Government in America, Brief S.O.S. Edition

by Edwards, George C.; Wattenberg, Martin P.; Lineberry, Robert L.

• ISBN13: 9780321338006
• ISBN10: 0321338006
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

Framing its content within a "politics matters" theme,Government in Americaillustrates the impact that government has on the daily lives of each and every American, motivating students to become active participants in all aspects of political culture.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Tools for Understanding Government in America	xxiii
About the Authors	xxxiii
Introducing Government in America	1	(25)
Government	7	(4)
Issues of the Times: How Can Young People's Interest in Politics Be Increased?	8	(3)
Politics	11	(1)
The Policymaking System	11	(3)
Democracy	14	(5)
The Scope of Government in America	19	(4)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	23	(3)
The Constitution	26	(40)
The Origins of the Constitution	28	(5)
The Government That Failed: 1776--1787	33	(3)
Making a Constitution: The Philadelphia Convention	36	(2)
The Agenda in Philadelphia	38	(5)
The Madisonian Model	43	(4)
Making a Difference: James Madison	43	(4)
Ratifying the Constitution	47	(3)
Constitutional Change	50	(7)
In Focus: John Marshall and the Growth of Judicial Review	54	(2)
How You Can Make a Difference: Amending the Constitution	56	(1)
Understanding the Constitution	57	(5)
Young People and Politics: Lowering the Voting Age	59	(1)
Issues of the Times: How Can We Make History Come Alive?	60	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	62	(4)
Federalism	66	(33)
Defining Federalism	68	(3)
Making a Difference: Candy Lightner	70	(1)
How You Can Make a Difference: Drinking Age Laws	71	(1)
The Constitutional Basis of Federalism	71	(8)
Intergovernmental Relations Today	79	(11)
Young People and Politics: Federal Support for Colleges and Universities	80	(8)
Issues of the Times: The Distribution of Federal Dollars	88	(2)
Understanding Federalism	90	(5)
You Are the Policymaker: Should Whether You Live Depend on Where You Live?	92	(3)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	95	(4)
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights	99	(68)
The Bill of Rights---Then and Now	102	(2)
Freedom of Religion	104	(4)
Freedom of Expression	108	(11)
You Are the Judge: The Case of Animal Sacrifices	109	(6)
You Are the Judge: The Case of Drive-in Theater	115	(4)
You Are the Judge: The Case of the Nazis' March in Skokie	119	(1)
Defendants Rights	119	(9)
You Are the Judge: The Case of Ms. Montoya	123	(2)
You Are the Judge: The Case of the Dirty Old Man	125	(3)
The Right to Privacy	128	(3)
Young People and Politics: College Students Help Prevent Wrongful Deaths	129	(2)
The Struggle for Equality	131	(2)
Race, the Constitution, and Public Policy	133	(11)
Women, the Constitution, and Public Policy	144	(7)
Making a Difference: Sally Reed	146	(4)
You Are the Judge: Is Male-Only Draft Registration Gender Discrimination?	150	(1)
Newly Active Groups Under the Civil Rights Umbrella	151	(3)
Affirmative Action	154	(5)
Issues of the Times: Affirmative Action	156	(3)
How You Can Make a Difference: Influencing Affirmative Action	159	(1)
Understanding Civil Liberties and Civil Rights	159	(3)
You Are the Judge: The Case of the Santa Clara Dispatcher	160	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	162	(5)
Public Opinion and Political Action	167	(32)
The American People	169	(6)
You Are the Policymaker: Do We Need to Get Tougher With Illegal Immigrants?	173	(2)
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization	175	(2)
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information	177	(8)
Issues of the Times: Does Conducting Surveys by Telephone Still Make Sense?	180	(5)
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies	185	(4)
Young People and Politics: How Younger and Older Americans Compare on the Issues	186	(3)
How Americans Participate in Politics	189	(4)
Making a Difference: Granny D and Her Walk for Campaign Finance Reform	190	(3)
Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action	193	(3)
How You Can Make a Difference: Getting Involved	195	(1)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	196	(3)
The Mass Media and the Political Agenda	199	(29)
The Mass Media Today	201	(1)
The Development of Media Politics	202	(9)
Making a Difference: Matt Drudge	209	(1)
Young People and Politics: How the Under-30 Crowd Learns from Different Media Sources	210	(1)
Reporting the News	211	(9)
How You Can Make a Difference: The Internet and Political Action	213	(1)
Issues of the Times: Has Technology Really Improved the Quality of Political Reporting?	214	(4)
You Are the Policymaker: Should the Networks Have To Provide Free Air Time to Presidential Candidates?	218	(2)
The News and Public Opinion	220	(2)
The Media's Agenda-Setting Function	222	(1)
Understanding the Mass Media	223	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	225	(3)
Political Parties	228	(30)
The Meaning of Party	229	(3)
The Party in the Electorate	232	(3)
Young People and Politics: The Parties Face an Independent Youth	234	(1)
The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to Washington	235	(5)
Issues of the Times: Should Political Parties Be Compiling Data About You?	238	(2)
The Party in Government: Promises and Policy	240	(1)
Party Eras in American History	241	(7)
Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics	248	(2)
Understanding Political Parties	250	(5)
In Focus: Multiparty Systems in Other Countries	251	(1)
How You Can Make a Difference: Minor Political Parties	252	(3)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	255	(3)
Campaigns and Voting Behavior	258	(40)
The Nomination Game	260	(10)
Issues of the Times: Will the Presidential Candidates Pay Any Attention to California in 2008?	266	(3)
