Global Politics: Changing Attitudes Toward World Affairs
The relationship between the United States and the world community, as important as it has been at times in our history, may not be considered as much of a priority today as it was during World War II and the Cold War. Although opinion is divided, t...
Party Politics: Politician-Centered Politics
Despite partisan support, political parties are relatively weak in the United States. They still recruit candidates, raise money, and develop policy positions, but they do not control these activities as they once did. Candidates can bypass their pa...
Leader for a Nation: High Crimes and Misdemeanors
At times Congress has taken steps to curb misuse of power through its Constitutional power to impeach and remove a president from office. President Nixon may have been guilty of major offenses in relation to the Watergate break in and cover-up but h...
Party Politics: Ideological Differences Between Republicans and Democrats
There are distinct ideological differences between Republicans and Democrats. In recent years the Republicans have become more coherent in their conservatism, whereas Democrats debate about whether or not the party should be more moderate. Democrats...
Voices of the People: Commitment to Civic Duty
Why do some people feel a commitment to civic duty while others are either apathetic or hostile toward the system? In the mid-20th century the public was more optimistic regarding government and politics. As a result of the Vietnam War and Watergate...
Candidates and Campaigns: Paths to Political Office
There are two paths to public office, coming up through the party ranks or becoming an entrepreneur and raising campaign funds yourself. One of the most important assets in electoral politics is positive name recognition. This may come from a family...
Candidates and Campaigns: Contrast Between Early Congressmen and Today's Legislators
We need politicians; it is the way our democracy works. At the beginning of the republic people went to Congress with the idea of serving one term and then going home. This self-imposed term limit may seem admirable, but it did not allow people the ...
Frames of Reference: Delicate Balance: The Influence of Public Opinion on Political Decision-making, A
To what extent should public opinion influence political decisions? Experts point out that citizens elect representatives to assess the complexities and make decisions regarding a myriad of issues. They are expected to be responsive to the electorat...
The First Branch: Incumbency Advantage, The
Incumbency not only gives a candidate name recognition and the perks that come with the office, but the support provided by their political party. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez talks about her uphill battle against a well-entrenched incumbent candid...
The Fourth Estate: Winning the News Game
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, reporters and cameras converge on late-breaking news events with one thought in mind: winning the news game. In the 1950s and 1960s, most people's access to political information came from three television...