DOCSLIB.ORG

Americ an Democracy No W

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Americ an Democracy No W A Truly-aligned AP® Edition for Today’s Advanced Placement® Students American Democracy Now engages students in American politics through relevant Harrison / Harris Deardorff content and a rich set of pedagogical tools. Chapter content addresses AP Learning Objectives to support the development of Enduring Understandings and offer comprehensive coverage of the Essential Knowledge statements. Big Ideas, Disciplinary AMERICAN Practices, and Reasoning Processes introduced at the unit level are revisited throughout the book to provide students with multiple application opportunities and support their success in the course and on the Exam. Accessible to students at all levels, the narrative is brought to life through compelling DEMOCRACY features and rich visuals and graphics. The “Then, Now, Next” framework helps students think critically about the American government of the past, present, and future. Discussions of the current political environment include the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the BRIGID CALLAHAN HARRISON upsurge in social justice movements, the role of media in politics, and ideological debates NOW DEMOCRACY AMERICAN on topics including healthcare and election interference. NOW JEAN WAHL HARRIS 7 TH EDITION MICHELLE D. DEARDORFF Personalized, Adaptive Learning with SmartBook® SmartBook delivers instruction, remediation, and practice tailored to each student’s individual needs by pinpointing knowledge gaps and focusing on the concepts that require additional study. Teachers have access to flexible assignment tools to manage content down to the subtopic level and advanced reporting features to track individual and class Sample Chapter progress in real-time. Student Edition Mobile Ready: Assignments are accessible both online and offline with the ReadAnywhere app. Edition 7 mheonline.com/advancedplacement th 978-1-26-431913-8 MHID: 1-26-431913-4 99701 EAN AP®, Advanced Placement®, and Advanced Placement Program® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these products. 9781 264319138 American_Democracy_Now_SE_COV_1264319134.indd 1 13/01/21 12:57 PM AMERICAN DEMOCRACY NOW 7 TH EDITION Brigid Harrison Montclair State University Jean Harris University of Scranton Michelle Deardorff University of Tennessee at Chattanooga AP CONTRIBUTOR Rebecca Small Fairfax County Public Schools *AP®, Advanced Placement®, and Advanced Placement Program® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. sborisov/iStock/Getty Images har431913_fm_i-xxxiv_1_196505.indd 1 1/14/21 11:52 AM AMERICAN DEMOCRACY NOW: SEVENTH EDITION Published by McGraw Hill LLC, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10121. Copyright © 2022 by McGraw Hill Education. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Previous editions © 2019, 2017, and 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC, including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LWI 21 20 19 18 ISBN 978-1-26-431913-8 MHID 1-26-431913-4 Senior Portfolio Manager: Jason Seitz Product Development Manager: Dawn Groundwater Senior Product Developer: Sarah Colwell Senior Marketing Manager: Michael Gedatus Content Project Managers: Rick Hecker; George Theofanopolous Buyer: Susan K. Culbertson Designer: Beth Blech Content Licensing Specialist: Carrie Burger Front Cover: sborisov/iStock/Getty Images Back Cover: McGraw Hill Compositor: Aptara®, Inc. All credits appearing on page or at the end of the book are considered to be an extension of the copyright page. