The Irony of Democracy: An Uncommon Introduction to American Politics, 14th Edition

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
Copyright......Page 3
CONTENTS......Page 4
TO THE STUDENT......Page 20
TO THE INSTRUCTOR......Page 22
The Meaning of Elitism......Page 26
The Meaning of Democracy......Page 29
Elitism in a Democracy......Page 30
The Impracticality of Direct Democracy......Page 31
FOCUS: MASS DISTRUST OF AMERICA’S ELITE......Page 32
Representative Democracy and the Inevitability of Elites......Page 33
The Meaning of Pluralism......Page 34
How Elitism and Pluralism Differ......Page 35
Elite Distemper......Page 38
Mass Unrest......Page 39
An Elitist Theory of Democracy......Page 40
FOCUS: TERRORISM’S THREAT TO DEMOCRACY......Page 41
Selected Readings......Page 42
Notes......Page 43
Elites and Masses in the New Nation......Page 44
Government under the Articles of Confederation......Page 45
Protection of Bankers and Creditors from Cheap Money......Page 46
Protection of Shipping and Manufacturing......Page 47
Ensuring the Return of Runaway Slaves......Page 48
Formation of a National Elite......Page 49
George Washington’s Prestige......Page 50
The Founders’ Wealth......Page 51
The Founders’ ‘‘Continental’’ View......Page 52
Republicanism......Page 53
An Elite in Operation: Conciliation and Compromise......Page 54
Representation Compromise......Page 55
Slavery Compromises......Page 56
Voter Qualification Compromise......Page 57
The Constitution as Elitist Document......Page 58
Levying Taxes......Page 59
Creating the Military......Page 60
Protecting against Revolution......Page 61
Limiting States in Monetary Affairs......Page 62
National Supremacy......Page 63
Republicanism......Page 64
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances......Page 65
Judicial Review......Page 67
FOCUS: JAMES MADISON: SUPPRESSING MAJORITY ‘‘FACTIONS’’......Page 68
Emergence of Anti-Federalist Opposition......Page 69
The Bill of Rights as an Afterthought......Page 70
The Constitution: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 71
Notes......Page 72
CHAPTER 3 The Evolution of American Elites......Page 74
FOCUS: MASS IGNORANCE OF AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY......Page 75
Expanding the ‘‘Necessary and Proper’’ Clause......Page 76
Rise of Political Parties......Page 77
Republicans in Power: The Stability of Public Policy......Page 78
Rise of the Western Elites......Page 79
Elite Cleavage: The Civil War......Page 80
Attempts at Compromise......Page 81
Lincoln and Slavery......Page 82
Rise of the New Industrial Elite......Page 83
Industrial Capitalism......Page 84
Liberal Establishment: Reform as Elite Self-Interest......Page 85
Elite Reform......Page 88
Incremental Involvement......Page 89
Shifting Political Objectives......Page 90
Abandoning Commitments......Page 91
Massive Military Buildup......Page 92
Triumph without Victory?......Page 93
American Political History: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 94
Selected Readings......Page 95
Notes......Page 96
CHAPTER 4 Elites in America......Page 98
Industrial Concentration......Page 99
Financial Concentration......Page 100
The Global Elites......Page 101
FOCUS: CORPORATE MERGER MANIA......Page 102
Multinationalism......Page 103
The World Trade Organization......Page 104
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)......Page 106
Corporate Elites......Page 107
Management Power......Page 108
Revolving Doors......Page 110
Elite Policy-Making Institutions......Page 112
Public Policy as Elite Preference......Page 113
The Think Tanks......Page 114
FOCUS: GREED IN THE BOARDROOM......Page 115
Power in America: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 116
FOCUS: THE ELITE THINK TANKS......Page 117
Selected Readings......Page 118
Notes......Page 119
CHAPTER 5 Masses in America......Page 120
Stagnating Worker Earnings......Page 121
Capital Mobility......Page 122
Deunionization......Page 123
Elite–Mass Differences over Immigration......Page 124
Elite Support for Immigration......Page 125
Conflict over Immigration Policy......Page 126
Inequality of Wealth......Page 127
Mass Disaffection from Politics......Page 128
Social Class and Democratic Attitudes......Page 131
Elite Experience and Democratic Attitudes......Page 133
Are the Masses becoming more Democratic?......Page 134
Mass Political Ignorance......Page 135
Ignorance......Page 136
Mass Political Apathy......Page 138
The Dangers of Mass Activism......Page 139
Sources of Mass Activism......Page 140
Citizen Militias......Page 141
Repression and the War on Terrorism......Page 142
The Patriot Act......Page 143
Mass Conditions: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 144
Selected Readings......Page 145
Notes......Page 146
The News Makers......Page 148
The Myth of the Mirror......Page 149
News Making......Page 150
Agenda Setting......Page 152
Bashing America for Fun and Profit......Page 153
Mass Reaction......Page 154
Divisions among Mass Audiences......Page 155
Bias and Slander: Freedoms of the Press......Page 156
No Prior Restraint......Page 157
Absence of ‘‘Fairness’’......Page 158
‘‘Absence of Malice’’......Page 159
Chaotic by Design......Page 160
