This book covers all topics such as the Constitution, federalism, civil rights, civil liberties, political behavior, and public policy in a way that is rich in historical and comparative perspectives.Explores issues that the original Framers of the Constitution could never have envisioned and shows how the basic institutions of our government have responded to these new demands. Each chapter begins with a vignette focusing on a high-interest real issue or incident, followed by a bridge paragraph linking the vignette with the chapter's topics. The text has been revised and updated throughout to reflect the sweeping changes of the 1994 and 1996 elections.