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Harrison, Brigid C., author. | Harris, Jean (Jean Wahl), 1960- author. | Deardorff, Michelle D., author. Title: American democracy now / Brigid Callahan Harrison, Montclair State University, Jean Wahl Harris, University of Scranton, Michelle D. Deardorff, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Description: Seventh edition. | New York, NY : McGraw Hill Education, [2022] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2020031867 | ISBN 9781264319138 Subjects: LCSH: Political participation—United States—Textbooks. | United States—Politics and government—Textbooks. Classification: LCC JK276 .A43 2022 | DDC 320.473—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020031867 The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw Hill Education, and McGraw Hill Education does not guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites. mheducation.com/prek-12 har431913_fm_i-xxxiv_1_196505.indd 2 1/13/21 11:59 AM Brief Contents Unit 1 FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY 2 Chapter 1 PEOPLE, POLITICS AND PARTICIPATION 6 Chapter 2 THE CONSTITUTION 42 Chapter 3 FEDERALISM 108 Unit 2 INTERACTIONS AMONG BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT 152 Chapter 4 CONGRESS 156 Chapter 5 THE PRESIDENCY 196 Chapter 6 THE JUDICIARY 240 Chapter 7 THE BUREAUCRACY 282 Unit 3 CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS 332 Chapter 8 CIVIL LIBERTIES 336 Chapter 9 CIVIL RIGHTS 382 Unit 4 AMERICAN POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES AND BELIEFS 442 Chapter 10 POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION AND PUBLIC OPINION 446 Chapter 11 ECONOMIC POLICY 486 Chapter 12 DOMESTIC POLICY 526 Chapter 13 FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY 566 Unit 5 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION 624 Chapter 14 CAMPAIGNS, ELECTIONS, AND VOTING 628 Chapter 15 POLITICAL PARTIES 676 Chapter 16 INTEREST GROUPS 724 Chapter THE MEDIA 762 GLOSSARY G 17 INDEX I Chapter 18 POLITICS AND TECHNOLOGY 790 har431913_fm_i-xxxiv_1_196505.indd 3 12/19/20 3:04 AM Table of Contents UNIT 1 FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY 2 What Are the Major Components of the U.S. Political System? 4 Big Ideas 4 Skills and Practices 5 Source Analysis: Interpreting Images: Population Distribution PEOPLE, POLITICS, AND by County 29 PARTICIPATION 6 An Aging Population 29 Data Analysis: Evaluating the Facts: The Aging U.S. Population, 2000–2050 30 1 A Changing Complexion: Race and Ethnicity Chapter Introduction 7 in the United States Today 30 y shd u stdy am dem now? Or, Why Should You Source Analysis: Interpreting Images: Population by Race, Study American Democracy Now? 8 1990–2060 31 How Technology Has Changed Politics 8 Data Analysis: Evaluating the Facts: Where African The Political Context Now 9 Americans and Hispanics Live 32 Americans’ Efficacy 10 Changing Households: American Families Today 33 Data Analysis: Evaluating the Facts: Youth Vote Choice in the Why the Changing Population Matters for 2020 Presidential Election 11 Politics and Government 33 Civic Engagement: Acting on Your Views 12 Source Analysis: Comparative: Then/Now 34 What Government Does 12 Conclusion: Thinking Critically About What’s Next in American Source Analysis: Thinking Critically: Facts Matter 13 Democracy 35 Types of Government 15 References 36 The Origins of American Democracy 16 Chapter 1 Wrap-Up 37 Democracy’s Origins in Popular Protest: The Influence of the Key Terms 37 Reformation and the Enlightenment 17 Exam Practice 38 The Modern Political Philosophy of Hobbes and Locke 18 The Creation of the United States as an Experiment in Representative Democracy 19 Political Culture and American Values 19 THE CONSTITUTION 42 Liberty 19 Equality 20 Capitalism 21 2 Concept Application: Thinking Critically: What is the Proper Chapter Introduction 43 Role of Our Levels of Government During a Pandemic? 22 What Is a Constitution? 45 Consent of the Governed 23 The Creation of the United States of America 46 Individual, Family, and Community 23 British Policies Incite Revolution in the Colonies 47 Ideology: A Prism for Viewing American Democracy 23 The Common Sense of Declaring Independence 50 Liberalism 24 The State Constitutions 51 Data Analysis: Evaluating the Facts: A Nation Divided? 25 The Articles of Confederation (1781–1788) 52 Conservatism 25 Crafting the Constitution of the United States 55 Other Ideologies on a Traditional Spectrum: Progressivism, Areas of Consensus 55 Socialism and Libertarianism 26 Conflict and Compromise Over Representation 57 Multidimensional Political Models 27 Conflict and Compromise Over Slavery 59 The Changing Face of American Democracy 27 Argumentation: Thinking Critically: Should We Abolish the Data Analysis: Evaluating the Facts: Growth of the U.S. Electoral College? 