Uses game analogies to illustrate the political process, including the strategies, rules, players and outcomes which affect the process.

This unique text uses game analogies to illustrate the political process, including the strategies, rules, players and outcomes which affect the process.

1 The Game of American Politics
2 The American Constitution: Establishing the Rules of the Game
3 Federalism: The Game of Politics at Multiple Levels
4 American Political Economic Culture: The Contexts of the Political Field
5 Civil Rights and Liberties: Protecting the Players and Non-Players
6 Public Opinion: Establishing the Players' Perspective
7 The Media: The Player-Observers
8 Political Participation: Who Plays the Game?
9 Political Parties: Organizing Players Around Broad Themes
10 Interest Groups: Organizing the Players Around Narrow Groups
11 Campaigns and Elections: Determining the Individual Winners and Losers
12 Congress: The Election and Survival Games
13 Congress: The Policy and Power Games
14 Choosing the President and Organizing the Presidency
15 The Presidency: Playing the Policy Game
16 The Federal Bureaucracy: The Administrative Players
17 The Judiciary: An Arena for Resolving Legal Disputes
18 State and Local Government: The Other Playing Fields
19 Public Policy and Domestic Affairs: Policy Making and Implementation
20 American Politics in an Interdependent World
21 The Game Goes On: The Future of American Politics in a Technological Age
Appendix A The Declaration of Independence
Appendix B Articles of Confederation
Appendix C The Constitution of the United States
Appendix D Federalist No. 10
Appendix E Federalist No. 51
Glossary
Credits
Index