Approaching Democracy : Portfolio Edition

by Berman, Larry; Murphy, Bruce Allen

• ISBN13: 9780131443884
• ISBN10: 0131443887
• Edition: CD
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

This concise paperback introduces the basics of American government, structured around democracy as an ideal toward which we continually strive. Thematically organized, it prepares readers to review events in the context of this goal. This book prepares readers to be good citizens, armed with the information they will need to follow politics and make educated choices about leaders, policies, and actions.Cases and real-world examples reflect current trends and events such as: Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security Council, the War on Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Bill, Anthrax and the US Postal Service, Dick Cheney as the new VP, Census 2000, the Enron scandal, Military tribunals, Senator Jeffords party switch, the Supreme Court and the 2000 Presidential Election, 2002 Congressional elections, governments in the Islamic world, and much more. Topics also address the multiple processes of formulating, implementing, and evaluating public policy and the democratic ideal.For anyone wanting to arm themselves with the information needed to make educated political decisions and choices.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
About the Authors	xx
PART I FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
1 APPROACHING DEMOCRACY	1	(15)
Introduction: Democracy as an Evolutionary Process	1	(1)
Forming a Picture of Democracy	2	(3)
Direct and Indirect Democracy	3	(2)
The Roots of Democracy	5	(1)
The Ideals of Democracy	6	(5)
Freedom and Equality	7	(1)
Order and Stability	8	(1)
Majority Rule and Protection of Minority Rights	9	(1)
Participation	10	(1)
The Elements of Democracy	11	(3)
Summary	14	(1)
Suggested Readings	15	(1)
2 THE FOUNDING AND THE CONSTITUTION	16	(45)
Introduction: The Road to Democracy	16	(1)
The Seeds of American Democracy	17	(4)
Early Colonial Governments	17	(2)
Social Contract Theorists	19	(2)
First Moves toward a Union	21	(1)
Rebellion: Causes and Consequences	22	(3)
The Sugar and Stamp Acts	23	(1)
The Townshend Revenue Acts	23	(1)
The Boston Massacre	24	(1)
Committees of Correspondence	24	(1)
The Boston Tea Party	24	(1)
Revolution and the Stirrings of a New Government	25	(4)
The First Continental Congress	25	(1)
"The Shot Heard 'Round the World"	26	(1)
The Second Continental Congress	26	(1)
Common Sense	27	(1)
The Declaration of Independence	27	(2)
The First New Government: A Confederation of States	29	(1)
The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)	29	(1)
The Need for a More Perfect Union	30	(2)
The Constitutional Convention	32	(9)
The Task	32	(1)
The Participants	32	(1)
The Major Players	33	(1)
Plans for a New Government	34	(2)
Debate and Compromise: The Turning Point of the Convention	36	(2)
The Issue of Slavery	38	(1)
The Nature of the Presidency	39	(2)
The Miracle: Results of the Convention	41	(7)
A Republican Form of Government	41	(2)
The Governmental Powers	43	(2)
The Articles of the Constitution	45	(3)
Ratification: The Battle for the Constitution	48	(5)
The Federalist Papers	48	(1)
Federalists versus Antifederalists	49	(2)
Ratification by Way of Compromise: A Bill of Rights	51	(1)
Politics the Old-Fashioned Way: A Look at the Battle for Ratification	51	(2)
Adoption of the Bill of Rights	53	(1)
Updating the Constitution	53	(2)
Updating the Constitution through the Amendment Process	54	(1)
Updating the Constitution by Judicial Interpretation	55	(1)
The Gettysburg Address and America's Approach to Democracy	55	(2)
Summary	57	(2)
Suggested Readings	59	(2)
3 FEDERALISM	61	(29)
Introduction: Federalism and Democracy	61	(1)
Federalism Defined	62	(2)
Federalism: Advantages and Disadvantages	63	(1)
Federalism in the Constitution	64	(2)
The Triad of Powers	64	(2)
The Division of Powers	66	(2)
The Development of Federalism	68	(10)
Debating the National Role: Hamilton versus Jefferson	69	(1)
Asserting National Power: McCulloch v. Maryland	69	(1)
Expanding National Power Further: Gibbons v Ogden	70	(1)
Asserting State Power: Nullification	70	(1)
Developing a System of Separation: Dual Federalism	71	(1)
