America At Odds The Essentials (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac)

by Henschen, Beth; Sidlow, Edward I.

• ISBN13: 9780534571238
• ISBN10: 0534571239
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Known for its provocative and engaging issues approach and topical organization, AMERICA AT ODDS explores the current conflicts that truly define America as a nation while involving students in discussion and debate. The engaging content and pedagogical features throughout AMERICA AT ODDS support two main goals of the text: to make students genuinely passionate about learning the ins and outs of American politics and government, and to encourage them to think about the ways their lives are affected by decisions made in the political arena. In every chapter of the text, the foundations and systems of political history, behavior, institutions, and policy are presented within the framework of issues oriented debate, making AMERICA AT ODDS truly unique as an approach to teaching the Introduction to American Government course.

Table of Contents

PART one The Foundations of Our American System
America in the Twenty-First Century	1	(18)
America at Odds: Do Students Care about Politics and Government?	2	(17)
The Constitution	19	(32)
America at Odds: Would a Direct Democracy Be Better?	20	(31)
Federalism	51	(26)
America at Odds: Should the States Take Orders from the National Government?	54	(23)
PART two Our Liberties and Rights
Civil Liberties	77	(28)
America at Odds: Should Hate Speech on the WebBe Banned?	78	(27)
Civil Rights	105	(28)
America at Odds: Should Felons Be Permanently Disenfranchised?	106	(27)
PART three The Politics of Democracy
Political Culture and Ideology	133	(20)
America at Odds: Should Bilingual Education Be Abolished?	134	(19)
Interest Groups	153	(24)
America at Odds: Gun Control: Do We Need and Armed Citizenry?	154	(23)
Political Parties	177	(22)
America at Odds: Should We Have a Multiparty System?	178	(21)
Public Opinion and Voting	199	(24)
America at Odds: Is Low Voter Turnout Really a Problem?	200	(23)
Campaigns and Elections	223	(24)
America at Odds: Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?	224	(23)
Politics and the Media	247	(22)
America at Odds: Should the Media Keep Silent Until the Polls Are Closed?	248	(21)
PART four Institutions
Congress	269	(26)
America at Odds: Is Divided Government Necessarily a Bad Thing?	270	(25)
The Presidency	295	(26)
America at Odds: Is the Presidency Worth the Cost?	296	(25)
The Bureaucracy	321	(24)
America at Odds: Should the Food and Drug Administration Regulate Tobacco?	322	(23)
The Judiciary	345	(24)
America at Odds: Supreme Court Appointees: Does Partisanship Matter?	346	(23)
Appendix A The Constitution of the United States	369	(10)
Appendix B The Declaration of Independence	379	(2)
Appendix C Twentieth-Century Supreme Court Justices	381	(2)
Appendix D Twentieth-Century Party Control of Congress	383	(2)
Appendix E Information on U.S. Presidents	385	(2)
Appendix F Federalist Papers No. 10 and No. 51	387	(6)
Appendix G Spanish Equivalents for Important Political Terms	393	(6)
Glossary	399	(14)
Index	413