Angry, Bored, Confused

by Kryzanek, Michael J.

• ISBN13: 9780813368849
• ISBN10: 0813368847
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-03-01
• Publisher: Westview Pr

Summary

Angry, bored, and confused—three words that aptly describe the typical American’s view toward the world of politics. But it doesn’t have to stay this way, argues Michael Kryzanek, in Angry, Bored, Confused. Kryzanek discusses issues central to American politics—citizenship, power, leadership, problem solving, initiating change—through a series of straightforward questions, with sometimes surprising answers. Angry, Bored, and Confused examines American politics from the perspective of an anxious consumer seeking to understand the political world, and to change it for the better.

Author Biography

Michael Kryzanek is professor and chair of political science at Bridgewater State College, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Illustrations	xi
Preface	xv
The Foundation of American Government	1	(36)
What Are the Ideas and Ideals that Our Government Was Founded On?	1	(6)
How Did the Constitution Get Written and Accepted?	7	(5)
What Is Actually in the Constitution?	12	(5)
How Has the Constitution Changed over the Years?	17	(12)
Is the Constitution Democratic?	29	(6)
A Few Books You Should Read	35	(2)
The American People and American Government	37	(32)
Who Are The American People---and What Are They Thinking About Politics?	37	(7)
How Do I Know Whether I Am a Liberal or a Conservative?	44	(6)
Why Is There So Much Apathy and Cynicism about Politics in America?	50	(7)
How Do Americans Participate in Politics?	57	(5)
What Is the Outlook for Participation in the Future?	62	(4)
A Few Books You Should Read	66	(3)
The Ingredients of Political Power	69	(32)
Why Are There So Many Public Opinion Polls?	69	(6)
How Much Does Money Drive American Politics?	75	(6)
Why Are There So Many Interest Groups in American Politics?	81	(5)
Are Political Parties Still Important in American Politics?	86	(6)
Does Television Exert Too Much Influence on American Politics?	92	(7)
A Few Books You Should Read	99	(2)
The Road to Power in American Politics	101	(30)
Why Would Anyone Want to Become President of the United States?(Or Senator or Representative or Governor, for that Matter?).	101	(4)
What does It Take to Become President of The United states? (Warning---It's No Walk in the Park)	105	(5)
Why Do Some People Win and Others Lose When They Run for Public Office?	110	(8)
What Does the Most Recent Presidential Election Tell Us About American Politics?	118	(5)
Is There a Better Way to Elect Our Political Leaders?	123	(7)
A Few Books You Should Read	130	(1)
Politicians and Public Servants	131	(38)
Who Runs the Government of the United States?	132	(9)
What Makes a President Great?	141	(7)
Why Can't the President and Congress Get Along?	148	(7)
Are the supreme Court Justices the Most Powerful Men and Women in America?	155	(6)
Why Do Bureaucrats Have Such a Bad Public Image?	161	(5)
A Few Books You Should Read	166	(3)
Making Public Policy Decisions	169	(36)
How Does the Congress Work?	169	(5)
Who Makes the Laws?	174	(7)
How Does the Government Manage the Economy?	181	(9)
How Does the Government Provide for the Health and Welfare of Its Citizens?	190	(5)
How Has U.S. Foreign Policy Changed Since the Downfall of Communism?	195	(8)
A Few Books You Should Read	203	(2)
Current Policy Dilemmas in American Government	205	(30)
How Much Defense Is Enough?	205	(7)
Can the Government Really Keep the Budget Balanced?	212	(4)
Is There a Fair Way of Collecting Taxes?	216	(6)
Are Free Trade Agreements Good for the American Economy?	222	(5)
Is Affirmative Action Necessary to Help Achieve Racial Equality?	227	(6)
A Few Books You Should Read	233	(2)
The Challenges Facing American Government	235	(44)
Is Social Security in Trouble?	235	(4)
Why Has Resistance to Immigration Risen (Again)?	239	(7)
Can the Government Win the War on Drugs?	246	(6)
What's Wrong with Our Health Care System?	252	(5)
What Is the Government Doing to Protect the Environment?	257	(6)
A Few Books You Should Read	263	(2)
Conclusion: Good Citizen, Bad Citizen, Indifferent Citizen	265	(10)
Helpful Hints	269	(3)
A Few Books You Should Read	272	(3)
Epilogue	275	(4)
Index	279