Creating a Cooperative System: The New Deal Era	72	(1)
Seeking Uniformity: Federalism in the Post-New Deal Era	73	(1)
Federal Grants and Federal Mandates: Federalism since 1930	74	(4)
Presidents and Federalism	78	(7)
Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower: The Era of Cooperative Federalism, 1930-1963	78	(1)
Lyndon Johnson: The Era of Creative Federalism, 1963-1968	78	(2)
Richard Nixon's New Federalism, 1969-1974	80	(1)
Creative Federalism Returns under Jimmy Carter, 1977-1980	81	(1)
Ronald Reagan's "New New Federalism," 1981-1988	81	(1)
The Bush Years, 1989-1992	82	(1)
Bill Clinton and New(t) Federalism, 1993-2001	83	(1)
George W. Bush, 2001-Present	84	(1)
The Rehnquist Court and the Future of Federalism	85	(1)
Federalism and Approaching Democracy in the Twenty-First Century	86	(1)
Summary	87	(1)
Suggested Readings	88	(2)
PART II INSTITUTIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
4 CONGRESS	90	(39)
Introduction: Congress and Democracy	90	(1)
The Structure and Powers of Congress	91	(3)
What the Framers Had in Mind	91	(2)
Limits on Congress's Power	93	(1)
The Members of Congress	94	(7)
Who Are the Members?	94	(1)
Congressional Districts	95	(2)
Majority-Minority Districts and the Approach to Democracy	97	(1)
Delegates versus Trustees	97	(1)
Name Recognition and the Incumbency Factor	98	(3)
The "Two Congresses": The Public's View of Congress	101	(1)
How Congress Organizes Itself	101	(8)
Congressional Leadership	101	(4)
Congressional Committees: The Laboratories of Congress	105	(1)
Why Does Congress Use Committees?	106	(1)
The Rise of Subcommittees	107	(2)
Congress in Session	109	(8)
The Rules and Norms of Congress	109	(5)
How Members Make Voting Decisions	114	(3)
How a Bill Becomes Law	117	(5)
The Congressional Agenda	117	(1)
Congress Considers the Bill	118	(2)
Obstacles to Passage of a Bill	120	(1)
Overcoming the Legislative Obstacles	121	(1)
Additional Functions of Congress	122	(1)
The 106th and 107th Congress: Whither the "Republican Revolution"?	123	(2)
Congress after the 2002 Election	125	(2)
Summary	127	(1)
Suggested Readings	128	(1)
5 THE PRESIDENCY	129	(26)
Introduction: The Presidency and Democracy	129	(1)
The Constitutional Design	130	(6)
Who Is Eligible to Be President?	131	(1)
The Presidential Powers	132	(4)
The Functional Roles of the President	136	(4)
Two Views of Executive Power	140	(2)
Expanding Presidential Power: Moving beyond the Constitution	142	(5)
Congress Delegates Power to the President	142	(1)
Conducting Foreign Policy and Making War	143	(3)
Going Public	146	(1)
The Institutionalized Presidency	147	(6)
The White House Office	148	(1)
The Executive Office of the President	149	(2)
The Cabinet	151	(1)
The Vice Presidency	151	(2)
Summary	153	(1)
Suggested Readings	154	(1)
6 THE JUDICIARY	155	(35)
Introduction: The Courts and Democracy	155	(1)
The Origins and Development of Judicial Power	156	(5)
Creating the "Least Dangerous Branch"	156	(1)
Morbury v. Madison: The Source of Judicial Power	157	(1)
Judicial Review: The Court's Ultimate Power	158	(1)
Other Powers of the Supreme Court	159	(1)
Independence of the Judiciary	159	(2)
The Organization of the American Court System	161	(3)
Types of Courts	161	(1)
Types of Cases	161	(1)
Organization of the Federal Courts	162	(2)
Court Appointments: The Process and the Politics	164	(7)
The Supreme Court Appointment Process	164	(4)
The Impact of Presidential Appointments on the Supreme Court	168	(1)
Staffing the Lower Federal Courts	169	(2)
How the Supreme Court Operates	171	(8)
Selecting Cases	172	(1)
The Solicitor General: "The Government's Lawyer"	173	(1)
The Process of Deciding Cases	174	(3)
Marshaling the Court: The Opinion-Drafting Process	177	(1)
The Announcement of Opinions	178	(1)
The Chief Justice's Role	179	(1)
Analyzing Supreme Court Decisions	179	(5)
The Use of Precedent and Other Legal Factors	179	(1)
The Mindset of Individual Justices	180	(2)
Judicial Character	182	(1)
Voting Blocs	183	(1)
Limitations of Court Analysis	184	(1)
Implementing Supreme Court Decisions	184	(3)
The President and the Court	184	(1)
Congress and the Court	185	(1)
The Impact at State and Local Levels	186	(1)
Public Opinion and the Supreme Court	186	(1)
