Book Description
Politics in America, written by the well-known political scientist Tom Dye, presents a clear, concise introduction to the American political system. His lively, absorbing narrative examines the struggle for power: “Who gets what, when, and how”. This Basic Version of the popular book includes current coverage of our political system, and covers such topics as: political culture, the constitution, the participants and the party system, institutions such as Congress, the Presidency, and the Courts, and personal liberties and civil rights. For anyone interested in reading about the American political system, including government employees, political workers, and policymakers.

From the Back Cover
Politics in America, written by the well-known political scientist Tom Dye, presents a clear, concise introduction to the American political system. His lively, absorbing narrative examines the struggle for power: “Who gets what, when, and how”. This Basic Version of the popular book includes current coverage of our political system, and covers such topics as: political culture, the constitution, the participants and the party system, institutions such as Congress, the Presidency, and the Courts, and personal liberties and civil rights. For anyone interested in reading about the American political system, including government employees, political workers, and policymakers.

About the Author
THOMAS R. DYE, formerly Professor of Government at Florida State University, is President of the Lincoln Center for Public Service. He regularly taught large introductory classes in American politics and was University Teacher of the Year in 1987. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles on American government and public policy, including The Irony of Democracy; Politics in States and Communities; Understanding Public Policy; Who's Running America; American Politics in the Media Age; Power in Society; Politics, Economics, and the Public; and American Federalism: Competition Among Governments. His books have been translated into many languages, including Russian and Chinese, and published abroad. He has served as president of the Southern Political Science Association, president of the Policy Studies Organization, and secretary of the American Political Science Association. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia, and served as a visiting scholar at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi, and is listed in most major biographical directories.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Politics is an activity by which people try to get more of whatever there is to get. It is not about the pursuit of liberty as much as it is about the struggle over the allocation of values in society. Simply put, it is about "who gets what, when, and how." By using Lasswell's classic definition of politics as the unifying framework, Politics in America, Fifth Edition, strives to present a clear, concise, and stimulating introduction to the American political system. Without the conflicts that arise from disagreement over who should get what, when, and how, our government would not reflect the diverse concerns of the nation. Politics consists of all of the activities—reasonable discussion, impassioned oratory, campaigning, balloting, fund raising, advertising, lobbying, demonstrating, rioting, street fighting, and waging war—by which conflict is carried on. Managing conflict is the principle function of the political system and power is the ultimate goal. By examining the struggle for power—the participants, the stakes, the processes, and the institutional arenas—Politics in America, Fifth Edition, introduces students to the politics that is the basis for our democracy. Why Politics in America? Recent market research indicates that 76 percent of instructors teaching the Introductory American Government course find engaging their students to be the most difficult task facing them. Politics in America, Fifth Edition, is written to be lively and absorbing, reflecting the teaching philosophy that stimulating students' interest in politics and public affairs is the most important goal of an introductory course. Interesting examples and controversial debates spark students' interest and keep them connected to the material. The struggle for power in society is not a dull topic, and textbooks should not make it so. Politics in America, Fifth Edition, strives for a balanced presentation, but "balanced" does not mean boring. It does not mean the avoidance of controversy. Liberal and conservative arguments are set forth clearly and forcefully. Race and gender are given particular attention, not because it is currently fashionable to do so, but because American politics has long been driven by these factors. As in previous editions, the trademark of this book continues to be its desire to pull students into the debate that is our political system. Organization Part I, "Politics," begins with Lasswell's classic definition of politics and proceeds to describe the nature and functions of government and the meaning of democracy. It poses the question: How democratic is the