Answer both of these prompts.
You must answer two initial posts
Each Initial PostsMUST have150word minimum
APA writing includes in-text citations and references
You MUST use the textbook and an outside source in your original posts
Prompt 1:
Does any president deserve credit for an economic boom or recession? Who is more instrumental in influencing the economythe president or the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board?
Prompt 2:
Many people have argued that we should privatize much of governmentthat is, turn over to the private sector such traditional governmental activities as running prisons, Social Security, public broadcasting, and even public schools. Is this a good idea? What programs, if any, should be privatized? What are the relative disadvantages in privatization?
An Introduction to American Politics
We the People
121212
edition
E S S E N TI A LS
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wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 3 11/29/18 11:38 AM
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 4 11/29/18 11:38 AM
BENJAMIN GINSBERG
THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVE RSIT Y
THEODORE J. LOWI
L ATE OF CORNE LL UNIVE RSIT Y
MARGARET WEIR
BROWN UNIVE RSIT Y
CAROLINE J. TOLBERT
UNIVE RSIT Y OF LOWA
ANDREA L. CAMPBELL
MAS SACHUSE T TS INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY
ROBERT J. SPITZER
SUNY CORTL AND
An Introduction to American Politics
We the People
n W. W. N O R T O N & C O M PA N Y N E W Y O R K L O N D O N
121212
edition
E S S E N TI A LS
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 5 11/29/18 11:38 AM
W. W. Norton & Company has been independent since its founding in 1923, when
William Warder Norton and Mary D. Herter Norton first published lectures delivered at the
Peoples Institute, the adult education division of New York Citys Cooper Union. The firm soon
expanded its program beyond the Institute, publishing books by celebrated academics from
America and abroad. By mid-century, the two major pillars of Nortons publishing programtrade
books and college textswere firmly established. In the 1950s, the Norton family transferred
control of the company to its employees, and todaywith a staff of four hundred and a com-
parable number of trade, college, and professional titles published each yearW. W. Norton
& Company stands as the largest and oldest publishing house owned wholly by its employees.
Copyright 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2006, 2002
by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
All rights reserved
Printed in Canada
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Permission to use copyrighted material is included in the cr edits section of this book, which begins on
page A83.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the full edition as follows:
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ginsberg, Benjamin, author.
Title: We the people : an introduction to American politics / Benjamin
Ginsberg, The Johns Hopkins University, Theodore J. Lowi, Cornell
University, Margaret Weir, Brown University, Caroline J. Tolbert,
University of Iowa, Andrea L. Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
Description: Twelfth Edition. | New York : W.W. Norton & Company, [2018] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018046033 | ISBN 9780393644326 (hardcover)
Subjects: LCSH: United States–Politics and government–Textbooks.
Classification: LCC JK276 .G55 2018 | DDC 320.473–dc23 L C r ecord av ailable at https://lccn.loc.