Political Web Sites......Page 161
The Bloggers......Page 162
Image Elections......Page 163
The Media Campaign......Page 164
Horse Race Reporting......Page 165
Shrinking Sound Bites......Page 166
Cognition and Comprehension......Page 167
Public Opinion......Page 168
The Media: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 169
Selected Readings......Page 170
Notes......Page 171
The Responsible Party Model in Disarray......Page 172
Core Constituencies of the Parties......Page 174
The Attraction to the Center......Page 175
Liberal and Conservative Labels......Page 176
Ideology and the Masses......Page 177
Declining Mass Attachments to Parties......Page 178
Realignment or Dealignment?......Page 179
Dealignment......Page 180
Realignment......Page 181
FOCUS: MASS PERCEPTIONS OF THE PARTIES......Page 182
Presidential Primaries and the Deterioration of Parties......Page 183
FOCUS: THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES, 2004......Page 185
Political Parties as Oligarchies......Page 186
Independent and Third-Party Politics......Page 188
The Rise and Fall of the Reform Party......Page 189
Single-Issue Parties......Page 190
Legal Access to the Ballot......Page 191
Parties and Ideologies: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 192
Notes......Page 193
The Myth of the Policy Mandate......Page 194
Determinants of Voter Choice......Page 195
Party Voting......Page 196
The Group Basis of Voting......Page 197
The Economic Basis of Voting......Page 199
Candidate Image Voting......Page 200
Money Drives Elections......Page 201
Finding and Feeding the ‘‘Fat Cats’’......Page 202
FOCUS: DIRTY POLITICS......Page 203
Wealthy Candidates......Page 206
‘‘Food Stamps for Politicians’’......Page 208
Democracy versus the Electoral College......Page 210
The Supreme Court Chooses a President, 2000......Page 211
Staying Home on Election Day......Page 213
Elections Choose Personnel, Not Policy......Page 215
Do Elections Allow for Retrospective Judgments?......Page 216
Elections Provide Protection against Official Abuse......Page 217
Elections: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 218
Selected Readings......Page 219
Notes......Page 220
Interest Groups: Democratic or Elitist?......Page 222
The Dominance of Business and Professional Organizations......Page 223
The Influence of Organized Labor......Page 225
Civil Rights Organizations......Page 226
How Well Do Groups Represent Members?......Page 227
Single-Interest versus Traditional Interest Groups......Page 228
FOCUS: LEADERS AND FOLLOWERS—THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS......Page 229
Access......Page 230
Information......Page 231
FOCUS: LAWYERS, LOBBYISTS, AND INFLUENCE PEDDLERS......Page 232
Grassroots Mobilization......Page 233
Campaign Support......Page 234
PAC Power......Page 235
Conservative Influence of Organizations......Page 236
Bias against Change......Page 237
The Case against Interest Groups......Page 238
Interest Groups: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 239
Selected Readings......Page 240
Notes......Page 241
The President as Symbolic Leader......Page 242
Variations in Presidential Approval Ratings......Page 244
The President and Mass Psychology......Page 245
The President’s Formal Powers......Page 246
FOCUS: RATING PRESIDENTS......Page 247
Chief Legislator......Page 248
Managing Crises: 9/11......Page 249
The War Powers Act......Page 250
Presidential Noncompliance......Page 251
Organizing Intelligence......Page 253
The Central Intelligence Agency......Page 254
Presidential ‘‘Box Scores’’......Page 255
The Veto Power......Page 256
Impeachment......Page 257
FOCUS: SEX, LIES, AND IMPEACHMENT......Page 258
Presidential Executive Power......Page 259
Presidential Responsibility to the Courts......Page 260
George W., in his Father’s Footsteps......Page 261
FOCUS: WATERGATE AND THE LIMITS OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER......Page 262
Running for President......Page 263
September 11......Page 264
Bush Rebounds......Page 265
The Presidency: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 266
Selected Readings......Page 267
Notes......Page 268
CHAPTER 11 The Bureaucratic Elite......Page 270
Shifts in Responsibility......Page 271
Organization of the Washington Bureaucracy......Page 272
FOCUS: MASS ATTITUDES TOWARD WASHINGTON BUREAUCRACIES......Page 273
Appointments......Page 275
Reorganization......Page 276
FOCUS: KATRINA: BUREAUCRATIC FAILURE......Page 277
The Budget......Page 278
The Presidential Budget......Page 279
Congressional Consideration......Page 281
Presidential Vetoes of Appropriations Bills......Page 282
Elite Fiscal Responsibility?......Page 283
Entitlement Spending......Page 284
Tax Politics......Page 285
Bureaucratic Power, Iron Triangles, and Revolving Doors......Page 288
Implementation, Regulation, Adjudication......Page 289
‘‘Iron Triangles’’......Page 290
The Regulatory Quagmire......Page 291
The Captured Regulators......Page 292
FOCUS: THE FED: MONEY IS TOO IMPORTANT TO BE LEFT TO ELECTED OFFICIALS......Page 293
The Hidden Costs of Regulation......Page 294
Reregulation......Page 295
Judicial Constraints......Page 296