American political system? It describes the American political culture: its contradictions between liberty and conformity, political equality and economic inequality, equality of opportunity and inequality of results, thus laying the groundwork for understanding the struggle over who gets what. Part II, "Constitution," describes the politics of constitution making—deciding how to decide. It describes how the struggle over the U.S. Constitution reflected the distribution of power in the new nation. It focuses on the classic arguments of the Founders for limiting and dividing governmental power and the structural arrangements designed to accomplish this end. Part III, "Participants," begins by examining individual participation in politics—the way people acquire and hold political opinions and act on them through voting and protest activity. It examines the influences of family, school, gender, race, and the role of media in shaping political opinion. It describes how organization concentrates power—to win public office in the case of party organizations, and to influence policy in the case of interest groups. It assesses the role of personal ambition in politics and the role of money. Part IV, "Institutions," describes the various governmental arenas in which the struggle for power takes place—the Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, the courts. More important, it evaluates the power that comes with control of each of these institutions. Part V, "Outcomes," deals with public policies—the result of the struggle over the allocation of values. It is especially concerned with the two fundamental values of American society—liberty and equality. Each is examined in separate chapters, as are economic policies, welfare policies, and national security policies. New to the Fifth Edition The Fifth Edition of Politics in America describes the changes in American politics inspired by the "9/11" terrorist attack on America. It encourages students to consider the trade-off between security and liberty, to observe the increased trust in government and the "rally 'round the flag" effect on presidential approval, and to discuss the effect of the national crisis on the presidency, notably the transformation of George W Bush into the nation's "Commander-in-Chief." Both election reform and campaign finance reform following the 2000 presidential election are described and illustrated. The Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002, eliminating "soft money," is discussed along with its likely effects and possible loopholes. The mechanics of balloting also receive new attention, including the illustration of Florida's controversial "butterfly ballot" that may have cost Al Gore the presidency. And the book describes the early maneuvering of candidates for the 2004 presidential election—Up Close: "Campaign 2004, Off and Running." The Fifth Edition also describes changes in congressional politics, including the changes brought about by the midterm 2002 elections. Equally important is its discussion of how a partisan switch of a single senator, Jim Jeffords, created divided party government. It also describes the political clout of New York's junior senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as that of the highest ranking woman in the House congressional leadership structure, Nancy Pelosi. It describes the apportionment and redistricting battles of 2001-2002, including efforts at "incumbent gerrymandering." The Fifth Edition also strengthens the book's comparative government element. It describes the history and structure of the European Union, including its movement toward federalism. It includes new material on America's neighbors, Canada and Mexico. The Canadian parliamentary system and multiparty system are given special attention, and Mexico's presidential system is described, together with Vicente Fox's leadership of the nation away from one-partyism. It also compares American support for the war on terrorism with that of Europeans, as well as with that of people in Muslim countries. The Fifth Edition strengthens the discussion of judicial politics, especially with respect to the Supreme Court's controversial decision in Bush vs. Gore. It presents both majority and dissenting opinions from the case itself. The controversial issue of child pornography, and recent Supreme Court decisions regarding it, are given special attention. And a new issue is raised regarding rights guaranteed by the Constitution: "Should Victims' Rights Be Added to the Constitution?" A new section on "Economic Globalization" has been included in the chapter on Politics and the Economy, together with a discussion of whether globalization helps or hurts American workers. And the chapter on Politics and Welfare includes a new section on the always controversial topic of Social Security reform. Finally, the military phase of America's War on Terrorism, "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan, is described, along with a brief guide to terrorist activity in recent decades and a discussion of the likely prospects for long-term success against terrorism. New Features Chapter 1: Up