gov/2018046033
ISBN 978-0-393-66464-5
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
wwnorton.com
W. W. Norton & Company Ltd., 15 Carlisle Street, London W1D 3BS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 6 11/29/18 11:38 AM
To:
Teresa Spitzer
Sandy, Cindy, and Alex Ginsberg
David, Jackie, Eveline, and Ed Dowling
Dave, Marcella, Logan, and Kennah Campbell
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 7 11/29/18 11:38 AM
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 8 11/29/18 11:38 AM
ix
Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxiii
PART I FOUNDATIONS
1 Introduction: The Citizen
and Government 2
Government 5
Different Forms of Government Are Defined by Power
and Freedom 5
Limits on Governments Encouraged Freedom 6
Expansion of Participation in America Changed the
Political Balance 7
The Goal of Politics Is Having a Say in What Happens 7
Citizenship Is Based on Political Knowledge
and Participation 8
Political Efficacy Means People Can Make
a Difference 9
The Identity of Americans Has Changed over Time 10
Immigration and Increasing Ethnic Diversity Have
Long Caused Intense Debate 10
Who Are Americans Today? 12
America Is Built on the Ideas of Liberty, Equality, and Democracy 16
Liberty Means Freedom 16
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Global Diversity 17
Equality Means Treating People Fairly 18
Democracy Means That What the People Want Matters 19
Government Affects Our Lives Every Day 20
Trust in Government Has Declined 21
American Political Culture: What Do We Want? 23
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Voted in 2016? 25
Key Terms 28
For Further Reading 29
Contents
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x
2 The Founding and the Constitution 30
The First Founding: Ideals, Interests, and Conflicts 33
Narrow Interests and Political Conflicts Shaped the First
Founding 34
British Taxes Hurt Colonial Economic Interests 34
Political Strife Radicalized the Colonists 35
The Declaration of Independence Explained Why the Colonists
Wanted to Break with Great Britain 36
The Articles of Confederation Created Americas First National
Government 37
The Failure of the Articles of Confederation Made the Second
Founding Necessary 38
The Annapolis Convention Was Key to Calling a National
Convention 39
Shayss Rebellion Showed How Weak the Government Was 39
The Constitutional Convention Didnt Start Out to Write
a New Constitution 40
The Constitution Created Both Bold Powers and Sharp Limits
on Power 43
The Legislative Branch Was Designed to Be the Most Powerful 44
The Executive Branch Created a Brand New Office 46
The Judicial Branch Was a Check on Too Much Democracy 47
National Unity and Power Set the New Constitution Apart
from the Old Articles 48
The Constitution Establishes the Process for Amendment 48
The Constitution Sets Forth Rules for Its Own Ratification 48
The Constitution Limits the National Governments Power 48
Ratification of the Constitution Was Difficult 51
Federalists and Antifederalists Fought Bitterly over the Wisdom
of the New Constitution 52
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Comparing Systems of Government 55
Both Federalists and Antifederalists Contributed to the Success
of the New System 56
Changing the Constitution 56
Amendments: Many Are Called; Few Are Chosen 56
The Amendment Process Reflects Higher Law 57
The Constitution: What Do We Want? 60
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Gained the Right to Vote through
Amendments? 61
Key Terms 64
For Further Reading 65
C O N T E N T S
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xi
3 Federalism 66
Federalism Shapes American Politics 69
Federalism Comes from the Constitution 69
The Definition of Federalism Has Changed Radically
over Time 73
Federalism under the Traditional System Gave Most
Powers to the States 73
The Supreme Court Paved the Way for the End of the Early
Federal System 75
FDRs New Deal Remade the Government 77
Changing Court Interpretations of Federalism Helped the
New Deal While Preserving States Rights 78
Cooperative Federalism Pushes States to Achieve
National Goals 80
National Standards Have Been Advanced through
Federal Programs 81
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Cooperative Federalism: Competition
or a Check on Power? 83
New Federalism Means More State Control 85
There Is No Simple Answer to Finding the Right NationalState Balance 86
Federalism: What Do We Want? 90
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Participates in State and Local Politics? 91
Key Terms 94
For Further Reading 95
4 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights 96
The Origin of the Bill of Rights Lies in Those Who Opposed
the Constitution 99