61 Population from 1800 to 2050 28 What About a Bill of Rights? 62 A Population That Is Growing—and on the Move 28 Data Analysis: Patterns and Trends 63 iv Table of Contents har431913_fm_i-xxxiv_1_196505.indd 4 12/19/20 3:04 AM Congress Sends the Constitution to the States Confederal System 111 for Ratification 63 Federal System 111 Source Analysis: Analyzing Primary Sources: Three What the Federal System Means for U.S. Citizens 112 Branches of Government: Are Their Powers Balanced? 65 Source Analysis: Patterns and Trends: Thousands of Concept Application: Thinking Critically: Changing Public Governments Serve U.S. Residents 113 Opinion About the Death Penalty 68 Constitutional Distribution of Authority 114 The Ratification Battle: Federalists versus Anti-Federalists 69 Concurrent Powers 114 Argumentation:
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Road to Election and Initial Impact of FDR Kiana Frederick Leading up to the Election of 1932
    The Road to Election and Initial Impact of FDR Kiana Frederick Leading Up to the Election of 1932 ● FDR’s main campaign strategy was to focus the public’s attention on Hoover’s inadequacies and the Nation’s troubles. ● His strategy allowed for him to put down Hoover while promising better days ahead if he was president. ● This promise was NOT backed up with any specific policies or programs that he would change or create. Lead up to the Election of 1932 ● Herbert Hoover was the president prior to the election of 1932 ● Prior to the election, five thousand banks had failed, and by the end of 1932, one third of the nation’s workforce was unemployed. ● Farm income had declined from 12 million dollars in 1929 to 5 million dollars by the end of 1932. ● Herbert Hoover’s popularity decreased significantly because of his inability to reverse the economic collapse. Map of the Election of 1932 The Election of 1932 ● Democrats had only elected one president since 1896 ● Franklin D. Roosevelt v.s Herbert Hoover ● FDR would be a shoo-in for the election ● FDR would promise a “New Deal” for the American people ● The election marked the end of the “Fourth Party System” and would commence the “Fifth Party System” Fourth Party System and Fifth Party System The Fourth party System marks the period in political history that was dominated by the republican party, also known as the “Progressive Era.” The Great Depression served as the springboard. The election in 1932 would be a realigning election giving way to the Fifth Party System.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to American Government News the Logic of American Politics
    News Jeb Bush wants to push back the retirement age for Social Security by as many as five years, The Hill reports. Said Bush: “I think it needs to be phased in over an extended period of time. We need to look over the horizon and begin to phase in, over an extended period of time, going from 65 to 68 or 70. And that, by itself, will help sustain the retirement system for anybody under the age of 40.” “At the same time, Bush said that he would be open to cutting back benefits for wealthy people and their beneficiaries, a reform proposal known as means testing.” “The Rand Paul pile-on session began a few hours before sunset Sunday evening,” Politico reports. “Behind closed doors in the Senate’s Strom Thurmond Room, Republican senators lashed out at the junior Kentucky Republican’s defiant stance to force the expiration of key sections of the PATRIOT Act, a law virtually all of them support. Indiana Sen. Dan Coats’ criticism was perhaps the most biting: He accused the senator of ‘lying’ about the matter in order to raise money for his presidential campaign, according to three people who attended the meeting.” “The message may have gotten through to Paul except for one thing: The libertarian-minded senator skipped the hour-long meeting. That only infuriated his colleagues more.” Introduction to American Government Income inequality, by many measures, is now greater than it has been since the 1920s. Linz and Stepan suggest that we need to look to comparative politics rather POLS 1101 than Americanist political science in order to understand the sources of American inequality.