Close: 'Terrorism's Threat to Democracy" Chapter 3: Compared to What? "Canada's Parliamentary System" Complete Annotated U.S. Constitution Chapter 4: Compared to What? "The European Union" What Do You Think? "Should Violence against Women Be a Federal Crime?" Chapter 5: Up Close: "The 'Butterfly' Ballot" Chapter 6: Up Close: "Media Campaign 2000" Chapter 7: Compared to What? "Canada's Multiparty System" Chapter 8: Up Close: "Campaign 2004, Off and Running" Chapter 9: What Do You Think? "Did Campaign Contributions Help Enron?" Chapter 10: People in Politics: "Jim Jeffords Shakes Up the Senate" People in Politics: "Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Senate" People in Politics: "Nancy Pelosi, Whipping Democrats into Shape" People in Politics: "Trent Lott, Leading Senate Republicans" Chapter 11: Up Close: "'9/11' Transforms Bush and the Nation" Compared to What? "Mexican President Vicente Fox" People in Politics: "George W Becomes Commander-in-Chief" People in Politics: "Dick Cheney, Presidential Confidant" Chapter 12: Up Close: "The Department of Homeland Security" People in Politics: "Alan Greenspan, Managing the Nation's Economy" (a revision) Chapter 13: Up Close: "William Jefferson Clinton versus Paula Corbin Jones" (moved from chapter 11 to chapter 13) Bush v. Gore in the U.S. Supreme Court (new section) Up Close: "Bush v. Gore, Majority and Dissenting Opinions" Chapter 14: Privacy, Abortion, and the Constitution (new section, previously a box feature) Up Close: "Child Pornography" What Do You Think? "Should Victims' Rights Be Added to the Constitution?" Chapter 16: Economic Globalization (new section) What Do You Think? "Does Globalization Help or Hurt America?" What Do You Think? "Should We Increase Government Services or Reduce Taxes?" Chapter 17: What Do You Think? "How Should We Reform Social Security?" Chapter 18: The War on Terrorism (new section) Compared to What? "World Opinion about America's War against Terrorism" What Do You Think? "Do You Support the War against Terrorism?" Instructional Features Interactive Chapter Opening Survey. Each chapter opens with a brief poll called "Ask Yourself about Politics" that alerts students to the crucial issues the chapter covers and the impact of those issues on their lives. This tool can be used to get students thinking about how and why politics is important to them as individuals and as members of a community. In the Fifth Edition, we are excited to offer this survey as an interactive exercise on the accompanying Web site (www.prenhall.com/dye). Now students can compare their answers with students from across the country. Text and Features. The body of each chapter is divided into text and features. The text provides the framework of understanding American politics. Each chapter begins with a brief discussion of power in relation to the subject matter of the chapter: for example, limiting governmental power (Chapter 3, "The Constitution"), dividing governmental power (Chapter 4, "Federalism'), and the power of the media (Chapter 6, "Mass Media'). By focusing the beginning of each chapter on questions of power, students can more easily set the chapter content in the context of Lasswell's definition of politics. The features in each chapter provide timeliness, relevance, stimulation, and perspective. Each boxed feature in the Fifth Edition of Politics in America is designed to encourage students to voice their opinions and explore those of others. If the key to learning is active involvement, students should be encouraged to read and respond whenever possible. "What Do You Think?"—These features pose controversial questions to students and provide national opinion survey data. They cover a wide range of interests designed to stimulate classroom discussion. Examples include: "Can You Trust the Government?" "Is American Government 'Of, By and For the People'?" "Are You a Liberal or a Conservative?" "Does Money Buy Influence in Washington?" "How Would You Rate the Presidents?" "Should We Judge Presidents on Private Character or Performance in Office?" "How Much Money Does the Government Waste?" "What Constitutes Sexual Harassment?" "A Conflicting View"—These features challenge students to rethink conventional notions about American politics. They are designed to be controversial and to start students thinking about the push and pull that is politics. "American Politics as Violence," for example, briefly summarizes the view that much of American political development has been accompanied by violence. Other "Conflicting View" features include: "An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution," "Objections to the Constitution by an Anti-Federalist," "Let the People Vote on National Issues," "The War on Drugs Threatens Individual Liberty," "The Constitution Should Be Color-Blind." "Compared to What?"