The Fourteenth Amendment Nationalized the Bill of
Rights through Incorporation 101
The First Amendment Guarantees Freedom of Religion,
Speech, and the Press 103
Freedom of Religion 103
The First Amendment and Freedom of Speech and of the
Press Ensure the Free Exchange of Ideas 105
Political Speech Is Consistently Protected 106
Symbolic Speech, Speech Plus, Assembly, and Petition Are Highly Protected 106
Freedom of the Press Is Broad 108
Some Speech Has Only Limited Protection 109
The Second Amendment Now Protects an Individuals Right to Own a Gun 112
Rights of the Criminally Accused Are Based on Due Process of Law 113
The Fourth Amendment Protects against Unlawful Searches and Seizures 114
The Fifth Amendment Covers Court-Related Rights 115
C O N T E N T S
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xii
The Sixth Amendments Right to Counsel Is Crucial for a
Fair Trial 117
The Eighth Amendment Bars Cruel and Unusual Punishment 118
The Right to Privacy Means the Right to Be Left Alone 119
Civil Rights Are Protections by the Government 120
Plessy v. Ferguson Established Separate but Equal 121
Lawsuits to Fight for Equality Came after World War II 122
The Civil Rights Struggle Escalated after Brown v. Board
of Education 123
The Civil Rights Acts Made Equal Protection a Reality 125
Affirmative Action Attempts to Right Past Wrongs 128
The Civil Rights Struggle Was Extended to Other
Disadvantaged Groups 130
Americans Have Fought Gender Discrimination 130
Latinos and Asian Americans Fight for Rights 132
Native Americans Have Sovereignty but Still Lack Rights 134
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Civil Liberties around the World 135
Disabled Americans Won a Great Victory in 1990 136
LGBTQ Americans 136
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: What Do We Want? 137
WHO PARTICIPATES? Religious Affiliation and Freedom of Religion 139
Key Terms 142
For Further Reading 143
PART II P OLITIC S
5 Public Opinion 144
Public Opinion Represents Attitudes about Politics 147
Americans Share Common Political Values 148
Americas Dominant Political Ideologies Are Liberalism
and Conservatism 149
Americans Exhibit Low Trust in Government 152
Political Socialization Shapes Public Opinion 152
Political Knowledge Is Important in Shaping Public Opinion 157
The Media and Government Mold Opinion 160
The Government Leads Public Opinion 160
Private Groups Also Shape Public Opinion 161
The News Medias Message Affects Public Opinion 161
Government Policies Also Respond to Public Opinion 162
C O N T E N T S
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xiii
Measuring Public Opinion Is Crucial to Understanding What It Is 163
Public-Opinion Surveys Are Accurate If Done Properly 163
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Confidence in Democratic Institutions 164
Why Are Some Polls Wrong? 166
Public Opinion: What Do We Want? 169
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Expresses Their Political Opinions? 171
Key Terms 174
For Further Reading 175
6 The Media 176
Media Have Always Mattered in a Democracy 179
Journalists Are News-Gathering Professionals 179
The Profit Motive Drives the News Business 180
More Media Outlets Are Owned by Fewer
Companies 180
The Media Today 182
Newspapers Still Set the Standard for News
Reporting 183
Broadcast Media Are Still Popular 184
Radio Has Adapted to Modern Habits 185
Digital Media Have Transformed Media Habits 186
Citizen Journalism Gives People News Power 189
Concerns about Online News 190
The Media Affect Power Relations in American Politics 191
The Media Influence Public Opinion through Agenda-Setting,
Framing, and Priming 191
Leaked Information Can Come from Government Officials
or Independent Sources 193
Adversarial Journalism Has Risen in Recent Years 194
Broadcast Media Are Regulated but Not Print Media 194
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE The Internet and Global Democracy 196
The Media: What Do We Want? 197
WHO PARTICIPATES? Civic Engagement in the Digital Age 199
Key Terms 202
For Further Reading 203
C O N T E N T S
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xiv
7 Political Parties, Participation,
and Elections 204
Parties and Elections Have Been Vital to American Politics
and Government 207
Political Parties Arose from the Electoral Process 207
Parties Recruit Candidates 208
Parties Organize Nominations 208
Parties Help Get Out the Vote 209
Parties Organize Power in Congress 210
America Is One of the Few Nations with a Two-Party System 210
Parties Have Internal Disagreements 217
Electoral Realignments Define Party Systems in American
History 217
American Third Parties Sometimes Change the Major Parties
and Election Outcomes 218
