Political Institutions in the United States

Political Institutions in the United States guides students through the different institutions of American government. It covers the electoral and party systems, the separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the division of powers between the federal government and the states. It also explores the internal organization of each institution. This unique text gives students a solid understanding of the "rules" of the American political game, the "field" on which the game is played, and the basic characteristics and orientations of the "teams" that are playing the game. It enables students to study contemporary American politics with greater understanding, and to see the differences between the government of the United States and the governments of other democracies.

Tables and Figures	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
The Foundations of American Government	p. 1
Overview	p. 1
American political development	p. 3
The United States in context	p. 24
Conclusion	p. 31
Federalism American Style	p. 35
Overview	p. 35
The federal government vis-à-vis the states	p. 36
Relations and diversity among the states	p. 43
American federalism in perspective	p. 53
Elections in the United States	p. 58
Overview	p. 58
National elections?	p. 58
Voter turnout	p. 64
Congressional elections	p. 65
Presidential elections	p. 72
Political finance in context	p. 78
State and local elections	p. 80
Free and fair elections?	p. 81
The American Party System	p. 88
Overview	p. 88
The evolution of the American party system	p. 90
The party coalitions	p. 95
Party organization	p. 101
Parties in American politics	p. 108
The Chief Executive	p. 113
Overview	p. 113
Head of state	p. 114
The president as political leader and head of government	p. 115
The president, cabinet, and executive agencies	p. 124
The presidential establishment	p. 128
Presidential inexperience and transition	p. 131
The vice-presidency	p. 135
State governors	p. 136
The Legislative Branch	p. 141
Overview	p. 141
The organization of Congress	p. 142
Party unity in Congress	p. 143
The roles and powers of congressional leaders	p. 146
Committees	p. 149
How a bill becomes a law	p. 153
The budgetary process	p. 159
Congressional staff	p. 162
The state legislatures	p. 163
The Bureaucracy	p. 169
Overview	p. 169
The civil service	p. 171
Executive departments and agencies	p. 173
Independent regulatory commissions	p. 178
Public corporations and foundations	p. 182
The Federal Reserve system	p. 184
Political control of the bureaucracy	p. 185
Deregulation	p. 187
Reinventing government	p. 190
The Judiciary	p. 195
Overview	p. 195
The federal courts	p. 196
Courts and politics	p. 199
The Supreme Court	p. 201
Appointment and confirmation	p. 203
The lower federal courts	p. 207
Contemporary issues before the courts	p. 209
State courts and state law	p. 213
The American Secret	p. 224
Overview	p. 224
Successful in spite of itself?	p. 228
Challenges of the twenty-first century	p. 232
The United States in the world	p. 241
Appendix: The Constitution of The United States	p. 247
References	p. 274
Index	p. 277
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Political Institutions in the United States

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Table of Contents

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