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America at Odds

by: Sidlow, Edward I.; Henschen, Beth

America at Odds

by: Sidlow, Edward I.; Henschen, Beth

ISBN 13:
9780534647599
ISBN 10:
0534647596
Edition: 5th
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 07/20/2005
Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing
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Summary

Known for its provocative and engaging issues approach, topical organization, and economical length, AMERICA AT ODDS explores the current conflicts that truly define America as a nation while involving students in discussion and debate. The engaging content and pedagogical features throughout AMERICA AT ODDS support two main goals of the text: to encourage students to read about American politics and government and to participate in the political system. In every chapter of the text, the foundations and systems of political history, behavior, institutions, and policy are presented within the framework of issues oriented debate, making AMERICA AT ODDS truly unique as an approach to teaching the Introduction to American Government course.

The Foundations of Our American System
America in the Twenty-First Century	p. 1
America at Odds: Is There Too Much Religion in American Politics?	p. 2
Introduction	p. 3
What Are Politics and Government?	p. 4
Different Systems of Government	p. 5
American Democracy	p. 8
America at odds Has America Gone too Far in "Exporting Liberty"?	p. 11
America at odds a Nation Divided?	p. 14
American Democracy at Work	p. 16
Key Terms	p. 18
Chapter Summary	p. 18
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 18
Politics on the Web	p. 19
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 19
Chapter 1 Features
The Constitution	p. 21
America at Odds: Should We Elect the President by Popular Vote?	p. 22
Introduction	p. 23
The Beginnings of American Government	p. 23
The Rebellion of the Colonists	p. 24
Breaking the Ties: Independence	p. 26
America at odds What Happened to the Promise of Equality?	p. 28
The Confederation of States	p. 29
Drafting the Constitution	p. 32
The Debate over Ratification	p. 34
The Constitution's Major Principles of Government	p. 36
America at odds The Constitution-a Blueprint for Future Controversy	p. 42
Amending the Constitution	p. 43
Key Terms	p. 46
Chapter Summary	p. 46
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 47
Politics on the Web	p. 47
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 47
Chapter 2 Features
Federalism	p. 49
America at Odds: Should the States Decide the Medical-Marijuana Issue?	p. 50
Introduction	p. 51
Federalism and Its Alternatives	p. 51
The Constitutional Division of Powers	p. 55
America at odds Should States Be Allowed to Import Prescription Drugs?	p. 57
The Struggle for Supremacy	p. 58
America at odds Should Direct Wine Shipments Be Legalized?	p. 63
Federalism Today	p. 63
The Fiscal Side of Federalism	p. 66
Key Terms	p. 70
Chapter Summary	p. 70
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 71
Politics on the Web	p. 71
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 71
Chapter 3 Features
Our Liberties and Rights
Civil Liberties	p. 73
America at Odds: Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?	p. 74
Introduction	p. 75
The Constitutional Basis for Our Civil Liberties	p. 75
Freedom of Religion	p. 77
America at odds Is America one Nation "Under God"?	p. 82
Freedom of Expression	p. 85
Freedom of the Press	p. 88
Freedom of Assembly	p. 89
The Right to Privacy	p. 90
America at odds Medical Microchips and Privacy Rights	p. 92
The Rights of the Accused	p. 93
Key Terms	p. 97
Chapter Summary	p. 98
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 98
Politics on the Web	p. 98
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 99
Chapter 4 Features
Civil Rights	p. 101
America at Odds: Should Same-Sex Couples Be Allowed to Marry?	p. 102
Introduction	p. 103
The Equal Protection Clause	p. 103
African Americans	p. 105
Women	p. 109
Hispanics	p. 112
Asian Americans	p. 113
Immigrants' Rights	p. 114
America at odds Should Bilingual Education be Abolished?	p. 114
Native Americans	p. 115
America at odds Native American Gaming	p. 117
Securing Rights for Other Groups	p. 118
Beyond Equal Protection-Affirmative Action	p. 120
Key Terms	p. 125
Chapter Summary	p. 125
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 126
Politics on the Web	p. 126
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 126
Chapter 5 Features