Group Affiliations Are Based on Voters Psychological Ties
to One of the Parties 220
Political Participation Takes Both Traditional and
Digital Forms 220
Voting Is the Most Important Form of Traditional Participation 220
Digital Political Participation Is Surging 221
Voter Turnout in America Is Low 223
Why Do People Vote? 224
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Voter Turnout in Comparison 226
Voters Decide Based on Party, Issues, and Candidate 227
Party Loyalty Is Important 227
Issues Can Shape an Election 228
Candidate Characteristics Are More Important in the Media
Age 229
The Electoral Process Has Many Levels and Rules 229
The Electoral College Still Organizes Presidential Elections 231
The 2016 and 2018 Elections 232
The 2016 Elections 232
Understanding the 2016 Results 233
The 2018 Election: A Blue Wave Meets a Red Wall 235
The 2018 Election and Americas Future 236
Money Is Critical to Campaigns 237
Campaign Funds Come from Direct Appeals, the Rich, PACs, and
Parties 237
Political Parties, Elections, and Participation: What Do We
Want? 240
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Participated in the 2016 Presidential
Election? 241
Key Terms 244
For Further Reading 245
C O N T E N T S
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xv
8 Interest Groups 246
Interest Groups Form to Advocate for Different
Interests 249
What Interests Are Represented? 250
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Civil Society around the World 252
Some Interests Are Not Represented 253
Group Membership Has an Upper-Class Bias 253
The Organizational Components of Groups Include
Money, Offices, and Members 254
The Internet Has Changed the Way Interest Groups
Foster Participation 257
The Number of Groups Has Increased in Recent Decades 258
The Expansion of Government Has Spurred the Growth of Groups 259
Public Interest Groups Grew in the 1960s and 70s 259
Interest Groups Use Different Strategies to Gain Influence 259
Direct Lobbying Combines Education, Persuasion, and Pressure 261
Cultivating Access Means Getting the Attention of Decision Makers 262
Using the Courts (Litigation) Can Be Highly Effective 263
Mobilizing Public Opinion Brings Wider Attention to an Issue 264
Groups Often Use Electoral Politics 266
Groups and Interests: What Do We Want? 267
WHO PARTICIPATES? How Much Do Major Groups Spend? 269
Key Terms 272
For Further Reading 273
PART III INS TIT U TIONS
9 Congress 274
Congress Represents the American People 277
The House and Senate Offer Differences
in Representation 277
Representation Can Be Sociological or Agency 278
The Electoral Connection Hinges on Incumbency 281
Direct Patronage Means Bringing Home the Bacon 286
The Organization of Congress Is Shaped by Party 288
Party Leadership in the House and the Senate Organizes Power 289
The Committee System Is the Core of Congress 289
The Staff System Is the Power behind the Power 291
C O N T E N T S
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xvi
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Womens Parliamentary Representation
Worldwide 292
Rules of Lawmaking Explain How a Bill Becomes a Law 293
The First Step Is Committee Deliberation 293
Debate Is Less Restricted in the Senate Than in the House 295
Conference Committees Reconcile House and Senate Versions
of Legislation 296
The Presidents Veto Controls the Flow of Legislation 297
Several Factors Influence How Congress Decides 297
Constituents Matter 297
Interest Groups Influence Constituents and Congress 298
Party Leaders Rely on Party Discipline 299
Partisanship Has Thwarted the Ability of Congress to Decide 303
Much Congressional Energy Goes to Tasks Other Than
Lawmaking 303
Congress Oversees How Legislation Is Implemented 304
Special Senate Powers Include Advice and Consent 305
Impeachment Is the Power to Remove Top Officials 305
Congress: What Do We Want? 306
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Elects Congress? 307
Key Terms 310
For Further Reading 313
10 The Presidency 314
Presidential Power Is Rooted in the Constitution 317
Expressed Powers Come Directly from the Words
of the Constitution 318
Implied Powers Derive from Expressed Powers 323
Delegated Powers Come from Congress 324
Modern Presidents Have Claimed Inherent Powers 324
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Executive Branches in Comparison 325
Institutional Resources of Presidential Power
Are Numerous 327
The Cabinet Is Often Distant from the President 327
The White House Staff Constitutes the Presidents Eyes and
Ears 327
The Executive Office of the President Is a Visible Sign of the
Modern Strong Presidency 328
The Vice Presidency Has Become More Important since the
1970s 329
The First Spouse Has Become Important to Policy 330
