and Civic Participation
			Religious Institutions: Faith as an Agent of Socialization
			Peers and Group Norms
			Political and Community Leaders: Opinion Influencers
			Demographic Characteristics: Our Politics Are a Reflection of Us
		The Socialization and Opinions of Young Americans
		Measuring Public Opinion
			How Public Opinion Polls Are Conducted
			Analyzing the Sources: Examining Americans’ Ideology
			Types of Political Polls
			Thinking Critically: Should the United States Have Stricter Gun Safety Laws?
		What Americans Think About Politics
			The Most Important Problem
			Public Opinion About Government
	7 INTEREST GROUPS
		The Value of Interest Groups
			Interest Groups and Civic Participation
			Pluralist Theory versus Elite Theory
			Key Functions of Interest Groups
			The Downside of Interest Groups
		Who Joins Interest Groups, and Why?
			Patterns of Membership
			Motivations for Joining Interest Groups
		How Interest Groups Succeed
			Organizational Resources
			Organizational Environment
		Types of Interest Groups
			Economic Interest Groups
			Public and Ideological Interest Groups
			Foreign Policy Interests
		Interest Group Strategies
			Direct Strategies to Advance Interests
			Indirect Strategies to Advance Interests
			Analyzing the Sources: Evaluating Interest Group Strategies
		Interest Groups, Politics, and Money: The Influence of Political Action Committees
			Thinking Critically: Should Super PACs Enjoy Unlimited Free Speech?
	8 POLITICAL PARTIES
		Are Political Parties Today in Crisis?
			A Democratic Party Struggling to Define Itself
			The Republican Party in the Era of President Trump
			Analyzing the Sources: Investigating Party Switchers
		Parties Today and Their Functions
			How Parties Engage Individuals
			What Political Parties Do
			The Responsible Party Model
		The Three Faces of Parties
			The Party in the Electorate
			The Party Organization
			The Party in Government
		Political Parties in U.S. History
			The First Party System: The Development of Parties, 1789–1828
			The Second Party System: The Democrats’ Rise to Power, 1828–1860
			The Third Party System: The Republicans’ Rise to Power, 1860–1896
			The Fourth Party System: Republican Dominance, 1896–1932
			The Fifth Party System: Democratic Dominance, 1932–1968
			A New Party System?
		The Party System Today: In Decline, in Resurgence, or a Post-Party Era?
			The Party’s Over
			The Party’s Just Begun
			A Post-Party Era?
		Two-Party Domination in U.S. Politics
			The Dualist Nature of Most Conflicts
			The Winner-Take-All Electoral System
			Continued Socialization to the Two-Party System
			Election Laws That Favor the Two-Party System
		Third Parties in the United States
			Types of Third Parties
			The Impact of Third Parties
		New Ideologies, New Technologies: The Parties in the 21st Century
			Republicans Today: The Establishment, President Trump, and the Tea Party
			Thinking Critically: Are Third Parties Bad for the United States?
			A Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party Today
			Changing Both Parties: New Technologies
	9 CAMPAIGNS, ELECTIONS, AND VOTING
		The Importance of Fair, Independent Elections
			Why Election Meddling Matters
			Intentional Efforts at Voter Suppression
			Political Participation as an Expression of the Will of the People
		Elections in the United States
			Nominations and Primary Elections
			General Elections
			Thinking Critically: Should the United States Have a National Primary?
