The logic of american politics 6th edition summary

While policymaking in our decentralized political system is not easy and indeed is frequently combative, talented and effective leaders can uncover ways to move government in their desired direction using strategic, collective action logic that relies on an understanding of the policy dynamics at play and the mechanisms of U.

Any legislation will have policy winners and losers when societal goals are at odds with individually rational actions. Understanding collective action logic can help us identify when a policy problem is heading for a successful solution or when a proposal is likely to fail.

Through a series of in-depth examples, this chapter illustrates the principles of institutional design at work in U. These cases demonstrate the trade-offs between solving an old problem and creating a new one, as well as the strategic dilemmas faced by political actors who care both about reforming the political process and about advancing their own policy goals and political careers.

They help us see how policy ideas are worth considering, debating, and sometimes putting into practice. Civil Liberties as Public Policy. Congress in the Constitution. Congress and Electoral Politics. Who Serves in Congress? Basic Problems of Legislative Organization. Organizing Congress. Making Laws. Evaluating Congress.

The Historical Presidency. The Modern Presidency. The President as Chief Executive. The President as Legislator. Going Public. The Institutional Presidency. The Development of the Federal Bureaucracy. An Expanding Government. Bureaucracy in Action. Who Controls the Bureaucracy? Bureaucratic Reform: A Hardy Perennial. Setting the Stage for Judicial Review. The Structure of the Federal Judiciary. Judicial Decision-Making. What Is Public Opinion? Measuring Public Opinion.

The Origins of Public Opinion. Is Public Opinion Meaningful? The Content of Public Opinion. Effects of Background on Public Opinion. The Logic of Elections. The Slow Expansion of the Right to Vote. Who Uses the Right to Vote? Campaign Money. The Logic of Elections Revisited. Development and Evolution of the Party Systems.

Expediency Persists. The Logic of Lobbying. Contemporary Interest Groups. What Do Interest Groups Do? Interest Groups and Elections.

Interest Group Politics: Controversial and Thriving. Development of the News Business. Demand for and Effects of News. Politician—Press Relations Then and Now. Free Riding and Health Care. The Logic of a Government Shutdown. Supplements Instructor Resource Site edge. Student Resource Site edge. Key features. Up-to-date election coverage and analysis —particularly in the chapters on Congress, the presidency, and political parties—provides students with an up-to-date understanding of the results of the elections.

Updated coverage of the following topics has been added : the COVID pandemic and its effects on federalism, the economy, the elections, and educational inequalities; mass protests following killing of George Floyd and its connection to other protest movements; environmental policies and issues; and detailed analysis of the impeachment of President Trump. An increased emphasis on the collective action framework strengthens the authors approach of helping students to better understand the material.

Strategy and Choice boxes show how officeholders and those seeking to influence them employ institutions to advance their goals. The concluding chapter on policymaking examines the noticeable logic that guides American policy. Students glean insights into the sources of policy problems, identify possible solutions, and realize why agreement on those solutions is often so hard to achieve. Vantage Reference:. For instructors.