—These features provide students with global context by comparing the United States with other nations. Discussions include "Freedom and Democracy around the World," as well as such topics as the size of government, tax burdens, voter turnout, political parties, television culture, health care, and the earnings gap between men and women. "People in Politics"—These features are designed to personalize politics for students, to illustrate to them that the participants in the struggle for power are real people. They discuss where prominent people in politics went to school, how they got started in politics, how their careers developed, and how much power they came to possess. Both historical—John Locke and James Madison—and current figures, such as Jeb Bush, Ralph Nader, Colin Powell, and Ted Kennedy are discussed. "Up Close"—These features illustrate the struggle over who gets what. They range over a wide variety of current political conflicts, such as "Sex, Lies, and Impeachment," "Abortion, the 'Hot Button' Issue," "Dirty Politics," "AARP: The Nation's Most Powerful Interest Group," "The Christian Coalition: Organizing the Faithful," "Political Correctness versus Free Speech on Campus," "Is Welfare Reform Working?" A special feature, "How to Run for Office," provides practical advice on how to get into electoral politics. "Across the USA"—These features provide maps that summarize important statistical and demographic information relevant to American politics. Learning Aids. Each chapter contains a running glossary in the margin to help students master important concepts, a chapter outline, a summary, and a list of annotated suggested readings. Technology Initiatives With the development of new technologies, we have discovered more and more ways of helping students and instructors to further understand and analyze information. In this edition, we have made every effort to give both instructors and students a large array of multimedia tools to help with both the presentation and the learning of the material. New PoliSim version 2.0—PoliSim is a dynamic series of multi-level simulations developed by Prentice Hall exclusively for American government that requires students to make politically charged decisions based on the evaluation of data and information obtained from a variety of authentic sources. Students will use information such as real election results, real demographics, real maps, and real voting score cards from actual senators to complete simulations in a highly interactive, full multimedia environment. Some of the simulations enable a Web browser so that students are encouraged to do additional research in order to make intelligent decisions. Simulations are current as of the midterm elections of 2002. PoliSim 2.0 features several improvements over version 1.0. Most notably, there are 6 new simulations for a total of 17, including a Running for Congress simulation and The Civil Rights Timeline. (For a complete list, PoliSim simulations are incorporated into the contents for your convenience.) A new user interface featuring a Results Reporter has been added to track progress and outcomes of each simulation for easy grading. For your added convenience, PoliSim is integrated into the end of chapter material of Politics in America. PoliSim is included free with all new copies of the text and is CD-ROM based. A Web browser is required for the successful completion of some simulations. For complete hardware requirements, please refer to the end of the book. New and Improved Evaluating Online Resources for Political Science with Research Navigator™—Our newest addition to the reliable Internet guide for political science, Prentice Hall's new Research Navigator™ keeps instructors and students abreast of the latest news and information and helps students create top quality research papers. From finding the right articles and journals, to citing sources, drafting and writing effective papers, and completing research assignments, Research Navigator™ simplifies and streamlines the entire process. It offers extensive help on the research process and three exclusive databases full of relevant and reliable source material including EBSCO's ContentSelect Academic Journal Database, The New York Times Search-by-Subject Archive, and "Best of the Web" Link Library. A unique access code for Research Navigator™ is provided on the inside front cover of the booklet. The booklet contains an introduction to the Internet. Evaluating Online Resources for Political Science with Research Navigator™ is FREE when packaged with Politics in America and available for stand-alone sale. Take a tour on the web at http://www.researchnavigator.com Improved Companion Website™ (www.prenhall.com/dye)—Students can now take full advantage of the World Wide Web to enrich the study of American government through the Politics in America Website. Created by Linda Valenty of San Jose State University, the site features interactive practice tests, chapter objectives and overviews, additional graphs and charts, and over 150 primary-source documents that are covered in the text. Interactive Web exercises guide students to do research with a series of questions and links. Evaluating Online Resources for Political Science with Research Navigator (ISBN 0-13-027758-4)—This timely supplement provides an introduction to the Internet and the numerous political sites on the World Wide Web. It describes e-mail, list servers, browsers, and how