C O N T E N T S
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xvii
Party, Popular Mobilization, and Administration Make
Presidents Stronger 331
Going Public Means Trying to Whip Up the People 332
The Administrative Strategy Increases Presidential Control 334
Presidential Power Has Limits 339
The Presidency: What Do We Want? 340
WHO PARTICIPATES? Who Voted for Donald Trump in 2016? 341
Key Terms 344
For Further Reading 345
11 Bureaucracy 346
Bureaucracy Exists to Improve Efficiency 349
Bureaucrats Fulfill Important Roles 349
The Size of the Federal Service Has Actually
Declined 352
The Executive Branch Is Organized Hierarchically 352
Federal Bureaucracies Promote Welfare
and Security 355
Federal Bureaucracies Promote Public Well-Being 356
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Bureaucracy in Comparison 357
Federal Agencies Provide for National Security 358
Federal Bureaucracies Help to Maintain a Strong National Economy 362
Several Forces Control Bureaucracy 363
The President as Chief Executive Can Direct Agencies 363
Congress Promotes Responsible Bureaucracy 365
Can the Bureaucracy Be Reformed? 366
Bureaucracy and Democracy: What Do We Want? 367
WHO PARTICIPATES? Waiting for a Veterans Affairs Health Care Appointment 369
Key Terms 372
For Further Reading 373
12 The Federal Courts 374
The Legal System Settles Disputes 377
Court Cases Proceed under Criminal and Civil Law 377
Types of Courts Include Trial, Appellate, and Supreme 378
The Federal Courts Hear a Small Percentage of
All Cases 381
The Lower Federal Courts Handle Most Cases 381
The Appellate Courts Hear 20 Percent of Lower-Court Cases 382
The Supreme Court Is the Court of Final Appeal 383
Judges Are Appointed by the President and Approved by the Senate 384
C O N T E N T S
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xviii
The Power of the Supreme Court Is Judicial Review 385
Judicial Review Covers Acts of Congress 386
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Term Limits for High Court Justices 387
Judicial Review Applies to Presidential Actions 388
Judicial Review Also Applies to State Actions 389
Most Cases Reach the Supreme Court by Appeal 390
The Solicitor General, Law Clerks, and Interest Groups Also
Influence the Flow of Cases 392
The Supreme Courts Procedures Mean Cases May Take
Months or Years 394
Supreme Court Decisions Are Influenced by Activism
and Ideology 397
The Federal Courts: What Do We Want? 400
WHO PARTICIPATES? Influencing the Supreme Court? 401
Key Terms 404
For Further Reading 405
PART IV P OLICY
13 Domestic Policy 406
The Tools for Making Policy Are Techniques of Control 409
Promotional Policies Get People to Do Things by Giving
Them Rewards 409
Regulatory Policies Are Rules Backed by Penalties 411
Redistributive Policies Affect Broad Classes of People 413
Should the Government Intervene in the Economy? 415
Social Policy and the Welfare System Buttress Equality 416
The History of the Government Welfare System Dates Only
to the 1930s 416
The Modern Welfare System Has Three Parts 417
Welfare Reform Has Dominated the Welfare Agenda in
Recent Years 421
The Cycle of Poverty Can Be Broken by Education, Health, and
Housing Policies 423
Education Policies Provide Life Tools 423
Health Policies Mean Fewer Sick Days 425
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE U.S. Healthcare: High Cost, Poor Outcomes 427
Housing Policies Provide Residential Stability 431
Social Policy Spending Benefits the Middle Class More Than the
Poor 432
Senior Citizens Receive over a Third of All Federal Dollars 433
The Middle and Upper Classes Benefit from Social Policies 434
C O N T E N T S
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xix
The Working Poor Receive Fewer Benefits 434
Spending for the Nonworking Poor Is Declining 435
Minorities, Women, and Children Are Most Likely to Face Poverty 435
Domestic Policy: What Do We Want? 437
WHO PARTICIPATES? Growing Student Debt Burden 439
Key Terms 442
For Further Reading 443
14 Foreign Policy 444
Foreign Policy Goals Are Related 447
Security Is Based on Military Strength 447
Economic Prosperity Helps All Nations 451
America Seeks a More Humane World 451
AMERICA SIDE BY SIDE Building Influence through
International Connections 452
American Foreign Policy Is Shaped by Government
and Nongovernment Actors 453
The President Leads Foreign Policy 454
The Bureaucracy Implements and Informs Policy Decisions 455
Congresss Legal Authority Can Be Decisive 456
Interest Groups Pressure Foreign Policy Decision Makers 457
Tools of American Foreign Policy Include Diplomacy, Force, and Money 458
Diplomacy 459
The United Nations Is the Worlds Congress 459
The International Monetary Structure Helps Provide Economic Stability 460
