American Politics and Society

DAVID McKAY is Professor of Government at the University of Essex. He is the author of numerous books and articles on American and comparative politics, including Designing Europe: Comparative Lessons from the Federal Experience (2001), which won the Political Studies Association W. J. M. MacKenzie prize, 2001. He is also co-author of The New British Politics (2007).

List of Plates xiv List of Figures xvii List of Tables xx Preface to the Eighth Edition xxii 1 Government and the People in a Polarized Society 1 2 Beliefs, Values and American Society 6 3 Constitutional Government 41 4 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations 63 5 American Political Parties and the Politics of Polarization 86 6 Elections and Political Participation 111 7 The Media and American Politics 146 8 Congress I: The People s Branch? 160 9 Congress II: Functions and Powers The Broken Branch? 183 10 The Presidency I: Powers and Selection 212 11 The Presidency II: The President as Chief Executive 232 12 Bureaucratic Power: Federal Departments and Agencies 256 13 The Security State 278 14 Organized Interests: The Real Power? 291 15 The Supreme Court and Judicial Politics 315 16 Regulating Morality: Civil Rights, Liberties and the Conscience Issues 345 17 Social Policy in America: Self-Reliance and State Dependence 364 18 Managing Economic Change 377 19 Environmental Politics 397 20 The American World Role 411 21 The American Political System in an Uncertain World 425 Websites 433 Glossary 437 Appendix: The Constitution of the United States 449 Index 469