			Referendum, Initiative, and Recall
		The Act of Voting
			The 2000 Election and Its Impact
			Types of Ballots
			Voting by Mail
		Running for Office: The Choice to Run
			Formal Eligibility Requirements
			Informal Eligibility Requirements
		The Nature of Political Campaigns Today
			The Professionalization of Political Campaigns
			The Media: Transforming Political Campaigns
			Revolutionizing the Campaign: New Technologies
		Money and Politics
			Early Efforts to Regulate Campaign Finance
			The Court Weighs In: Money = Speech
			Independent Expenditures
			The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002
			Circumventing the Rules: 527s and 501(c)4s
			The Court Weighs In (Again): The Birth of Super PACs
		Presidential Campaigns
			Party Conventions and the General Election Campaign
			The Electoral College
		Who Votes? Factors in Voter Participation
			Education Level—The Number-One Predictor of Voting
			The Age Factor
			Race, Ethnicity, and Voter Participation
			Analyzing the Sources: Exploring Race and Voting
			Income—A Reliable Predictor of Voting
			Party Competitiveness and Voter Turnout
		How Voters Decide
			Major Factors in Voter Decision Making
			Campaign Influences on Voter Choice
		Why Some People Do Not Vote
			Lack of Efficacy
			Voter Fatigue and Negative Campaigns
			The Structure of Elections
			Rational Choice Theory
			The Consequences of Nonvoting
	10 THE MEDIA
		The Modern Media
		The Political Functions of the Media
			Providing Information
			Analyzing the Sources: Confidence in the Media
			Interpreting Matters of Public Interest and Setting the Public Agenda
			Providing a Forum for Conversations About Politics
			Socializing Children to Political Culture
		The Press and Politics: A Historical View
			The Early Role of the Press
			Yellow Journalism and Muckraking
			A Widening War for Readership
			Increasing Diversity in Newsrooms
		The Media Go Electronic: The Radio and Television Revolutions
			How Radio Opened Up Political Communication
			Television and the Transformation of Campaigns and Elections
			How Americans Use the Media to Get Political Information
		Media Consolidation
		The Proliferation of News Sources and Greater Scrutiny
			The Cell-Phone Watchdogs
			Blogs: The New Penny Papers?
		Biased Media?
			The Question of Ideological Bias
			The Issue of Corporate Bias
		Regulation of the Media: Is It Necessary?
			Thinking Critically: Should Television Be Subject to Stricter Regulations Than Other Media Are?
	11 POLITICS AND TECHNOLOGY
		The Modern Technological Revolution: The Internet and Cellular Technology
			Who Uses the Internet?
			New Forms of Community
		Technology Now: Changing How Candidates Campaign and Citizens Participate
			Politics on Demand
			Technological Tools: Paving the Two-Way Communication Street
			New Campaign Strategies and Modes of Political Participation
		Technology Now: Revolutionizing How Governments Work
		What Is the Impact of Technology on Political Life?
			Technology Is a Powerful Tool for Protesters and Activists
			Technology Increases the Amount of Political Information Available
			What’s Next: How Technology Will Continue to Transform the Political Landscape
		The Downside of Technology in Politics
			Election Infiltration
			Analyzing the Sources: Trolling for Votes
			Cyber Threats
			Domestic Surveillance, Data Breaches, and Other Privacy Issues
			Fake News and the Issue of Accuracy
			A Tool for Terrorists: Recruiting, Communicating, Operationalizing
			Fomenting Polarized Partisanship and Extremism
			The Dominance of “Big Tech”
			The Internet and Free Speech
		Regulation of the Internet: Is It Necessary?
			Thinking Critically: Should We Regulate the Internet Infrastructure?
Part IV Institutions of Government
	12 CONGRESS
		The Origins of Congress
		Congressional Elections
			Incumbency
			Reapportionment and Redistricting
			Gerrymandering
			Thinking Critically: Are Congressional Elections “Rigged” Through Gerrymandering?
			Increased Partisanship and Congressional Redistricting
			Majority-Minority Districts
		Powers of Congress
			Analyzing the Sources: Mapping Majority-Minority Districts
		Functions of Congress
			Representation Comes in Many Forms
			Policy Making: A Central Responsibility
			Oversight: A Check on the Executive Branch
			Agenda Setting and Civic Engagement
			Managing Societal Conflict
		The House and the Senate Compared
		The Legislative Process
			Introducing a Bill
			The Bill in Committee
			Debate on the House and Senate Floor
			Presidential Action
		Congressional Leadership
			Leadership in the House of Representatives
			Leadership in the Senate
		Decision Making in Congress: The Legislative Context
			Political Parties and Partisanship in Decision Making
			Colleagues and Staff: Trading Votes and Information
			Interest Groups: Influence Through Organization
			The President’s Effect on Decision Making
			Constituents: The Last Word
		The People and Their Elected Representatives
			The Year of the Woman Redux?
			Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Congress
	13 THE PRESIDENCY
		Presidential Elections
			Thinking Critically: Should We Abolish the Electoral College?
		Presidential Roles and Responsibilities
			Chief of State
			The President’s Role in Congressional Agenda Setting
			Manager of the Economy
			Chief Diplomat
			Party Leader
			Chief Executive
		The President and the Executive Branch
			The Vice President’s Role
			The Cabinet
			The Executive Office of the President
		Presidential Succession
			When the President Dies in Office
			When the President Cannot Serve: The Twenty-Fifth Amendment
		Sources of Presidential Power
			The Constitution: Expressed Powers
			The Constitution: Inherent Powers
			Statutory Powers
			Special Presidential Powers
		The People as a Source of Presidential Power
			The President and the Bully Pulpit
			The President and Public Approval
			Analyzing the Sources: Presidential Job Approval
			Technology and the Media as a Tool of Presidential Influence
		The Evolution of Presidential Power
			Early Presidents and the Scope of Presidential Power
			The Watershed 1970s: The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and the “Imperial Presidency”
			The Post-Watergate Presidency
			Impeachment: A Check on Abuses of Presidential Power
		Women and the Presidency
			The First Lady
	14 THE BUREAUCRACY
		Bureaucrats and Bureaucracy
			Who Are the Bureaucrats?
			The Bureaucratic Structure
		Federal Bureaucrats
			Political Appointees
			Senior Executives
			Civil Servants
		State, Local, and Shadow Bureaucrats
		The Evolution of the Federal Bureaucracy
			Departments
			Independent Administrative Agencies
			Thinking Critically: Is the Federal Government Too Big?
			Independent Regulatory Commissions
			Government Corporations
			Executive Office of the President
		The Work of Bureaucrats
			Agenda Setting
			Policy Formulation
			Policy Approval
			Appropriation Approval
			Policy Implementation
			Policy Evaluation
		Bureaucratic Accountability
			Accountability to the People
			Accountability to the Courts
			Accountability to Congress
			Accountability to the President
			Internal Accountability
		Can Bureaucratic Performance Be Improved?
			The Best-Performing Bureaucracies
			Does Contracting-Out Improve Performance?
		Analyzing the Sources: Is It Government Performance or Partisanship?
		Citizens’ Role in Bureaucratic Performance
	15 THE JUDICIARY
		What Do Courts Do?
			Sources of Law in the United States
			Resolving Legal Disputes
		The Federal Court System
			Jurisdiction of Federal Courts
			The Structure of the Federal Courts
		Appointing Federal Judges
			Analyzing the Sources: Judicial Independence: Is It Needed? Has It Been Achieved?
			Selection Criteria
			Thinking Critically: Should There Be a Retirement Age for Supreme Court Justices?
			The Senate’s Role: Advice and Consent
		How the U.S. Supreme Court Functions
			Choosing Cases for Review
			Considering Legal Briefs and Oral Arguments
			Resolving the Legal Dispute: Deciding How to Vote
			Legal Reasoning: Writing the Opinions
		Judges as Policymakers
			From Judicial Review to Judicial Policy Making
			Judicial Activism, Living Constitution, Judicial Restraint, and Originalism
			Constraints on Judicial Policy Making
		The Supreme Court Today: The Roberts Court
Part V Public Policy
	16 ECONOMIC POLICY
		The American Dream and the American Economy
			The American Dream
			The American Economy
		Measuring Economic Health
			Traditional Measures of Economic Health
			Other Measures of Economic Health
			Analyzing the Sources: How Is the U.S. Economy Doing?
		Economic Theories That Shape Economic Policy
			Laissez-Faire Economics: An Unrealized Policy
			Keynesian Economics
			Supply-Side Economics
			Monetarism
			Should One Economic Theory Predominate?
