Table of Contents
Part One: Foundations
1 The American Heritage: Seeking a More Perfect Union
2 Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty And Self Government
3 Federal Government: Forging a Nation
4 Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights
5 Equal Rights: Struggling Toward Fairness
Part Two: Mass Politics
6 Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the People's Voice
7 Political Participation and Voting: Expressing The Popular Will
8 Elections and the Two-Party System: Defining the Voters' Choice
9 Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns: Contesting Elections
10 Interest Groups: Organizing for Influence
11 The News Media: Communicating Political Images
Part Three: Governing Institutions
12 Congressional Elections and Organization: Sharing the Power
13 Congressional Policymaking: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests
14 Presidential Office and Election: Leading the Nation
15 Presidential Policymaking: Eliciting Support
16 The Federal Democracy: Administering the Government
17 The Federal Judicial System: Applying the Law
Part Four: Public Policy
18 Economic Policy: Contributing to Prosperity
19 Social Welfare Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need
20 Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting the American Way
21 Conclusion: Renewing America's Ideals
Apendixes
State and Local Politics
States and Localities in the Constitutional System
State Political Structures
Local Political Structures
State And Local Policy
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the United States of America
Federalist Essay No. 10
Notes
Indexes
Part One: Foundations
1 The American Heritage: Seeking a More Perfect Union
Political Culture: The Core Principles of American Government
The Power of Ideals
The Limits of Ideals
Politics: The Process of Deciding Upon Society's Goals
Conflict and Consensus
Power, Authority, And Policy
The Rules of the Political Game
Who Governs America?
Rule by the People: Majoritarianism
Rule by Groups: Pluralism
Rule by a Few: Elitism
Who Governs America?
The Concept of a Political System and the Book's Organization
2 Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty And Self Government
Before the Constitution: The Colonial and Revolutionary Experiences
The Rights of Englishmen
The Declaration of Independence
The Articles of Confederation
Shays' Rebellion: A Nation in Disarray
Negotiating Toward a Constitution
The Great Compromise: A Two-Chamber Congress
The North-South Compromise: The Issue of Slavery
A Strategy for Ratification
The Framers' Goals
Providing for a Limited Government
Grants and Denials of Power
Using Power to Offset Power
Separated Institutions Sharing Power: Checks and Balances
The Electorate as a Check on Power
Federalism as a Further Check on Government Power
The Bill of Rights
Judicial Review
Providing for Self-Government
Democracy Versus Republic
Limited Popular Rule
Self-Government in Historical Perspective
Constitutional Democracy Today
3 Federal Government: Forging a Nation
Federalism: National and State Sovereignty
The Argument for Federalism
The Powers of the Nation
The Powers of the States
Federalism in Historical Perspective
An Indestructible Union (1789-1865)
Dual Federalism and Laissez-Faire Capitalism (1865-1937)
Toward National Citizenship
Federalism Today
Interdependency and Intergovernmental Relations
Government Revenues and Intergovernmental Relations
Categorical and Block Grants
A New Federalism: Devolution
The Public's Influence: Setting the Boundaries of Federal-State Power
4 Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights
Freedom of Expression
The Early Period: The Uncertain Status of the Right of Free Expression
The Modem Period: Protecting Free Expression
Free Expression and State Governments
Libel and Slander
Obscenity
Freedom of Religion
The Establishment Clause
The Free-Exercise Clause
The Right of Privacy
Rights of Persons Accused of Crimes
Procedural Due Process
Selective Incorporation of Procedural Rights
Restricting Defendants' Rights
Crime and Punishment
The Courts and a Free Society
5 Equal Rights: Struggling Toward Fairness
The Struggle for Equality
African Americans
Women
Native Americans
Hispanic Americans
Asian Americans
Other Groups and Their Rights
Equality Under the Law
Equal Protection: The Fourteenth Amendment
Equal Access: The Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968
Equal Ballots: The Voting Rights Act of 1965, as Amended
Equality of Result
Affirmative Action: Workplace Integration
Social Integration: Busing
Persistent Discrimination: Superficial Differences, Deep Divisions
Part Two: Mass Politics
6 Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the People's Voice
The Nature of Public Opinion
Defining Public Opinion
What Role Should Public Opinion Play?