Economic Aid Has Two Sides 460
Collective Security Is Designed to Deter War 461
Military Force Is Politics by Other Means 462
Soft Power Uses Persuasion 463
Arbitration Resolves Disputes 463
Current Foreign Policy Issues Facing the United States 464
A Powerful China and a Resurgent Russia 464
Nuclear Proliferation in Iran and North Korea 466
Trade Policy 467
Global Environmental Policy 467
Foreign Policy and Democracy: What Do We Want? 468
WHO PARTICIPATES? Public Opinion on Security Issues 469
Key Terms 472
For Further Reading 473
C O N T E N T S
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xx
Appendix
The Declaration of Independence A1
The Articles of Confederation A5
The Constitution of the United States of America A11
Amendments to the Constitution A21
The Federalist Papers A30
The Anti-Federalist Papers A38
Presidents and Vice Presidents A45
Endnotes A49
Answer Key A81
Credits A83
Glossary/Index A85
C O N T E N T S
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This book has been and continues to be dedicated to dev eloping a satisfactor y response to the question more and more Americans are asking: Why should we be engaged with go vernment and politics? Through the first 11 editions,
we sought to answ er this question b y making the text dir ectly relevant to the liv es of
the students who would be r eading it. As a r esult, w e tried to make politics inter est-
ing by demonstrating that students interests are at stake and that they ther efore need
to take a personal, ev en selfish, interest in the outcomes of go vernment. A t the same
time, we realized that students needed guidance in how to become politically engaged.
Beyond providing students with a core of political knowledge, we needed to show them
how they could apply that knowledge as participants in the political process. The Who
Participates? and What You Can Do sections in each chapter help achieve that goal.
As events from the last several years have reminded us, what government does
inevitably raises questions about political par ticipation and political equality . The size
and composition of the electorate, for example, affect who is elected to public office
and what policy dir ections the go vernment will pursue. H ence, the issue of v oter ID
laws became impor tant in the 2016 election, with some arguing that these laws r e-
duce v oter fraud and others contending that they decr ease par ticipation b y poor and
minority voters. Charges of Russian meddling in the 2016 election have raised questions
about the integrity of the voting process. Fierce debates about the policies of the Trump
administration have heightened students interest in politics. O ther recent events have
underscored how Americans from different backgrounds experience politics. Arguments
about immigration became contentious during the 2016 election as the nation once again
debated the question of who is entitled to be an American a nd have a voice in determin-
ing what the government does. And charges that the police often use ex cessive violence
against members of minority gr oups have raised questions about whether the go vern-
ment treats all Americans equally. Reflecting all of these trends, this new Twelfth Edition
shows more than any other book on the market (1) how students are connected to gov-
ernment, (2) why students should think critically about go vernment and politics, and
(3) how Americans fr om different backgrounds experience and shape politics. To help
us explore these themes, P rofessor Andrea Campbell has joined us as the most r ecent
in a gr oup of distinguished coauthors. P rofessor Campbells scholarly wor k focuses on
the ways in which go vernment and politics affect the lives of ordinary citizens. Among
her contributions are new chapter introductions that focus on stories of individuals and
how government has affected them. Many Americans, particularly the young, can have
difficulty seeing the role of go vernment in their ev eryday liv es. I ndeed, that s a chief
explanation of low voter participation among younger citizens. The new chapter openers
profile various individuals and illustrate their interactions with government, from a rock
Preface
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band that gets its controversial name approved by the Supreme Court (Chapter 4), to a
young mother who realizes the tap water in her Flint, Michigan, home is poisoning her
children after local officials switched the source (Chapter 11), to teenagers pr otesting
the end of net neutrality and the internet as they hav e known it (Chapter 6). The goal
of these stories is to show students in a vivid way how government and politics mean
something to their daily lives.