The Politics of Democracy
Interest Groups	p. 127
America at Odds: Should We Privatize Social Security?	p. 128
Introduction	p. 129
Interest Groups and American Government	p. 129
America at odds Can We Control the "Mischiefs of Factions"?	p. 131
How Do Interest Groups Differ from Political Parties?	p. 131
Different Types of Interest Groups	p. 132
America at odds Taxing the Internet	p. 136
How Interest Groups Shape Policy	p. 138
Today's Lobbying Establishment	p. 143
Key Terms	p. 146
Chapter Summary	p. 146
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 147
Politics on the Web	p. 147
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 147
Chapter 6 Features
Political Parties	p. 149
America at Odds: Do Colleges Shun Conservative Views?	p. 150
Introduction	p. 151
A Short History of American Political Parties	p. 151
America's Political Parties Today	p. 154
America at odds Should Third-Party Candidates Debate?	p. 155
Party Affiliation	p. 157
What Do Political Parties Do?	p. 159
America at odds Would Divided Government Be Better?	p. 161
Third Parties and American Politics	p. 163
How American Political parties Are Structured	p. 166
Key Terms	p. 169
Chapter Summary	p. 169
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 169
Politics on the Web	p. 170
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 170
Chapter 7 Features
Public Opinion and Voting	p. 171
America at Odds: Is Political Polling Good for Democracy?	p. 172
Introduction	p. 173
What Is Public Opinion?	p. 173
How Do People Form Political Opinions?	p. 174
Measuring Public Opinion	p. 177
America at odds Should Exit Polls Be Outlawed?	p. 179
Factors Affecting Voter Turnout	p. 183
America at odds A National Vote-By-Mail System	p. 185
Why People Vote as They Do	p. 186
Key Terms	p. 193
Chapter Summary	p. 193
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 193
Politics on the Web	p. 194
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 194
Chapter 8 Features
Campaigns and Elections	p. 195
America at Odds: Why All the Negative Campaigning?	p. 196
Introduction	p. 197
How We Nominate Candidates	p. 197
America at odds: Do National Conventions Serve Any Purpose Today?	p. 201
The Modern Political Campaign	p. 201
America at odds: Does Money Buy Votes?	p. 207
How We Elect Candidates	p. 209
Key Terms	p. 213
Chapter Summary	p. 213
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 214
Politics on the Web	p. 214
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 214
Chapter 9 Features
Politics and the Media	p. 215
America at Odds: Do Media Monopolies Threaten a Free Press?	p. 216
Introduction	p. 217
The Role of the Media in a Democracy	p. 217
The Candidates and Television	p. 220
America at odds: Who Are the Real "Winners" In Expensive Campaigns?	p. 225
Talk Radio-The Wild West of the Media	p. 225
The Question of Media Bias	p. 226
Political News on the Web	p. 229
Cyberspace and Political Campaigns	p. 231
America at odds: Will the Internet Change Political Campaigning as We Know It?	p. 232
Key Terms	p. 234
Chapter Summary	p. 234
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 235
Politics on the Web	p. 235
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 235
Chapter 10 Features
Institutions
Congress	p. 237
America at Odds: Does Congress Have to Look Like America to Represent It?	p. 238
Introduction	p. 239
The Structure and Make-up of Congress	p. 239
America at odds: Redistricting for Competitive Elections	p. 242
Congressional Elections	p. 244
America at odds: Are Term Limits the Cure for Congressional Careerism?	p. 247
Congressional Leadership	p. 247
The Differences between the House and the Senate	p. 251
The Legislative Process	p. 253
Investigation and Oversight	p. 255
The Budgeting Process	p. 257
Key Terms	p. 262
Chapter Summary	p. 262
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 263
Politics on the Web	p. 263
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 263
Chapter 11 Features
The Presidency	p. 265
America at Odds: Should Presidents Be Able to Go to War on Their Own?	p. 266
Introduction	p. 267
Who Can Become President?	p. 267
America at odds: A Foreign-Born President?	p. 268
The President's Many Roles	p. 269
The President's Constitutional Powers	p. 272
The President's Inherent Powers	p. 275
The Expansion of Presidential Powers	p. 275
America at odds: The President and Moral Politics	p. 277
Congressional and Presidential Relations	p. 282
The Organization of the Executive Branch	p. 285
Key Terms	p. 290
Chapter Summary	p. 291