Government by Majority Opinion?
How Informed Is Public Opinion?
The Measurement of Public Opinion
Public Opinion Polls
Problems With Polls
Describing Poll Results
Political Socialization: How Americans Learn Their Politics
The Process of Socialization
The Agents of Political Socialization
Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically
Cultural Thinking: Common Ideas
Ideological Thinking: The Outlook for Some
Group Thinking: The Outlook of Many
Partisan Thinking: The Line That Divides
The Influence of Public Opinion on Policy
7 Political Participation and Voting: Expressing The Popular Will
Voter Participation
Factors in Voter Turnout: The United States in Comparative Perspective
Why Some Americans Vote and Others Do Not
The Impact of the Vote
Conventional Forms of Participation Other Than Voting
Campaign Activities
Community Activities
Lobbying Group Activities
Following Politics in the News
The Middle-Class Bias of Conventional Participation
Unconventional Activism: Social Movements and Protest Politics
Participation and the Potential for Influence
8 Elections and the Two-Party System: Defining the Voters' Choice
Party Competition and Majority Rule
Origins of the American Party System
Republicans Versus Democrats: Realignments and the Enduring Party System
A New Realignment?
The Dealignment Thesis
Electoral and Party Systems
The Single-Member-District System of Election
Minor Parties
Policies and Coalitions in the Two-Party System
Seeking the Center, Usually
Party Coalitions
Popular Influence and America's Two-Party System
9 Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns: Contesting Elections
The Weakening of Party Control
Control of Nominations
Control of Election Workers
Control of Party Platforms
The Structure and Role of Party Organizations
Local Party Organizations
State Party Organizations
National Party Organizations
The Candidate-Centered Campaign
Running for Office
Using the Party: The "Service Role"
Parties, Candidates, and the Public's Influence
10 Interest Groups: Organizing for Influence
The Interest-Group System
Economic Groups
Citizens' Groups
Types of Citizens' Groups
A Special Category of Interest Group: Governments
Inside Lobbying: Seeking Influence Through Official Contacts
Acquiring Access to Officials
Persuasion Through Contact and Information
Webs of Influence: Groups in the Policy Process
Outside Lobbying: Seeking Influence Through Public Pressure
Constituency Advocacy: Grassroots Lobbying
Electoral Action: Votes and PACs
The Group System: Indispensable But Flawed
The Contribution of Groups to Self-Government: Pluralism
Flaws in the Pluralist Argument
A Madisonian Dilemma
11 The News Media: Communicating Political Images
The Development of the News Media: From Partisanship to Objective Journalism
From a Partisan Press to an "Objective" One
The Development of the Broadcast Media
Freedom and Conformity in the U.S. News Media
Domination of News Production
News Values and Imperatives
The News Media as Link: Roles the Press Can and Cannot Perform
The Signaler Role
The Common-Carrier Role
The Watchdog Role
The Public Representative Role
Part Three: Governing Institutions
12 Congressional Elections and Organization: Sharing the Power
Congress as a Career: Election to Congress
Using Incumbency to Stay in Congress
The Pitfalls of Incumbency
Safe Incumbency and Representation
Who Are the Winners in Congressional Elections?
Congressional Leadership
Party Leadership in Congress
Committee Chairpersons: The Seniority Principle
Oligarchy or Democracy: Which Principle Should Govern?
The Committee System
Committee Power
Committee Jurisdiction
Committee Membership
Institutional Support for the Work of Congress
13 Congressional Policymaking: Balancing National Goals and
Local Interests
The Lawmaking Function of Congress
How a Bill Becomes Law
Congress's Policy Role
Congress in the Lead: Narrow Policy Issues
The Representation Function of Congress
Representation of States and Districts: Constituency Politics
Representation of Interests: Group Politics
Representation of the Nation: Party Politics
The Oversight Function of Congress
The Process of Legislative Oversight
Legislative Devices for Restraining the Bureaucracy
Obstacles to Oversight
Congress: Too Much Pluralism?