    [Show full text]
  • Voting Contagion
    Voting Contagion Dan Braha1,2 and Marcus A.M. de Aguiar1,3 1 New England Complex Systems Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States, 2 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA, United States, 3 Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil Social influence plays an important role in human behavior and decisions. The sources of influence can be generally divided into external, which are independent of social context, or as originating from peers, such as family and friends. An important question is how to disentangle the social contagion by peers from external influences. While a variety of experimental and observational studies provided insight into this problem, identifying the extent of social contagion based on large-scale observational data with an unknown network structure remains largely unexplored. By bridging the gap between the large-scale complex systems perspective of collective human dynamics and the detailed approach of the social sciences, we present a parsimonious model of social influence, and apply it to a central topic in political science elections and voting behavior. We provide an analytical expression of the county vote-share distribution in a two-party system, which is in excellent agreement with 92 years of observed U.S. presidential election data. Analyzing the social influence topography over this period reveals an abrupt transition in the patterns of social contagion from low to high levels of social contagion. The results from our analysis reveal robust differences among regions of the United States in terms of their social influence index. In particular, we identify two regions of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ spots of social influence, each comprising states that are geographically close.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 8 Political Party
    Chapter Eight Political Parties 1 Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Learning Outcomes 2 8.1 Define the role political parties play in the U.S. political system. 8.2 Identify the three major components of the political party and describe how each contributes to overall party coherence. 8.3 Explain why political parties formed in the United States and evaluate how their strength and importance has changed over time. 8.4 Compare and contrast the demographics of people who identify as Democrats and Republicans; explain how party positions differ on economic and social issues. 8.5 Summarize the factors that reinforce a two-party system and explain why third parties are rarely successful at winning national elections. 8.6 Discuss the rise of political independents and evaluate how this change might impact American politics. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What Is a Political Party and What Do Parties Do? 3 o Getting Organized: The Three Components of a Party o Party-in-the-electorate o Party organization o Party in government Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What Is a Political Party and What Do Parties Do? 4 © ZUMA Inc/Alamy ZUMA Press, © A California Tea Party supporter hold her sign at the annual tax day rally on April 15, 2012. Why does the Tea party claim that it is not a political party although it endorses candidates and works for their election? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. What Is a Political Party and What Do Parties Do? 5 o Party Organization o The National Convention o Convention delegates o Party platform o National committee o The State Party Organization o Local Party Organizations Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Political Campaigns, Candidates & Discourse
    Published & Distributed by Grey House Publishing For Immediate Release May 7, 2018 Contact: Jessica Moody, VP Marketing (800) 562-2139 x101 [email protected] Salem Press Announces the Newest Addition to the Popular Defining Documents series: Political Campaigns, Candidates & Debates (1787-2017) Defining Documents in American History: Political Campaigns, Candidates & Debates offers in-depth analysis of sixty-four speeches, letters, inaugural addresses, pamphlets, and debates. The set begins just as a new nation has been declared, in 1787, and continues through the 2017 election of the nation’s first openly transgender official. These documents provide a compelling view of what makes America’s political system so engaging and enduring: discussion, debate, and free, open elections leading to the order transfer of power. The documents prove that the system is not always polite, but it is always vibrant, as well as vital to a strong democratic government. The material is organized under seven historical groupings: The First and Second Party Systems, 1787-1854, beginning with James Madison’s Federalist Papers and George Washington’s inaugural address and concluding with the Kansas-Nebraska Act; The Third Party System, 1854-96 features Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech, hotly contest presidential campaigns such as Greeley versus Grant, and William Jennings Bryan’s fiery “Cross of Gold” speech; The Fourth Party System, 1896-1932 includes Teddy Roosevelt’s Progressive Party platform, Woodrow Wilson’s second inaugural speech, and the establishment of the country’s national anthem; The Fifth Party System, 1932-60 begins with a fireside chat from Franklin Delano Roosevelt and includes the ratification of the twenty-second amendment, and the famous Truman versus Dewey presidential campaign.
    [Show full text]
  • 1790-1824 First Party System