Summary	187	(2)
Suggested Readings	189	(1)
7 THE BUREAUCRACY	190	(22)
Introduction: Bureaucracy and Democracy	190	(1)
Background on the Bureaucracy	191	(4)
Growth of the Federal Bureaucracy	192	(1)
Evolution of the Bureaucracy: Creating the Civil Service	193	(2)
Meet the Bureaucracy	195	(7)
What the Bureaucracy Does	196	(2)
The Structure of the Federal Bureaucracy	198	(3)
Constraints on the Bureaucracy and Bureaucratic Culture	201	(1)
Bureaucratic Accountability	202	(6)
Presidential Control	203	(2)
Congressional Control	205	(1)
The National Security Bureaucracy	206	(1)
Are the Criticisms Justified?	207	(1)
Reforming the Bureaucracy	208	(2)
Summary	210	(1)
Suggested Readings	211	(1)
PART III PROCESSES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
8 PUBLIC OPINION	212	(25)
Introduction: Public Opinion and Democracy	212	(1)
What Is Public Opinion?	213	(1)
Measuring Public Opinion	214	(3)
Political Socialization	217	(2)
The Role of Family	217	(1)
Schooling	218	(1)
Peers	218	(1)
Television	219	(1)
Social Variables That Influence Opinion Formation	219	(5)
Class and Income	220	(1)
Race and Ethnicity	220	(1)
Religion	221	(1)
Region	222	(1)
Gender	223	(1)
American Political Culture	224	(3)
Core Values	224	(2)
Political Ideology	226	(1)
The State of American Public Opinion	227	(6)
Political Awareness and Involvement	228	(1)
How Are Political Opinions Formed?	229	(2)
Stability and Change in Public Opinion	231	(2)
How Changeable Is Public Opinion?	233	(1)
From Public Opinion to Public Policy	233	(2)
Summary	235	(1)
Suggested Readings	236	(1)
9 POLITICAL PARTIES	237	(29)
Introduction: Political Parties and Democracy	237	(1)
A Brief History of the American Party System	238	(6)
The First Party System (1790's-1820's) 239 The
Second Party System (1820's-1850's)	240	(1)
The Third Party System (1850's-1890's)	241	(1)
The Fourth Party System (1896-1932)	241	(1)
The Fifth Party System (1932-1968)	242	(1)
A Sixth Party System? 1968 to Present	243	(1)
Functions of American Political Parties	244	(2)
Parties Organize the Election Process	244	(1)
Parties Represent Group Interests	245	(1)
Parties Simplify Political Choices	245	(1)
Parties Organize Government and Policy Making	245	(1)
Party Organization	246	(3)
Parties at the Grass Roots	246	(1)
The Party Machine	247	(1)
National Party Organization	248	(1)
Party Similarities and Differences	249	(1)
Nominating a President: Parties and Elections	249	(3)
Nominating Candidates	249	(3)
Reforming the Nominating Process	252	(4)
Why a Two-Party System?	256	(2)
Institutional Factors	256	(1)
Cultural Factors	257	(1)
Party Identification	258	(1)
Minor Parties	258	(3)
Why Minor Parties Appear	258	(1)
Minor Party Performance	259	(1)
Functions of Minor Parties	260	(1)
The Party in Government	261	(2)
The Importance of Party Ideology	261	(2)
Political Parties and the 2002 Election	263	(1)
Summary	263	(2)
Suggested Readings	265	(1)
10 PARTICIPATION, VOTING, AND ELECTIONS	266	(25)
Introduction: Political Participation and Democracy	266	(1)
Who Participates?	267	(1)
A Brief History of Voting in the United States	267	(2)
Voting	269	(5)
Voter Turnout	270	(1)
Explaining Low Turnout	271	(1)
Nonvoting	272	(1)
Who Votes?	272	(1)
A Voting Trend: Direct Democracy	273	(1)
Voting Choice	274	(3)
Party	274	(1)
Candidate Appeal	275	(1)
Policies and Issues	275	(2)
Campaigns	277	(1)
Other Forms of Political Participation	277	(3)
Campaign and Election Activities	278	(1)
Seeking Information	278	(1)
Protest, Civil Disobedience, and Violence	279	(1)
Congressional Elections	280	(2)
Presidential Coattails	281	(1)
Presidential Elections	282	(4)
The Electoral College: The Framers' Intention	282	(2)
The Electoral College and Strategies for Campaigning	284	(1)
Electoral College Reform?	285	(1)
Interpreting Presidential Elections	285	(1)
Money and Elections	286	(3)
Federal Matching Funds	287	(1)
Campaign Finance Reform	288	(1)
Summary	289	(1)
Suggested Readings	290	(1)
11 INTEREST GROUPS	291	(27)
Introduction: Interest Groups and Democracy	291	(1)
Interest Groups: A Tradition in American Politics	292	(4)
What Is an Interest Group?	293	(1)
A Long History of Association	294	(1)
Recent Trends	295	(1)
Functions of Interest Groups	296	(2)
Interest Groups Allow for Collective Action	296	(1)