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 291
Politics on the Web	p. 292
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 292
Chapter 12 Features
The Bureaucracy	p. 293
America at Odds: Should the Federal Bureaucracy Be Privatized?	p. 294
Introduction	p. 295
The Nature and Size of the Bureaucracy	p. 295
How the Federal Bureaucracy Is Organized	p. 297
AMERICA at odds: Is the Civil Rights Commission Outdated?	p. 303
How Bureaucrats Get Their Jobs	p. 305
Regulatory Agencies: Are They the Fourth Branch of Government?	p. 306
AMERICA at odds: Should Agencies Give More Weight to Compliance Costs?	p. 308
Policymaking and the Iron Triangle	p. 308
Curbing Waste and Improving Efficiency	p. 310
Key Terms	p. 315
Chapter Summary	p. 315
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 316
Politics on the Web	p. 316
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 316
Chapter 13 Features
The Judiciary	p. 317
America at Odds: Supreme Court Appointees: Does Partisan Ideology Matter?	p. 318
Introduction	p. 319
The Origins and Sources of American Law	p. 319
The Federal Court System	p. 323
Federal Judicial Appointments	p. 327
AMERICA at odds: Should Filibusters on Judicial Nominees be Banned?	p. 330
The Courts as Policymakers	p. 331
Ideology and the Courts	p. 335
AMERICA at odds: Should the Supreme Court Look to Foreign Laws for Guidance?	p. 335
Assessing the Role of Federal Courts	p. 337
Key Terms	p. 340
Chapter Summary	p. 340
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 341
Politics on the Web	p. 341
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 341
Chapter 14 Features
Public Policy
Domestic Policy	p. 343
America at Odds: Bringing Back the Draft?	p. 344
Introduction	p. 345
The Policymaking Process	p. 345
Social-Welfare Policy	p. 348
AMERICA at odds: What Should be Done About the Homeless Population?	p. 353
Policies on Crime and Drugs	p. 354
Economic Policy	p. 355
AMERICA at odds: Do All Americans Pay Their Fair Share in Taxes?	p. 359
Key Terms	p. 362
Chapter Summary	p. 362
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 362
Politics on the Web	p. 363
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 363
Chapter 15 Features
Foreign Policy	p. 365
America at Odds: Should the United States Be the Global Cop?	p. 366
Introduction	p. 366
Who Makes U.S. Foreign Policy?	p. 367
A Short History of American Foreign Policy	p. 370
The War on Terrorism	p. 374
America at odds: Can America go it Alone in the War on Terrorism?	p. 377
Weapons Proliferation in an Unstable World	p. 378
Iraq: From Dictatorship to Democracy?	p. 383
China-The Next Superpower?	p. 386
Freer World Trade and the WTO	p. 387
America at odds: Globalization-Good, Bad, or Indifferent?	p. 388
Should We Keep Supporting the United Nations?	p. 389
Key Terms	p. 391
Chapter Summary	p. 392
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 392
Politics on the Web	p. 393
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 393
Chapter 16 Features
State and Local Politics
State and Local Politics	p. 395
America at Odds: Are Ballot Initiatives Good for Our Democracy?	p. 396
Introduction	p. 397
The U.S. Constitution and the State Constitutions	p. 397
Legislatures and Legislators	p. 399
Direct Democracy	p. 401
The State Executive Branch	p. 403
A Typical State Court System	p. 406
America at odds: Should All State Court Judges Be Appointed?	p. 407
Local Governments	p. 408
America at odds: Does More Money Equal Better Schools?	p. 409
State and Local Government Revenues	p. 410
Devolution: Returning Responsibility to the States	p. 411
Key Terms	p. 413
Chapter Summary	p. 414
Resources for Further Study
Selected Readings	p. 414
Politics on the Web	p. 415
Online Resources for This Chapter	p. 415
Chapter 17 Features
The Constitution of the United States	p. 1
The Declaration of Independence	p. 9
Supreme Court Justices since 1900	p. 11
Party Control of Congress since 1900	p. 15
Information on U.S. Presidents	p. 16
Federalist Papers No. 10 and No. 51	p. 19
How to Read Case Citations and Find Court Decisions	p. 25
Spanish Equivalents for Important Political Terms	p. 27
Notes	p. 1
Glossary	p. 1
Index	p. 1
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

America at Odds

America at Odds

9780534647599

0534647596

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

America at Odds

America at Odds

9780534647599

0534647596

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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