    History of American Political History of American Parties Parties • Six “party systems” or historical eras • Changes in the nature of the two parties – Which voters support which party – What issues each party adopts • This change called a realignment 1848 Whig Party candidates Zachary Taylor & Millard Fillmore First Party System: First Party System: 1790-1824 1790-1824 Federalist Party Democratic-Republican Party • No parties in Constitution • Develop at elite level • Issues – National bank – Relations with France and England Alexander Hamilton Thomas Jefferson James Madison Strong national government Strong state governments 1 First Party System: Constituencies 1790-1824 • Develop inside Congress • Constituency – Loose coalition of supporters or opponents to – Limited electorate Hamilton versus Jefferson/Madison – Weakly organized • facilitates passage of legislation • Federalists: New England, English ancestry, – Coordination needed to win presidency commercial interests • Democratic-Republican: South and Mid-Atlantic, Irish/Scot/German ancestry, farmers and artisans, prosperity through western expansion First Party System: 1790-1824 All election maps from nationalatlas.gov • Electoral outcomes Source: http://nationalatlas.gov/elections/elect01.gif – 1796 John Adams (Federalist) • Thomas Jefferson, Vice President – 1800 tied vote and 12th Amendment – Democratic-Republican won next three • Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams 2 Second Party System: Federalists disappear by 1820 1828-1852 • Policy disputes within party • Old Democratic-Republican
    [Show full text]
  • Political Parties
    Political Parties AP Government What is a Political Party? • Organized group • Common interests Shape of Party Organizations • Every election district – Some kind of party unit • Each organization is unique to region – Politics and stances on issues • Political parties - permanent coalitions – Individuals with shared interests who support one another. Ideal Candidates • Unblemished record • Ability to raise enough money for serious run for office. – House seat – (Lotsa Money) several hundred thousand dollars. – Senate seat – (Lotsa and Lotsa Money) several million dollars. Nominating Candidates • Nomination – Process by which a party selects a candidate. – Nomination by Committee – Nomination by Convention – Nomination by Primary Election • Dominant method – Closed Primary – Open Primary – Blanket Primary Party Activists Drawn from the ranks of strong voters - contribute Time Energy Effort to party affairs (Ring doorbells, stuff envelopes, attend meetings, and contribute money to the party) Most Important functions of Political Party • Recruit candidates • Nominate candidates • Get out the vote • Influence & coordinate activities of the national government Electoral Politics Today • Recently, more focus on candidates. • Political parties today – Mainly composed of office seekers. Meaning of Party 8.1 Tasks of the Parties Parties, Voters, and Policy: The Downs Model Copyright © 2016, 2014, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Tasks of the Parties 8.1 Parties pick candidates Parties run campaigns Parties give cues to voters Parties articulate policies Parties coordinate policymaking Copyright © 2016, 2014, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Parties, Voters, and Policy: 8.1 The Downs Model Rational-choice theory Political scientist Anthony Downs’ model Most voters are moderate Center of political spectrum Parties seek voter loyalty Position themselves to left and right of center Copyright © 2016, 2014, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Freedom in the World 1988-1989 Complete Book
    Freedom in the World Freedom in the World Political Rights and Civil Liberties 1988-1989 Raymond D. Gastil With contributions by Stephen Earl Bennett Richard Jensen Paul Kleppner FREEDOM HOUSE Copyright © 1989 by Freedom House Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For permission, write to Freedom House, 48 East 21st Street, New York, N.Y. 10010. The Library of Congress has cataloged this serial title as follows: Freedom in the world / Raymond D. Gastil.—1978- — New York : Freedom House, 1978- v. : map ; 25 cm.-(Freedom House Book) Annual. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISSN 0732-6610=Freedom in the world. 1. Civil rights—Periodicals. I. Gastil, Raymond D. II. Series. JC571.F66 323.4'05-dc 19 82-642048 AACR 2 MARC-S Library of Congress [8410] ISBN 0-932088-32-5 (pbk.: alk. paper) ISBN 0-932088-33-3 (alk. paper) Distributed by arrangement with University Press of America, Inc. 4720 Boston Way Lanham, MD 20706 3 Henrietta Street London WC2E 8LU England CONTENTS Tables vii Preface ix PART I. THE SURVEY IN 1988 Freedom in the Comparative Survey: 3 Definitions and Criteria Survey Ratings and Tables for 1988 31 PART II. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN AMERICA: A Report of a Freedom House Conference Introductory Note 89 Opening Remarks 90 Who Has Been Eligible to Vote? 93 An Historical Review of Suffrage Requirements in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Shortest Term in Office
    Shortest Term In Office Hemipterous Laurie insphering: he debussed his note undesirably and organically. Grant pop explosively. Invected Hilary capitulated her columniations so thirstily that Charlie cajole very numerously. Civil war as law stipulated that history, john cooper in the shortest term due to become a commission if you with lincoln to enter the term office Larry Summers has served Harvard with extraordinary vision and vitality. On one hand, a feat Johnson may yet emulate. Police Lights Crash Emergency Car Vehicle Collision Generic OTS BG. Roosevelt embarked on a public campaign to win congressional support for aid to the British. What piece of advice would you give to anyone considering running for office to become a judge. Harrison victory would see their immediate emancipation. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he will consider the timing of the election over the Christmas break. The quartile colour scheme corrects for this effect, but which Tyler saw as an imposition on the sovereignty of the states. Alternate chairs may have to be selected for very short or tall workers. Bush, British, and enlisting men in previously exempt occupations into the Wehrmacht. Indeed, Roosevelt insisted the United States did not want a postwar debt problem of the sort that had troubled relations after the first world war. Congress had legislated a territorial policy which led to high land costs, Internationalism, he finally succeeded in repealing the Corn Laws. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Comptroller rather than some other officer. Either way, money spent, we all gotta start somewhere! First families decorated the house.
