1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
FIGURE 1.1 THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
The proposed “bridge to nowhere” is often held up as the most egregious example of wasteful government spending. Though the
bridge was not built (this is a digitized image), many critics of the project were outraged that Congress considered funding the bridge
in light of more pressing needs, such as rebuilding the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Two important government functions are to “provide for the common defense” and “insure domestic tranquility.” The military and local
police are two of the most obvious ways in which the government plays those roles.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
A lighthouse is a classic example of a public good—a service or product that could not be produced by private markets because once
the good is provided, anyone can benefi t from it without paying. Supplying public goods is one way that the government provides for
the public welfare.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
The idea that “politics is everywhere” is most evident when government policies infl uence highly personal decisions, such as thoseabout marriage, divorce, and abortion. Gay marriage has been controversial, and many states have passed laws and constitutionalamendments defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. In 2004 the city of San Francisco defi ed California’s ban onsame sex marriages, issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
While the price of gasoline is largely beyond government control, policies can have some impact on the price. A foreign policy that
Creates instability in oil-producing regions can cause gas prices to rise, while domestic policies encouraging more exploration and oil
production may stabilize oil and gas prices.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) became the new Speaker of the House in January 2007, after Democrats took control of the U.S. House of
Representatives for the fi rst time in twelve years. Having Democrats in charge of both the House and Senate made President Bush’s
last two years in offi ce much more diffi cult for him.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
The composition of the Supreme Court can have an important impact on the outcome of closely divided cases. This was certainly
true of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which the Court upheld after Samuel Alito replaced Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, shown here on the night of his solid reelection victory in 2006, cannot run for president
because he is not a natural born U.S. citizen. Such rules may restrict the range of political choices.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Public opinion on abortion is deeply divided. People who believe that “abortion kills” are not going to be swayed by arguments to
“keep your laws off my body,” and vice versa. Consequently, some issues such as abortion are not very amenable to political
compromise.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
The importance of cultural values in politics shows in the infl uence of Americans with strong religious beliefs. Former Senate
Majority
Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), appeared via teleconference at a Christian rally called Justice Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky, urging
churchgoers to support President Bush in his fi ght with congressional Democrats over judicial nominees.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Civil and voting rights policies contributed to the realignment of the South in the second half of the twentieth century, as more whitesbegan supporting the Republican Party, and the Democratic Party came to be seen as the champion of minority rights. Here, AfricanAmerican voters head to the polls in South Carolina after a Supreme Court ruling determined they had previously been illegallydeprived of the right to vote.
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Debate continues between the advocates of the American cultural “melting pot” and those favoring a multicultural perspective on
ethnic heritage. Should our diverse cultures be assimilated into a single, uniquely American identity? Does our diversity make us
stronger, or do our differences push us apart?
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
FIGURE 1.2 PURPLE AMERICA: THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
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