Voices of Dissent: Critical Readings in American Politics / Edition 9

by William F. Grover

Overview

This distinctive reader is the only collection of truly critical readings on American government available. Its approach takes readers beyond the mainstream debate between liberalism and conservatism and stimulates them to think deeply about the American political system.

New Readings in the Seventh Edition Michelle Goldberg tackles the role of Christian fundamentalism in "Kingdom Coming: Resisting the Power of the Christian Right," and Brooke Allen examines the accepted wisdom that the Constitution is rooted in the Framers' belief in a God in "Our Godless Constitution." Matt Taibbi explores the internal workings of the legislative branch in "Four Amendments and a Funeral: Inside the House of Horrors that is Congress." Jennifer Van Bergen in "The 'Unitary Executive' and the Threat to Democratic Government" and Mark Tushnet in "Democracy Versus Judicial Review" investigate challenges to the democratic functioning of government institutions during the Bush years. Susan George in "A Short History of Neo-Liberalism," and Paul Krugman in "The Tax-Cut Con" focus our attention on the myths and distortions of the ideology of unbridled capitalism. Steven Hill in "Ten Steps to Improve Our Democracy," and Jared Bernstein in "All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy" offer detailed suggestions for how we might extend real democratic governance both politically and economicaliy. Bill Moyers examines the many failings of the news media in providing comprehensive and unbiased reporting in "Take Public Broadcasting Back." The authors also contribute their own new pieces: Patricia Siplon and William Grover present a study on HIV-AIDS policy in "Congressional Inertia: Iron Triangles Old andNew" and Joseph Peschek gives an analysis of the presidency of George W. Bush in light of the 2006 elections and the ongoing war with Iraq in "George W. Bush's Imperial Presidency."

About the Author:
William F. Grover is Professor of Political Science at Saint Michael's College in Vermont

About the Author:
Joseph G. Peschek is Professor of Political Science at Hamline University in Minnesota

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900205251710
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	08/06/2012
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Preface     xi
Introduction     1
Structure     7
Democracy and Political Economy     8
This Land is Your Land     9
A Short History of Neo-Liberalism     19
Why Does the Air Stink? Corporate Power and Public Policy     26
Global Ecology and the Common Good     36
Ideology and Political Culture     41
What is the American Dream?     42
Liberal Individualism and the Crisis of Citizenship     55
Kingdom Coming: Resisting the Power of the Christian Right     63
The Greatest Nation on Earth     69
Constitutional and State Structures     76
American Exceptionalism and the Politics of Fragmentation     77
The Dark Side of the Constitution     84
Our Godless Constitution     96
Some Truths are not Self-Evident     101
Politics and Institutions     105
Mass Media and Politics     107
It's the Media, Stupid     108
News Content and Illusion: Four Information Biases that Matter     119
The Military-Industrial-Media Complex     129
Take Public Broadcasting Back     135
Parties and Elections     146
What's theMatter with America?     147
The Shrinking Electoral Battleground     152
Let Them Eat War     165
After the Deluge: Electoral Reform in the Wake of the Election of 2000     171
Congress     176
Congress and Big Business     177
Democracy on Drugs: How a Bill Really Becomes a Law     184
Four Amendments and a Funeral: The House of Horrors that is Congress     192
Congressional Inertia: Iron Triangles Old and New     204
The Presidency     213
The Limits of Presidential Power     214
The Presidential Spectacle     219
The "Unitary Executive" and the Threat to Democratic Government     236
George W. Bush's Imperial Presidency     243
Law and the Courts     253
Corporations, the Law, and Democracy     254
Democracy Versus Judicial Review     264
This Dangerous Patriot's Game     269
Neo-Patriarchy and the Anti-Homosexual Agenda     275
Politics and Vision     285
Political Challenges at Home and Abroad     286
The Tax-Cut Con     287
Doing it for Ourselves: Can Feminism Survive Class Polarization?     298
Black America and the Dilemma of Patriotism      303
Sorrows of Empire     308
Visions of a New Democracy     315
Letter from Birmingham Jail     316
Reclaiming the Commons     323
Ten Steps to Improve Our Democracy     329
All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy     335
Resources for Further Study     340
Appendix
The Declaration of Independence     344
The Constitution of the United States     347
The Federalist No. 10     359
Credits     363