Interest Groups Provide Information	297	(1)
Types of Interest Groups	298	(5)
Economic Interest Groups	298	(2)
Public Interest Groups	300	(1)
Government Interest Groups	300	(1)
Ideological Interest Groups	301	(1)
Religious Interest Groups	301	(1)
Civil Rights Interest Groups	302	(1)
Single-Issue Interest Groups	302	(1)
Characteristics of Interest Groups	303	(3)
Interest Group Membership	303	(2)
Other Characteristics of Interest Groups	305	(1)
Interest Group Strategies	306	(4)
Lobbying	306	(2)
Grass-Roots Activity	308	(1)
Using the Courts and Lobbying the Political Branches	309	(1)
Political Action Committees	310	(1)
Regulation of Interest Groups	311	(1)
Assessing the Impact of Interest Groups	312	(2)
Interest Groups of the Future	314	(1)
Interest Groups and the 2004 Election	315	(1)
Summary	316	(1)
Suggested Readings	317	(1)
12 THE MEDIA	318	(25)
Introduction: The Media and Democracy	318	(1)
The Emergence of the Media	319	(7)
Newspapers	320	(2)
Magazines	322	(1)
Radio	322	(2)
Television	324	(1)
New Media Technologies	324	(2)
Functions of the Media	326	(3)
Surveillance	326	(1)
Interpretation	327	(1)
Socialization	328	(1)
Limits on Media Freedom	329	(3)
Regulating the Media	329	(2)
Prior Restraint versus the Right to Know	331	(1)
Ideological Bias and Media Control	332	(3)
Media Ownership and Control	333	(2)
Media-Government Symbiosis	335	(1)
The Media and Elections	335	(5)
Press Coverage	335	(1)
Polling	335	(1)
Talk Shows	336	(1)
Television and Presidential Elections	337	(1)
Political Advertising	338	(2)
Summary	340	(1)
Suggested Readings	341	(2)
PART IV LIBERTIES AND RIGHTS IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
13 CIVIL LIBERTIES	343	(25)
Introduction: Civil Liberties and Democracy	343	(1)
Defining and Examining Civil Liberties and Civil Rights	344	(2)
The Early First Amendment Cases	345	(1)
Freedom of Religion	346	(6)
Establishment of Religion	346	(4)
Free Exercise of Religion	350	(2)
Freedom of Speech	352	(2)
Political Speech	352	(1)
Public Speech	353	(1)
The Rights of Defendants	354	(7)
The Fourth Amendment	354	(5)
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments	359	(2)
The Expanding Nature of Implied Rights	361	(4)
Privacy	362	(1)
Abortion	363	(2)
Summary	365	(1)
Suggested Readings	366	(2)
14 CIVIL RIGHTS AND POLITICAL EQUALITY	368	(25)
Introduction: Civil Rights and Democracy	368	(2)
Defining Civil Rights	369	(1)
Establishing Constitutional Equality	370	(3)
The Dred Scott Case	371	(1)
The Civil War and Reconstruction	371	(2)
Creating Legal Segregation	373	(1)
Separate But Equal?	373	(1)
The Disenfranchisement of African American Voters	373	(1)
Establishing Legal Equality	374	(2)
The White House and Desegregation	374	(1)
Seeking Equality in the Schools	375	(1)
The Civil Rights Movement	376	(4)
The Civil Rights Acts	377	(1)
The Supreme Court and Civil Rights	378	(2)
De Jure versus De Facto Discrimination	380	(1)
Affirmative Action	380	(3)
Seeking Full Equality: Opportunity or Result?	380	(2)
The Future of Affirmative Action	382	(1)
Women's Rights	383	(6)
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back	384	(1)
The Struggle for Suffrage	385	(1)
The Road to Equality	385	(1)
Seeking Equality through the Courts	386	(3)
Civil Rights and Other Minorities	389	(1)
Hispanic Americans	389	(1)
Summary	390	(1)
Suggested Readings	391	(2)
PART V POLICY MAKING IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
15 DOMESTIC AND ECONOMIC POLICY	393	(19)
Introduction: Public and Economic Policy and the Democratic Process	393	(1)
Types of Policies	394	(1)
Getting onto the Public Agenda	394	(5)
Getting onto the Formal Agenda	396	(1)
Implementing a Policy	396	(1)
Evaluating a Policy	397	(1)
Terminating a Policy	398	(1)
Continuing a Policy	398	(1)
Regulatory Policy	399	(1)
Social Welfare Policy	399	(4)
The Social Security Act	400	(1)
The War on Poverty	401	(2)
Economic Policy	403	(1)
The Goals of Economic Policy	404	(1)
The Politics of the Federal Budget	404	(1)
The President Proposes, Congress Disposes	405	(1)
Taxing	405	(3)
Sources of Tax Dollars	406	(1)
Tax Reform	407	(1)
Spending	408	(1)
Summary	409	(1)
Suggested Readings	410	(2)
Appendix 1: Presidents and Congresses, 1789-2000	412	(3)