Several other elements of the book also help show students why politics and govern-
ment should matter to them. These include:
A twenty-first-century perspective on demographic change moves beyond the
books strong coverage of traditional civil rights content with expanded coverage
of contemporary group politics.
Who Participates? infographics at the end of every chapter show students
how different groups of Americans participate in key aspects of politics and
government. Each concludes with a What You Can Do section that provides
students with specific, realistic steps they can take to act on what theyve learned
and get involved in politics.
America Side by Side boxes in every chapter use data figures and tables
to provide a comparative perspective. By comparing political institutions and
behavior across countries, students gain a better understanding of how specific
features of the American system shape politics.
Up-to-date coverage, with more than 10 pages and numerous graphics on the
2016 and 2018 elections, including a five-page section devoted to analysis of
these momentous elections in Chapter 8, as well as updated data, examples, and
other information throughout the book.
What Do We Want chapter conclusions step back and provide perspective on
how the chapter content connects to fundamental questions about the American
political system. The conclusions also reprise the important point made in the
personal profiles that begin each chapter that government matters to the lives
of individuals.
This Twelfth Edition is accompanied by InQuizitive, Nortons award-winning
formative, adaptive online quizzing program. The InQuizitive course for
We the People, Essentials Edition, guides students through questions organized
around the texts chapter learning objectives to ensure mastery of the core
information and to help with assessment. More information and a demonstration
are available at digital.wwnorton.com/wethepeople12ess.
We note with r egret the passing of Theodore Lowi as w ell as M argaret Weirs decision
to step do wn fr om the book. We miss them but continue to hear their v oices and to
benefit from their wisdom in the pages of our book. We also continue to hope that our
book will itself be accepted as a form of enlightened political action. This Twelfth Edition
is another chance. It is an advancement toward our goal. We promise to keep trying.
P R E FA C E
wtp12e_ess_ptr_ch00_fm_i-1.indd 22 11/29/18 11:38 AM
xxiii
We ar e especially pleased to ackno wledge the many colleagues who had a dir ect and
active role in criticism and preparation of the manuscript. Our thanks go to:
First Edition Reviewers
Sarah Binder, Brookings Institution
Kathleen Gille, Office of Representative David
Bonior
Rodney Hero, University of Colorado
at Boulder
Robert Katzmann, Brookings Institution
Kathleen Knight, University of Houston
Robin Kolodny, Temple University
Nancy Kral, Tomball College
Robert C. Lieberman, Columbia University
David A. Marcum, University of Wyoming
Laura R. Winsky Mattei, State University
of New York at Buffalo
Marilyn S. Mertens, Midwestern State
University
Barbara Suhay, Henry Ford Community
College
Carolyn Wong, Stanford University
Julian Zelizer, State University of New York
at Albany
Second Edition Reviewers
Lydia Andrade, University of North Texas
John Coleman, University of Wisconsin
at Madison
Daphne Eastman, Odessa College
Otto Feinstein,
