Keeping the Republic: Power and Citizenship in American Politics Book

Preface xii

To the Student xvii

1 Power and Citizenship in American Politics 1

What's at Stake? 2

What Is Politics? 4

Profiles in Citizenship: Tiffany Benjamin 6

Political Systems and the Concept of Citizenship 12

Democracy in America 19

What Do American Citizens Believe? 23

How to Use the Themes and Features in This Book 31

Consider the Source: Critical Thinking 34

Citizenship and Politics 36

What's at Stake Revisited 36

Summary With Key Terms 38

2 The Politics of the American Founding 40

What's at Stake? 41

The Split From England 43

Profiles in Citizenship: Newt Gingrich 44

The Articles of Confederation 50

The Constitutional Convention 52

The Constitution 57

Ratification 64

Citizenship and the Founding 68

What's at Stake Revisited 69

Summary With Key Terms 70

3 Federalism 72

What's at Stake? 73

What Is Federalism? 74

Profiles in Citizenship: Bill Richardson 76

The Changing Balance: American Federalism Over Time 82

Consider the Source: How to Read the Op-Ed Pages with a Critical Eye 86

Federalism Today 88

Citizenship and Federalism 97

What's at Stake Revisited 98

Summary With Key Terms 99

4 Fundamental American Liberties 101

What's at Stake? 102

Rights in a Democracy 104

The Bill of Rights and the States 106

The First Amendment: Freedom of Religion 108

The First Amendment: Freedom of Expression 113

Profiles in Citizenship: Bill Maher 116

The Right to Bear Arms 122

The Rights of Criminal Defendants 124

The Right to Privacy 130

Citizenship and Civil Liberties 133

What's at Stake Revisited 134

Summary With Key Terms 135

5 The Struggle for Equal Rights137

What's at Stake? 138

The Meaning of Political Inequality 141

Rights Denied on the Basis of Race: African Americans 143

Rights Denied on the Basis of Race and Ethnicity: Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans 154

Consider the Source: How to Be a Savvy Web Surfer 160

Rights Denied on the Basis of Gender: Women 162

Rights Denied on Other Bases 168

Citizenship and Civil Rights Today 171

What's at Stake Revisited 172

Summary With Key Terms 173

6 Congress 175

What's at Stake? 176

Congress: Representation and Lawmaking 178

Congressional Powers and Responsibilities 179

Congressional Elections: Choosing the Members 183

Profiles in Citizenship: Russ Feingold 188

How Congress Works: Organization 191

How Congress Works: Process and Politics 197

Citizenship and Congress 204

What's at Stake Revisited 205

Summary With Key Terms 206

7 The Presidency 207

What's at Stake? 208

The Double Expectations Gap 210

The Evolution of the American Presidency 212

Presidential Politics: The Struggle for Power 221

Managing the Presidential Establishment 227

Profiles in Citizenship: Condoleezza Rice 230

Presidential Character 235

Citizenship and the Presidency 237

What's at Stake Revisited 238

Summary With Key Terms 240

8 The Bureaucracy 242

What's at Stake? 243

What Is Bureaucracy? 245

The American Federal Bureaucracy 248

Politics Inside the Bureaucracy 254

Consider the Source: How to Decipher Bureaucratese 256

External Bureaucratic Politics 261

Citizenship and the Bureaucracy 268

What's at Stake Revisited 269

Summary With Key Terms 270

9 The American Legal System and the Courts 272

What's at Stake? 273

Law and the American Legal System 275

Constitutional Provisions and the Development of Judicial Review 279

The Structure and Organization of the Dual Court System 281

Politics and the Supreme Court 288

Profiles in Citizenship: Sandra Day O'Connor 294

Citizenship and the Courts 299

What's at Stake Revisited 301

Summary With Key Terms 302

10 Public Opinion 304

What's at Stake? 305

The Role of Public Opinion in a Democracy 307

Measuring and Tracking Public Opinion 308

Citizen Values: How Do We Measure Up? 313

Consider the Source: How to Be a Critical Poll Watcher 314

What Influence Our Opinions About Politics? 317

Citizenship and Public Opinion 326

What's at Stake Revisited 330

Summary With Key Terms 331

11 Parties and Interest Groups 333

What's at Stake? 334

The Role of Political Parties in a Democracy 336

The American Party System 340

Consider the Source: How to Be a Critical Reader of Political Party Platforms 346

The Roles, Formation, and Types of Interest Groups 351

Interest Group Politics 355

Interest Group Resources 359

Profiles in Citizenship: Wayne Pacelle 362

Citizenship and Political Groups 365

What's at Stake Revisited 366

Summary With Key Terms 368

12 Voting, Campaings, and Elections 370

What's at Stake? 371

Exercising the Right to Vote in America 373

How the Voter Decides 379

Presidential Campaigns 383

Profiles in Citizenship: James Carville 392

Citizenship and Elections 401

What's at Stake Revisited 402

Summary With Key Terms 404

13 The Media 405

What's at Stake? 406

Where Do We Get Our Information? 408

Who Owns the Media, and How Does That Affect Our News? 413

Who Are the Journalists? 418

The Media and Politics 422

Consider the Source: Becoming a Savvy Media Consumer 426

Citizenship and the Media 431

What's at Stake Revisited 433

Summary With Key Terms 434

14 Domestic and Foreign Policy 436

What's at Stake? 437

Making Public Policy 439

Social Policy 446

Economic Policy 455

Consider the Source: How to Read Economic Indicators 458

Foreign Policy 464

Citizenship and Policy 472

What's at Stake Revisited 473

Summary With Key Terms 475

Appendix Material 477

Articles of Confederation 478

Declaration of Independence 483

Constitution of the United States 486

Federalist No. 10 500

Federalist No. 51 505

Presidents, Vice Presidents, Speakers, and Chief Justices, 1789-2009 508

Notes 512

Glossary 542

Index 561

Profile Sources 578