In this course, we examine American politics from the perspective of political scientists. This is not a course on current events; rather, we discuss major questions about institutional and behavioral aspects of the U.S. system, evaluating competing theoretical claims using empirical evidence.

The title of this course suggests two, sometimes competing, normative goals that a democracy might try to achieve: liberty and equality. Explicit debates about these ideals have shaped discussions about politics in this country at least since independence. Modern discussions about these and other normative goals too often end with claims that "democracy" is the "best" system. Such claims avoid a variety of more difficult (and more interesting) questions: What kinds of institutions are most likely to translate public opinion into public policy? Are there some types of institutions (Courts? Bureaucracies?) that should be more isolated from public opinion than others? Is there such a thing as a unified "public opinion"? Should extra-governmental organizations such as political parties, interest groups, and the media be accorded influence on governmental decision-making? How much influence? Political scientists attempt to shed light on such questions by examining the ways that institutions and individual behavior function (and have functioned) in practice.

There will be two 5-page papers during the term (25% each, topics will be distributed) and one final exam (30%). Students may rewrite the first paper to elevate their grade (I will average the two grades). We will talk about my expectations for papers in a later class period. In general, fine papers make good use of the course materials, contain a coherent and original argument, and are written in flawless prose. I will grant no extensions except under extraordinary circumstances beyond a student’s control. Late papers fall a third of a grade (i.e. from B+ to B) for each day (or portion thereof) that they are late.

The following books are available for purchase at the bookstore:

• Morris Fiorina & Paul E. Peterson, The New American Democracy, Alternate 2^nd Edition, (New York: Longman, 2001).
• Peter Woll, American Government: Readings and Cases, 14^th Edition, (New York: Longman, 2001).
• Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann, Eds. The Permanent Campaign and Its Future, (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2000).
• Steven Waldman, The Bill: How Legislation Really Becomes Law, (New York: Penguin, 1996).

Other readings (Marked RR on syllabus) are available on reserve at Gould Library.

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 1
• Woll pp. 454-457. Declaration of Independence

• Woll pp. 458-477. Constitution of the United States
• Woll pp. 10-30. Roche, "The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action"
• Woll pp. 31-40. Beard, "Framing the Constitution"

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 2
• Woll, pp. 171-176. Federalist 10
• Woll, pp. 41-44. Federalist 47, 48, 51

• Samuel P. Huntington, American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), Chapter 2. (RR)
• Sven Steinmo, "American Exceptionalism Reconsidered: Culture or Institutions?" in Lawrence Dodd & Calvin Jillson, eds. The Dynamics of American Politics, (Boulder: Westview Press, 1994) (RR)
• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 4 (recommended)

• Woll, p. 418-422. Federalist 78
• Woll, p. 423-426. Marbury v. Madison
• William Brennan, "The Constitution of the United States: Contemporary Ratification" in David M. O’Brien, Judges On Judging: Views From the Bench, (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House, 1997) pp. 200-210. (RR)

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 15
• Woll, p. 445-453. O’Connor, Rehnquist, Scalia: Excerpts from Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992)

Federalism

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 3
• Woll, p. 55-61. Federalist 39
• Woll, p. 72-76. United States v. Morrison

• Woll, p. 78-81. Grodzins, "The Federal System"
• Paul E. Peterson, "The Interests of the Limited City" in Dennis Judd & Paul Kantor, Eds. Enduring Tensions in Urban Politics, (New York: MacMillan, 1992) pp. 21-32. (RR)

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 16 (skim)
• Schenck v. U.S. (1919) (Handout)
• Woll pp. 109-116. Dambrot v. Central Michigan University

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 17 (skim)
• Woll, pp. 125-127. Brown v. Board of Education I
• Woll, pp. 128-130. Brown v. Board of Education II

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 5
• Woll, pp. 215-222. Berelson, Lazarsfeld, McPhee, "Democratic Practice and Democratic Theory"
• Popkin, Samuel, The Reasoning Voter (1991), pp. 1-17 (RR)

• Benjamin Page and Robert Shapiro, "The Rational Public and Democracy," in George Marcus and Russell Hanson (eds.), Reconsidering the Democratic Public (University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1993). (RR)
• Ornstein and Mann, Ch. 3. Bowman, "Polling to Campaign and Govern."

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 6

[Monday, February 4 – MID-TERM BREAK]

• Rosenstone & Hanson, Mobilization, Participation, and Democracy in America, Ch. 6 (RR)

• Derek Bok, The Trouble With Government, (2001) Ch. 16 (RR)

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 7
• Re-read Federalist 10 (from January 9)
• Woll, pp. 241-246. Truman, "The Governmental Process."
• Woll, pp. 247-249. Lowi, "The End of Liberalism."

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch 8
• Woll, pp. 197-206. Key, "A Theory of Critical Elections."
• Woll, pp. 183-186. "Toward a More Responsible Two-Party System."

• Edward Carmines & James A. Stimson, Issue Evolution, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989), Chapter 1. (RR)

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 9
• Ornstein & Mann, Ch. 2, Hess, "The Press and the Permanent Campaign"

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 10, 13 (skim)
• Bruce Buchanan, "The Presidency and the Nominating Process," in Michael Nelson, ed. The Presidency and the Political System, 5^th Ed. (Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press, 1998), pp. 251-274. (RR)

• Woll, pp. 284-287. Neustadt, "Presidential Power."
• Woll, pp. 312-318. Wildavsky, "The Two Presidencies."
• Ornstein & Mann, Ch. 5, Tenpas, "The American Presidency: Surviving and Thriving Amidst the Permanent Campaign."

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 11 (skim), 12
• Woll, pp. 398-402, Mayhew, "Congress: The Electoral Connection"
• Woll, pp. 403-407, Fenno, "Home Style and Washington Career."

• Woll, pp. 384-390. Fenno, "If, As Ralph Nader Says, …"
• Ornstein & Mann, Ch 6, Brady & Fiorina, "Congress in the Era of the Permanent Campaign."

• Fiorina & Peterson, Ch. 14
• Francis E. Rourke, "Bureaucracy in the American Constitutional Order," Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 102, No. 2 (Summer 1987), 217-232. (RR) (Also available via the library’s JSTOR database.)

• Waldman, Preface, Ch 1-5
• Woll, pp. 302-304. Edwards, "Campaigning is not Governing"

• Waldman, Ch 6-9

• Waldman, Ch 10-13
• Woll, pp. 362-372, Dodd, "Congress and the Quest for Power"

• Waldman, Ch. 14-15, Epilogue

• Ornstein & Mann, Ch. 1, Heclo "Campaigning and Governing: A Conspectus"
• Ornstein & Mann, Ch 9, Ornstein & Mann, "Conclusion"