You Are the Policymaker: National and Regional Presidential Primary Proposals	269	(1)
The Campaign Game	270	(2)
Making a Difference: Mary Beth Cahill Takes Charge of the Kerry' Campaign	271	(1)
Young People and Politics: Declining Interest in Working in Campaigns	272	(1)
Money and Campaigning	272	(7)
The Impact of Campaigns	279	(2)
Whether To Vote: A Citizen's First Choice	281	(3)
How You Can Make a Difference: Volunteering for Political Campaigns	280	(4)
How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizens' Decisions	284	(6)
The Last Battle: The Electoral College	290	(3)
Understanding Campaigns and Voting Behavior	293	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	295	(3)
Interest Groups	298	(32)
Defining Interest Groups	300	(1)
Theories of Interest Group Politics	301	(3)
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?	304	(6)
Young People and Politics: The Virginia 21 Coalition	308	(2)
How Groups Try To Shape Policy	310	(8)
Issues of the Times: How Much Contact with Lobbyists Is Too Much?	314	(2)
You Are the Policymaker: Should PACs Be Eliminated?	316	(2)
Types of Interest Groups	318	(6)
Making a Difference: Danny Seo	322	(2)
Understanding Interest Groups	324	(3)
How You Can Make a Difference: Interest Groups	325	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	327	(3)
Congress	330	(39)
The Representatives and Senators	332	(4)
Congressional Elections	336	(6)
How Congress Is Organized To Make Policy	342	(21)
Young People and Politics: Are Opportunities To Intern Biased in Favor of the Wealthy?	353
Making a Difference: Tony Battista	352	(6)
Issues of the Times: Polarized Politics in Congress	358	(4)
How You Can Make a Difference: Gun Control	362	(1)
Understanding Congress	363	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	365	(4)
The Presidency	369	(48)
The Presidents	371	(6)
You Are the Policymaker: Should President Clinton Have Been Convicted?	376	(1)
Presidential Powers	377	(2)
Running the Government: The Chief Executive	379	(7)
Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers	386	(10)
The President and National Security Policy	396	(5)
Power from the People: The Public Presidency	401	(6)
Young People and Politics: The Generation Gap in Watching the President	406	(1)
The President and the Press	407	(3)
Making a Difference: Helen Thomas	408	(2)
Understanding the American Presidency	410	(4)
How You Can Make a Difference: The Fast Track to the White House	411	(1)
Issues of the Times: Who Controls White House News?	412	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	414	(3)
The Federal Bureaucracy	417	(38)
The Bureaucrats	419	(7)
How Bureaucracies Are Organized	426	(4)
Bureaucracies as Implementors	430	(9)
Young People and Politics: Drug Offenses and Financial Aid	433	(2)
Making a Difference: Harry Carey and Sara Pratt	435	(4)
Bureaucracies as Regulators	439	(6)
How You Can Make a Difference: NASA	440	(4)
You Are the Policymaker: How Should We Regulate?	444	(1)
Understanding Bureaucracies	445	(7)
Issues of the Times: Managing the Federal Bureaucracy	450	(2)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	452	(3)
The Federal Courts	455	(38)
The Nature of the Judicial System	457	(3)
Making a Difference: Thurgood Marshall	460	(1)
The Structure of the Federal Judicial System	460	(5)
The Politics of Judicial Selection	465	(5)
The Backgrounds of Judges and Justices	470	(4)
The Courts as Policymakers	474	(7)
You Are the Policymaker: The Debate over Original Intentions	480	(1)
Understanding the Courts	481	(8)
How You Can Make a Difference: Teen Court	482	(3)
Young People and Politics: The Supreme Court Is Closer than You Think	485	(1)
Issues of the Times: How Should the Courts Interpret the Law?	486	(3)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	489	(4)
The Congress, The President, and the Budget, The Politics of Taxing and Spending	493	(28)
Sources of Federal Revenue 494	496	(11)
Issues of the Times: Who Should Bear the Burden of Taxes?	500	(5)
Young People and Politics: Education and the Federal Tax Code	505	(2)
Making a Difference: Robert McIntyre	507	(1)
Federal Expenditures	507	(8)
Understanding Budgeting	515	(4)
You Are the Policymaker: Balancing the Budget	516	(2)
How You Can Make a Difference: The Federal Government and Student Loans	518	(1)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	519	(2)
Social Welfare Policymaking	521	(26)
What Is Social Policy and Why Is It So Controversial?	523	(1)
Income, Poverty, and Public Policy	524	(7)
Making a Difference: Mollie Orshansky and the Origins of the Poverty Threshold	527	(4)
Helping the Poor? Social Policy and Poverty	531	(3)
Living on Borrowed Time: Social Security	534	(8)
You Are the Judge: Should the Government Promote Marriage?	534	(5)
Young People and Politics: Social Security and UFOs	539	(1)
Issues of the Times: Should We Privatize Social Security?	540	(2)
Social Welfare Policy Elsewhere	542	(1)
Understanding Social Welfare Policy	542	(2)
How You Can Make a Difference: Social Security Reform	543	(1)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	544	(3)
National Security Policymaking	547	(42)
American Foreign Policy: Instruments, Actors, and Policymakers	548	(11)
Making a Difference: Jody Williams	552	(2)
Issues of the Times: Managing Crises	554	(5)
American Foreign Policy: An Overview	559	(10)
You Are the Policymaker: Defending Human Rights	567	(2)
The Politics of Defense Policy	569	(5)
The New Global Agenda	574	(11)
Young People and Politics: Embracing Globalization	578	(6)
How You Can Make a Difference: Getting Involved in the Foreign Policy Process	584	(1)
Understanding National Security Policymaking	585	(1)
Summary / Internet Resources / Get Connected / Further Reading	586	(3)
Appendix	589	(26)
Glossary	615	(17)
Notes	632	(18)
Key Terms in Spanish	650	(6)
Acknowledgements	656	(2)
Index	658