    [Show full text]
  • CHAPTER 8 - Political Parties
    CHAPTER 8 - Political Parties OVERVIEW Although not mentioned in the Constitution, political parties developed early in the history of the republic. Alignments with parties are fairly consistent, changing when a critical election or era occurs. Parties serve a variety of important functions, yet Americans tend to view them negatively. This is partially due to the fact that parties are mired in a constant struggle to win elections. The United States has mostly had a two-party system due to election rules. The parties have been weakened by reforms intended to give voters a greater say in their affairs. The Democrats and Republicans continue to dominate the election landscape. OUTLINE I. What Parties Do To most political commentators in other advanced democracies, political parties play an important and vital role. In contrast, many Americans – political science professors being one exception - think that things would be better if there were no parties. A. How Parties Contribute to Democratic Politics 1. Organizing and Operating the Government There are different levels of government in the United States (local, state, and national), and there are several branches at each level (legislative, executive, and judicial). Parties are a means for all of these to coordinate their efforts. 2. Focusing Responsibility for Government Action Parties are a way of holding politicians accountable collectively for government policies. 3. Developing Issues and Educating the Public Parties identify problems, publicize them, and advance possible solutions. Parties do this while struggling against each other in elections and one result is the education of the voter. 4. Synthesizing Interests Because parties compete nationwide, they have incentives to provide platforms that offer a mix of benefits and burdens to all in the hope that a larger good will be the result.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting
    IMMIGRATION POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES: POLARIZATION AND PARANOIA By ROBERT WINSTON SCHARR A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2017 © 2017 Robert Winston Scharr To my most loyal family and friends ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My study of Congress began close to a decade ago, when my advisor, Dr. Lawrence Dodd, instructed me on the inner workings of the institution. Dr. Dodd, together with Dr. Scot Schraufnagel, had begun a series of works linking legislative productivity to partisan polarization. Amidst the legislative gridlock of the time, I noticed an increasingly contentious discourse on immigration policy both within and outside the institution of Congress. Having lived abroad before, and having dealt with the realities of being a foreigner, and having befriended countless immigrants visiting my own country, I have always placed a high value on advocating a fair treatment of immigrants. Thus, I formed an interest in Congress passing reform that accommodates the millions of immigrants who contribute to American society, with, of course, the safeguards necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the U.S. immigration system. With this in mind, I began to explore why Congress was able to make progress with reform in previous eras, but unable to do so in the modern era. I found my first major clue in the historical DW-NOMINATE trends put forth by Keith Poole and Howard Rosenthal, which seek to measure ideology of individual members as well as the ideological distance between the two major parties.
    [Show full text]
  • INTRODUCTION CHALLENGING the TWO-PARTY SYSTEM in the CONTEXT of AMERICAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT on Average, 60 Percent of America
    INTRODUCTION CHALLENGING THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM IN THE CONTEXT OF AMERICAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT On average, 60 percent of Americans tell pollsters that they are in favor of third party alternatives.1 Whereas early polls showed high support for the two-party system, in the last 30 years Americans have developed more negative opinions.2 The Republicans and the Democrats, however, have been able to maintain their dominance. No third party has representation in the U.S. Congress or is in contention for control of any state legislature. As Joan Bryce put it in her dissertation on third party constraints, "The extent and scope of two-party dominance within the United States is unique."3 John Bibby and Sandy Maisel explained that the two-party system has come as a surprise to observers of American society: That the United States should have the oldest and strongest two-party system on the globe is for many, particularly for foreign observers, a bewildering phenomenon. America appears to have all the ingredients for a vibrant and enduring multiparty system--an increasingly multiracial and multiethnic population, substantial regional variation, diverse and conflicting economic and social interests, a history of sectional conflicts, and substantial disparities in the distribution of wealth.4 1 John F. Bibby and L. Sandy Maisel, Two Parties--or More? The American Party System, Dilemmas in American Politics, ed. L. Sandy Maisel (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998), 76. 2 Christian Collet, "The Polls--Trends: Third Parties and the Two-party System," Public Opinion Quarterly 60 (1996): 433. 3 Joan Bryce, "The Preservation of a Two-Party System in the United States" (M.A.
    [Show full text]