In the mid-1900s, political parties kept their members active and involved in local pursuits much like unions. As the 20th century progressed it became more economical to engage in national, media-based advertising campaigns. Politics today is more ...
Who votes influences public policy and governmental action. When elected officials hear from some people and not others equal protection of interests is jeopardized. Politicians recognize that they will never attract some members of the electorate s...
Political participation, in all the ways it is practiced, is critical to the health of a nation. Despite grumblings about the political process and the disappointing performance of recent years, the right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy. A l...
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...
The use of the ballot initiative to enact laws was revived in 1978 by Proposition 13 in California, the successful property tax cap and rollback. Despite the control the initiative process appears to give citizens, people can only vote on one dimens...
The age of the voter is often an indication of voting behavior. One of the biggest changes in American politics in the last decades is the political activism of elderly Young voters are much less likely to vote than older people, certainly a change ...
The number of U. S. citizens who work for the betterment of their communities is comparable to or higher than most other democracies. This volunteer tradition in many ways is unique to American politics. Many feel that their community is a place whe...
The privilege of voting so basic to democratic government is a right that took many Americans centuries to achieve. During the early days of the country voting was generally restricted to white males. Even though the Civil War amendments gave black ...
The poor and minorities in the U.S., even some affluent members of the middle class feel alienated from the political system. Unlike other democracies, lower income people are dropping out of the electorate in the U. S. This not only affects the kin...
If you look at the long history of American engagement in the political process, the vast expansion of the franchise in the 20th century is ironically tied to a decline in political participation. Voter turnout in the U. S. is much lower than in oth...