From the Publisher Famous, highly-respected author, Morris Fiorina, continues to helm this book. His acclaim, exposure, and influence – bolstered by the success of his other Longman text, Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America – help to make this book one of the most prestigious American government books available. Elegant, two-color design underscores the prestige of the title, avoids clutter or “pandering” to students, and offers a look and feel that is appealing to faculty who know and admire Fiorina and Peterson’s work. Chapter-opening vignettes introduce the subject matter with high-interest issues such as Hurricane Katrina (Chapter 3) and the role of race and gender in the 2008 campaign. “Making the Connection” features follow each vignette, relating its themes to the chapter content and preparing students for the material to follow.“Election Voices.” Fifteen essays presenting opposing viewpoints on controversial political topics – supplemented with critical thinking questions to encourage students to formulate their own opinions – constitute a “debate style reader built into the text for free. “International Comparison.” These boxes compare elements of American Government with similar elements in other countries, putting the U.S. system in global context and giving students a better understanding of its strengths and limitations. “Election Connection.” Illustrating the book’s focus on electoral forces, these features describe the relationship between elections and institutions or policies using real-life examples such as the Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court. Marginal definitions are provided for key terms that are boldfaced in the text and included in the end-of-book Glossary. On the Web sections at the end of each chapter direct readers to Web sites where they can find more information on the topics discussed. Chapter Summ
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