14 Presidential Office and Election: Leading the Nation
Foundations of the Modern Presidency
An Emerging Tradition of Strong Presidents
The Need for Presidential Leadership in National Crises
The Need for Presidential Leadership of an Activist Government
Choosing the President
The Development of the Presidential Selection System
The Campaign for Nomination
The Campaign for Election
Staffing the Presidency
Presidential Appointees
The Problem of Control
Organizing the Extended Presidency
The Insoluble Problem
15 Presidential Policymaking: Eliciting Support
Factors in Presidential Leadership
The Force of Circumstance
The Stage of the President's Term
The Foreign of Domestic Nature of the Policy Proposal
Presidential Leadership
Congressional Support
Public Support
The Televised Presidency and the Illusion of Presidential Government
16 The Federal Democracy: Administering the Government
Federal Administration: Form, Personnel, and Activities
The Federal Bureaucracy in Americans' Daily Lives
Types of Administrative Organizations
Federal Employment
The Federal Bureaucracy's Policy Responsibilities
Development of the Federal Bureaucracy: Politics and Administration
Small Government and the Patronage System
Growth In Government and the Merit System
Big Government and the Executive Leadership System
The Bureaucracy's Power Imperative
The Agency Point of View
Sources of Bureaucratic Power
Bureaucratic Accountability
Accountability Through the Presidency
Accountability Through Congress
Accountability Through the Courts
Accountability Within the Bureaucracy Itself
Reinventing Government
17 The Federal Judicial System: Applying the Law
The Federal Judicial System
The Supreme Court of the United States
Other Federal Courts
The State Courts in the Federal System
Federal Court Appointees
Selecting Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
Justices and Judges as Political Officials
The Nature of Judicial Decision Making
The Legal Context of Judicial Decisions
Political Influences on Judicial Decisions
"Outside" Influences on Court Decisions
"Inside" Influences: The Justices' Own Political Beliefs
Judicial Power and Democratic Government
The Debate over the Proper Role of the Judiciary
The Judiciary's Proper Role: A Question of Competing Values
Part Four: Public Policy
18 Economic Policy: Contributing to Prosperity
Government as Regulator of the Economy
Efficiency through Government Intervention
Equity through Government Intervention
The Politics of Regulatory Policy
Government as Protector of the Environment
Conservatism: The Older Wave
Environmentalism: The Newer Wave
Government as Promoter of Economic Interests
Promoting Business
Promoting Labor
Promoting Agriculture
Fiscal Policy: Government as Manager of Economy, I
Taxing and Spending Policy
The Process and Politics of Fiscal Policy
Partisan Differences
Monetary Policy: Government as Manager of Economy, II
The "Fed"
The Politics of the "Fed"
19 Social Welfare Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need
Poverty in America: The Nature of the Problem
The Poor: Who and How Many?
Living in Poverty: By Choice or Chance?
The Politics and Policies of Social Welfare
Job Training
Special Education: Head Start
Income and Tax Measures
Individual-Benefit Programs
Social Insurance Programs
Public Assistance Programs
Education as Equality of Opportunity: The American Way
Individualism and Public Opinion
Public Education: Leveling Through the Schools
The Federal Role in Education: Political Conflict
Culture, Politics, and Social Welfare
Inefficiency: The Welfare Web
Inequity: The Middle-Class Advantage
20 Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting the American Way
Roots of U.S. Foreign and Defense Policy
The United States as Global Superpower
The Limits of American Power: The Vietnam War
A New World Order
Process of Foreign and Military Policymaking
The Policymaking Instruments
The Policymaking Machinery
Defense Organizations
Intelligence Organizations
Diplomatic Organizations
Economic Organizations
Military Dimension of National Security Policy
Defense Capability
The Uses of Military Power
The Politics of National Defense
The Military-Industrial Complex
The Economic Dimension of National Security Policy
A Changing World Economy
American Goals in the Global Economy
The Politics of Global Economic Policy
21 Conclusion: Renewing America's Ideals
The Challenge of Leadership
The Challenge of Citizenship
The Challenge of Ideals
Appendixes
State and Local Politics
States and Localities in the Constitutional System
State Political Structures
Local Political Structures
State And Local Policy
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the United States of America
Federalist Essay No. 10
Notes
Indexes
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