to document sources. It also includes Web addresses for the most current and useful political Web sites. Course Management and Distance Learning Solutions—For instructors interested in managing their course online, whether locally on campus or in a distance learning environment, Prentice Hall offers fully customizable, online courses in both WebCT and Blackboard platforms. See your local Prentice Hall representative or visit our special Demonstration Web site at www.prenhall.com/cms for more information. CourseCompass Edition: For instructors who would like to implement the use of course management software to organize their course and communicate with students, Prentice Hall is pleased to offer Politics in America CourseCompass Edition, featuring a host of organizational tools, such as gradebook management, interactive syllabus, test preparation, and preloaded instructional content supporting the text. Instructors can save a great deal of time preparing for lectures and managing their course. Please see your . Prentice Hall representative or visit www.prenhall.com/dye and select the link to CourseCompass. Politics in America–ActiveBook (ISBN 0-13097521-4)—Politics in America, Fifth Edition, is available in an exciting hybrid print-multimedia format with Prentice Hall's ActiveBook platform. An activebook is an interactive, online digital book that completely integrates multimedia resources with the textbook to greatly enhance the student learning experience. The four-color text and Web site combination makes the pedagogical features within Politics in America come to life. Supplements Available for the Instructor New Instructor's Resource CD-ROM—New from Prentice Hall, the Instructor's Resource CD-ROM allows you maximum flexibility as you prepare your lectures and manage your class. For presentation use, this CD contains a database featuring most of the art from the text, more than 30 video and audio segments of classical and contemporary political science footage, and several simulations from PoliSim. An easy to use interface (organized logically by chapter) allows you to customize your lectures with your own original material and the assets we've provided. For your convenience, we've gotten you started with an entirely new pre-built PowerPoint presentation created especially for Politics in America. To allow for optimum organization, we have also included the Instructor's Resource Manual in MS Word format to allow you to customize resources depending on how you organize your course. Instructor's Manual with Test Item File (ISBN 0-13039549-8)—For each chapter, a summary, review of concepts, lecture suggestions and topic outlines, and additional resource materials—including a guide to media resources—are provided. An electronic version is also available on the Instructor's Resource CD-ROM. Thoroughly reviewed and revised to ensure the highest level of quality and accuracy, the test item file offers over 1,800 questions in multiple choice, true/false, and essay format with page references to the text. Prentice Hall Test Manager—A computerized test bank contains the items from the Test Item File. The program allows full editing of questions and the addition of instructor-generated items. Suitable for Windows and Macintosh versions (ISBN 0-13-183178-X). American Government Transparencies, Series VI (ISBN 0-13-011764-1)—This set of over 100 four-color transparency acetates reproduces illustrations, charts, and maps from the text as well as from additional sources. An instructor's guide is also available. Prentice Hall Custom Video: How a Bill Becomes a Law—This 25-minute video chronicles an environmental law in Massachusetts—from its start as one citizen's concern to its passage in Washington, D.C. Students see step-by-step the process of how a bill becomes a law complete through narrative and graphics. Call your local Prentice Hall representative for details. PowerPoint Gallery: For each chapter, the PowerPoint Gallery provides electronic files for each figure and table in the text, along with precreated PowerPoint slides ready for customization. With the use of this tool you may create a dynamic PowerPoint presentation or print your own customized 4-color transparencies. (Available in the Faculty Resources section of the Companion Website™.) Films for the Humanities and Social Sciences: With a qualifying order of textbooks from Prentice Hall, you may select from a high quality library of political science videos from Films for the Humanities and Sciences. Please contact your local representative for a complete listing. Supplements Available for the Student Study Guide (ISBN 0-13-039545-5)—Includes chapter outlines, study notes, a glossary, and practice tests designed to reinforce information in the text and help students develop a greater understanding of American government and politics. Supplementary Books and Readings for American Government Each of the following books features specialized topical coverage allowing you to tailor your American Government course to suit the needs of your region or your particular teaching style. Featuring contemporary issues or timely readings, any