Appendix 2: Supreme Court Justices	415	(3)
Appendix 3: Declaration of Independence	418	(3)
Appendix 4: The Constitution of the United States	421	(15)
Appendix 5: Introducing the Concept of Approaching Democracy	436	(2)
Glossary	438	(18)
Notes	456	(23)
Photo Credits	479	(1)
Index	480

Excerpts

Welcome toApproaching Democracy, Portfolio Edition!From the moment eight years ago when the first edition went to press, the "professor" in each of us began mentally updating and modifying the original theme of the textbook. Now with the enormous challenges facing our country in the "war on terrorism," and institutional changes in the government that are underway, we face the task of using our theme of "approaching democracy" as a standard to test the democratic nature of this nation's quest to balance security and liberty at home, as well as bringing elements of democracy to Iraq. In making this effort, we have learned so much from the hundreds of students enrolled in our classes, as well as those who e-mailed or contacted us through our home page. We have also listened to our undergraduate readers throughout the country. From both of us we extend a heartfelt thank you! Why Approaching Democracy? Approaching Democracy, Portfolio Edition,remains an exploration of the American experiment in self-governing. A great deal has happened in American politics since we published the first edition in 1996; we have tried to capture those changes factually and thematically, albeit in a briefer format. Our title and theme come from Vaclav Havel, a former dissident Czechoslovakian playwright once imprisoned by his country's communist government and later elected president of the Czech Republic. Addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress on February 21, 1990, Havel noted that with the collapse of the Soviet Union, millions of people from Eastern Europe were involved in a historically irreversible process, beginning their quest for freedom and democracy. And it was the United States of America that provided the model, the way to democracy and independence, for these newly freed peoples. But Havel put his own spin on the notion of American democracy as a model, "As long as people are people," Havel explained, "democracy, in the full sense of the word, will always be no more than an ideal. In this sense, you, too, are merely approaching democracy. But you have one great advantage: You have been approaching democracy uninterruptedly for more than two hundred years, and your journey toward the horizon has never been disrupted by a totalitarian system." The United States has been endeavoring to approach democracy for over two hundred years. In spite of its astonishing diversity and the consequent potential for hostility and violence, the United States has moved closer to the democratic ideal than any other country. But the process of approaching democracy is a continual one, and the debate about how to achieve democratic aspirations drives our politics. In other words, American democracy remains very much a work in progress. We believe the political history of the world in which we live has validated this democratic experiment in self-government. The number of democracies worldwide increased from a few dozen in the 1950s to 121 of the 192 independent countries by mid-2002. As a result, writes Joshua Muravchik of the American Enterprise Institute, "Democracy has become an expectation, its claims hard to resist. . . Democracy has established itself as a universal norm." Clearly, we live in an age of democratic aspiration, and for many around the world who seek to achieve democracy, the United States represents a model of the democratic process. As Havel expressed, the triumph of democratic ideas in Eastern Europe was inspired by America's example of freedom and democracy. We are the laboratory for those who have broken from their totalitarian past and for those who dream of doing so. Notice how many Afghan men shaved their beards and how many women removed their burkas and smiled after the rout of the Taliban. The difference between living under a political system that promotes freedom and one that enslaves its citizens is easy to identify. What is less clear involves designing a sys