The Bureaucracy: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 297
Selected Readings......Page 298
Notes......Page 299
The Elite Bias of Congressional Recruitment......Page 300
Professionalism......Page 301
Race and Gender......Page 302
Party......Page 303
Personal Wealth......Page 306
Mass Inattention......Page 307
Elites as the Relevant Constituents......Page 308
Throw the Rascals Out?......Page 309
Incumbent Advantages......Page 310
Mass Reaction: Term Limits......Page 311
The Elaborate Procedures of Legislative Elites......Page 313
Standing Congressional Committees......Page 314
The Seniority System......Page 317
Senate Filibusters......Page 318
Conference Committees......Page 319
The Speaker of the House......Page 320
Committee Chairs......Page 322
Polarization on Capitol Hill......Page 323
Presidential Support......Page 324
The Power of the Purse......Page 326
FOCUS: SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON......Page 327
FOCUS: CONGRESSIONAL ETHICS: AN OXYMORON?......Page 328
Impeachment......Page 329
Congress: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 330
Selected Readings......Page 331
Notes......Page 332
CHAPTER 13 Courts: Elites in Black Robes......Page 334
Judicial Review as an Elitist Principle......Page 335
Social Background......Page 336
Bush’s Supreme Court Nominations......Page 337
FOCUS: SENATE CONFIRMATION AS SLEAZY SPECTACLE......Page 338
Senate Questioning of Court Nominees......Page 339
Federal District Courts......Page 340
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Court System......Page 341
Judicial Power: Activism versus Self-Restraint......Page 342
FOCUS: ‘‘MAKE IT A FEDERAL CRIME!’’......Page 343
Original Intent......Page 344
Wisdom versus Constitutionality......Page 345
Supreme Court Politics......Page 346
Changing Liberal and Conservative Blocs on the Supreme Court......Page 347
Growing Reliance on the Courts......Page 348
FOCUS: THE SUPREME COURT AND ABORTION......Page 349
Court Congestion......Page 350
The Courts: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 351
Selected Readings......Page 352
Notes......Page 353
Federalism: The Original Division of Power between Nation and States......Page 354
Delegated Powers......Page 356
The ‘‘Necessary and Proper’’ Clause......Page 357
The Interstate Commerce Clause......Page 358
The Evolution of American Federalism......Page 359
Cooperative Federalism......Page 360
New Federalism......Page 361
Coercive Federalism......Page 362
The Supreme Court’s Reassertion of Federalism......Page 363
Mass Influence in the States......Page 364
The Populist Movement in the States......Page 365
The Politics of State Initiatives......Page 366
The Old-Community Economic Elites......Page 367
FOCUS: CORPORATE ELITE STRUCTURES IN THE STATES......Page 368
The New-Community Political Elites......Page 370
Federalism: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 372
Selected Readings......Page 373
Notes......Page 374
CHAPTER 15 Civil Rights: Elite Response to Protest......Page 376
Abolition......Page 377
Twentieth-Century Elite Attitude Change......Page 378
Mass Resistance to Desegregation......Page 379
The Montgomery Bus Boycott......Page 380
‘‘I Have a Dream’’......Page 381
Racial Inequality and Affirmative Action......Page 382
Opportunity versus Results......Page 383
Affirmative Action as a Remedy for Past Discrimination......Page 384
Elite versus Mass Response to Civil Rights......Page 385
Mass Opinion about Discrimination......Page 386
Mass Opinion about Affirmative Action......Page 387
Affirmative Action in Mass Referenda......Page 388
The First Wave......Page 390
Variations of Gender Feminism......Page 391
The Earnings Gap......Page 392
Gender Equality in Civil Rights Laws......Page 393
Cultural Divisions of Labor......Page 394
The ‘‘Glass Ceiling’’......Page 395
Civil Rights: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 396
FOCUS: ELITES, MASSES, AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT......Page 397
Notes......Page 399
Deterrence......Page 400
Negotiations over Nuclear Arms......Page 401
Antiballistic Missile Defenses......Page 402
The Collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the USSR......Page 403
NATO and Ethnic Conflicts......Page 404
The Powell Doctrine......Page 406
The War on Terrorism......Page 407
FOCUS: ELITE FOREIGN POLICY MAKING: THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS......Page 409
‘‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’’......Page 410
Iraqi Governance......Page 411
‘‘Stay the Course’’......Page 413
The Iraq Study Group......Page 414
FOCUS: MASS OPPOSITION TO THE WAR IN IRAQ......Page 415
The National Security Council......Page 416
Current Missions......Page 417
Stretched Too Thin?......Page 418
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001......Page 419
The Patriot Act......Page 420
Enemy Combatants......Page 421
Integrating Foreign and Domestic Intelligence......Page 422
National Security: An Elitist Interpretation......Page 423
Selected Readings......Page 424
Notes......Page 425
EPILOGUE: WHAT CAN STUDENTS DO?......Page 426
APPENDIX: THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA......Page 429
INDEX......Page 446