of the following books are available for a discount when bundled with Politics in America. Please visit our Online Catalog at www.prenhall.com/dye for additional details. Government's Greatest Achievements: From Civil Rights to Homeland Security Paul C. Light, Brookings Institute ISBN: 0-13-110192-7 © 2004 American Politics: Core Arguments—Current Controversy, 2nd ed. Peter Woolley, Fairleigh Dickenson University Albert Papa, University of New Jersey ISBN: 0-13-0879193 © 2002 Contemporary Readings in American Government Mark Rozell, The Catholic University of America John White, The Catholic University of America ISBN: 0-13-0406457 © 2002 Issues in American Political Life: Money, Violence, and Biology, 4th ed. Robert Thobaben, Wright State University Donna Schlagheck, Wright State University Charles Funderburk, Wright State University ISBN: 0-13-0336726 © 2002 Choices: An American Government Reader—Custom Publishing Gregory Scott, University of Central Oklahoma Katherine Tate, University of California-Irvine Ronald Weber, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ISBN: 0-13-090399X © 2001 Civil Rights and Liberties: Provocative Questions and Evolving Answers Harold Sullivan, The City University of New York ISBN: 0-13-0845140 © 2001 Sense and Non-Sense: American Culture and Politics J. Harry Wray, DePaul University ISBN: 0-13-0833436 © 2001 21 Debated: Issues in American Politics Gregory Scott, University of Central Oklahoma Loren Gatch, University of Central Oklahoma ISBN: 013-0219916 © 2000 Government and Politics in the Lone Star State: Theory and Practice, 4th ed. L. Tucker Gibson, Trinity University Clay Robison, The Houston Chronicle ISBN: 0-13-0340502 © 2002 Rethinking California: Politics and Policy in the Golden State Matthew Cahn, California State University-Northridge H. Eric Schockman, University of Southern California David Shafie, Ohio University ISBN: 0-13-4679121 © 2001 Real Politics in America series is another resource for contemporary instructional material. To bridge the gap between research and relevancy, we have launched a new series of supplemental books with the help of series editor Paul Herrnson of the University of Maryland. More descriptive than quantitative, more case study than data study, these books cut across all topics to bring students relevant details in current political science research. From exploring the growing phenomenon of direct democracy to who runs for the state legislature, these books show students that real political science is meaningful and exciting. Available for a discount when bundled with Politics in America. Please see your Prentice Hall representative or access www.prenhall.com/dye for a complete listing of titles in the series. PREFACE TO THE TEXAS EDITION Texas government and politics have intrigued the authors for more than thirty years. Many outside of the state find our politics byzantine or outrageous, and Texans' "state patriotism" is often interpreted as quaint if not obnoxious. But underneath all of these images is a complex story of government and politics that links the state's history, diverse culture, and economics. In the chapters covering Texas, we attempt to tell this story. Texas is often regarded as one of the more conservative states, and we think it is important that one understands why this is so. Moreover, it is important to understand the relationship of the state's political culture to public policy decisions, institutional arrangements, and contemporary party politics. Texas is now the second largest state in terms of population and third in terms of its economy. While outsiders may have a rather singular view of Texans, Texans are extremely diverse as a people, and this diversity does much to shape our politics. From the hightech sector of the economy to the traditional agricultural sector, economic change and development have been impressive over the past forty years. During much of the past decade, economic expansion in the state has outpaced the nation as a whole. Economic development supported by a rapidly expanding population has also contributed to this story of Texas politics. As long-time political observers, we are often skeptical about what public leaders do or how they do it, but we are not cynical about the role and importance of politics and government. If we have developed insight into the process, we hope we are able to share them, with you. More importantly, we hope that you develop a good understanding of our institutions and processes to enable you to shape and influence the manner in which they work. If you would like to share your views on what we have written, please feel free to contact us at lgibson@trinity.edu Our thanks go to reviewers Wayne Pryor, Brazosport College; Laurie Robertstad, Navarro College; and Tracy Skopek, Stephen F. Austin State University. Our special thanks go to the editorial staff at Prentice Hall with a special note of appreciation to Joan Stone, who with patience and graciousness "rode herd" on these two authors to complete this edition in a timely manner. L. Tucker Gibson, Jr. Clay Robison

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