Debating Democracy : A Reader in American Politics

by Miroff,Bruce

• ISBN13: 9780618719174
• ISBN10: 0618719172
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-24
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Designed to accompany any American Government text, this engaging reader features a debate-style format that includes two readings--each representing opposing viewpoints--per chapter. The unique format and current content give this book a distinctive advantage over other readers. The Sixth Edition incorporates up-to-date chapter introductions and new debates, for a fresh look at the hot-button issues in modern American government.

Table of Contents

Introduction: How to Read This Book

The Founding: Debating the Constitution James Madison, Federalist No. 10 Brutus, Anti-federalist Paper, 18 October 1787

Democracy: Overrated or Undervalued

Democracy's Romantic Myths Paul Rogat Loeb, The Active Citizen

The New Federalism: Does It Create Laboratories of Democracy or a Race to the Bottom

Beyond the Beltway John D. Donahue, The Devil in Devolution

Immigration: Good or Bad for American Democracy

Immigration Is Good Newt Gingrich, Patriotic Immigration

Political Economy: How Democratic Is the Free Market Economy

Capitalism and Freedom Samuel Bowles, Frank Roosevelt, and Richard Edwards, Corporate Capitalism Hurts American Democracy

Civil Liberties and War: Debating the USA Patriot Act Viet Dinh, Defending Liberty Against the Tyranny of Terror Stephen J. Schulhofer, No Checks, No Balances: Discarding Bedrock Constitutional Principles

Civil Rights: How Far Have We Progressed

One Nation, Indivisible David K. Shipler, A Country of Strangers

Church-State Relations: Was the United States Founded as a Christian Nation

The Centrality of Our Creator in Defining America Brooke Allen, Our Godless Constitution

The New Media and the Internet: Corporate Wasteland or Democratic Frontier

The Daily We Robert McChesney, The Power of the Producers

Political Polarization: How Divided Are We

Bipolar Disorder James Q. Wilson, How Divided Are We?

Campaigns and Elections: Professionals Versus Activists

Political Consultants and Electoral Democracy Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas Z?niga, Consultants Versus Netroots

Debating the Deficit and the Size of Government Stephen Moore, Tax Policy: The Theory Behind the Supply-Side Model Jonathan Chait, Race to the Bottom

Congress: Can Our Representatives Serve the Public Good

Congressional Individualism and the Collective Dilemma Barbara Sinclair, Political Parties in the House Today

The Presidency: How Much Difference Does the Individual Make

Lessons from the Modern Presidency Stephen Skowronek, The Changing Political Structures of Presidential Leadership

The Judiciary: How Should It Interpret Our Constitution

Textualism and the Constitution Stephen Breyer, Active Liberty and the Constitution

Economic Inequality: A Threat to Democracy

Myths of Rich and Poor Paul Krugman, For Richer

The United States and the Global Economy: Serving Citizens or Corporate Elites

Revolution Is U.S. David C. Korten, When Corporations Rule the World

U.S. Foreign Policy After September 11: Hegemony or International Cooperation

The Case for Goliath Charles W. Kegley Jr. and Gregory A. Raymond, The Imperiled American Imperium

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