		Fiscal Policy
			Tax Policy
			Spending Policy
			National Budget Process: Creating Fiscal Policy
			Today’s Federal Budget Realities
		Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve System
		Regulatory Policy
			Business Regulation
			Social Regulation
			The Benefits and Costs of Regulation
		Trade Policy in the Global Economy
		The American Dream in Today’s Economy
			Thinking Critically: Should College Tuition Be Free?
	17 DOMESTIC POLICY
		Citizen Engagement and Domestic Policy
			Analyzing the Sources: Partisan Differences on Top Policy Priorities for President Trump and Congress
		Tools of Domestic Policy
			Laws and Regulations
			Direct Provision of Public Goods
			Cash Transfers
			Loans, Loan Guarantees, and Insurance
			Grants-in-Aid and Contracting-Out
			Thinking Critically: Should the Federal Government Mandate Flood Insurance?
		Environmental Policy
			Environmental Degradation
			Environmental Protection
		Energy Policy
		Income Security Programs
			Social Security
			Unemployment Compensation
			Minimum Wage
			Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
			Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
			Other Safety Net Programs
		Health Care Policy
			Medicaid
			Medicare
			The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)
		Immigration Policy
			Authorized and Unauthorized Immigration
			Proposed Immigration Policy Reforms
	18 FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY
		The Tools of U.S. Foreign Policy
			Diplomacy
			Trade and Economic Policies
			The Military Option
		Who Decides? The Creators and Shapers of Foreign Policy
			The President and the Executive Branch
			Congress
			The Military-Industrial Complex
			The Media and New Technologies
			Public Opinion
			Private Citizens
		U.S. Foreign Policy in Historical Context
			The Constitutional Framework and Early Foreign Policy Making
			Hegemony and National Expansion: From the Monroe Doctrine to the Roosevelt Corollary
			World War I and the End of U.S. Isolationism
			Internationalism and the League of Nations
			World War II: U.S. Foreign Policy at a Crossroads
		The Postwar Era: The United States as Superpower
			International Agreements and Organizations
			The Cold War: Superpowers in Collision
			U.S. Efforts to Contain Communism: Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam
			Détente: A Thaw in the Cold War Chill
			The Reagan Years and Soviet Collapse
			Post-Soviet Times: The United States as Solo Superpower in an Era of Wars
		U.S. Foreign Policy in the 21st Century
			The Bush Doctrine: A Clash of Civilizations
			Analyzing the Sources: Major U.S. Troop Deployments Overseas
			The Obama Doctrine: A More Conciliatory Approach to Foreign Policy
			The Trump Doctrine: America First
			Thinking Critically: Do the Geneva Conventions Apply When Terrorists Have So Drastically Altered the Rules of War?
		Future Challenges in American Foreign Policy
			Trade Policy
			The Ongoing Threat of Terrorism
			Russian Expansion and Influence
			Nuclear Proliferation
			Environmental and Health Issues
			Technology’s Potential in Foreign Affairs
Part VI State and Local Government
	CHAPTER 19 STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
		Constitutions: National, State, and Local
			The Elements of State Constitutions
			Local Charters
			Direct Democracy: Letting the People Decide
			Thinking Critically: Is Direct Democracy the Fix for Misrepresentation in a Representative Democracy?
			Intergovernmental Relations
		Diversity Between and Within States
			Political Culture and Its Effect on Governing
			People: Dealing with Demographics
			Environment and Resources: Variations in Needs and Taxes
		State and Local Government Budgets
			Balanced Budgets
			State and Local Expenditures
			State Government Revenues
			Local Government Revenues
			The Federal Government as a Fiscal Equalizer
		Responsibilities of State Governments in National Politics
			States in National Politics: Formal Roles
			States in National Politics: Informal Functions
			Analyzing the Sources: Comparison of Select State Voting Laws
		Institutions of State Government
			Legislative Branch: Formulating and Approving Policy
			Executive Branch: Putting Policy into Action
			Judicial Branch: Resolving Legal Conflicts
		Local Governments
			General-Purpose Local Governments
			Special-Purpose Local Governments
GLOSSARY
INDEX