Democracy requires conversations about how its practice can be
improved. This is an enduring theme in American politics, and demands
for change in how we conduct elections are highly salient today. The
crisis of the 2000 presidential election generated demands for changes
in election rules, but the response was muted. After 2000, several
states adopted photo ID laws, and other rules that made it more
difficult to vote. The 2010 Citizens United decision heralded in
deregulation of campaign finance. The Voting Rights Act was weakened
by The Court in 2013. More recently, the unprecedented presidential
election of 2016 generated accusations from the left and right that
Americaâs elections were âa rigged systemâ of caucuses,
conventions, and campaign finance desperately in need of reforms.
Changing How America Votes is an edited volume comprised of 15 short
substantive chapters on various specific reform topics that examine
how electoral democracy in the United States is working, and how it
might be improved. Editor Todd Donovan has written brief introductory
and concluding chapters, and very brief introductions to the following
three thematic sections that divide the readings accordingly: Voting
and Participation: Changing Who Votes; Electoral Rules and Systems:
Changing How We Vote; and Changing the Role of Parties and Money. In
order to facilitate student learning and assist instructorsâ ability
to use the book, this edited volume reads as a coherent text. The
contributors, many of whom are accomplished scholars, or who write
frequent blog posts and Op-Ed pieces, were asked to write as
accessibly as possible for an undergraduate audience, and address many
of the following topics: ⢠Why is this issue important? ⢠What
would a proposed reform look like? ⢠What are arguments in favor of
the proposal? ⢠Is there evidence it might make a difference, and
what difference would it make? ⢠Beyond the evidence, is it the
right thing to do? List of contributors: Joseph Anthony, Lonna Rae
Atkeson, Matt Barreto , Brian Brox, Barry C. Burden, Jason S. Byers,
Jamie L. Carson, Jason P. Casellas, Kellen Gracey, Wendy L. Hansen,
Ron Hayduk, Jordan Hsu, David C. Kimball, Vladimir Kogan, Martha
Kropf, Eric McGhee, Stephen NuĂąo, Drew Spencer Penrose, Rob Richie,
Gabriel Sanchez, Shane P. Singh, Caroline J. Tolbert, Hannah Walker,
Holly Whisman, and Kenicia Wright
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781442276086
Publisert
2017
Utgiver
Vendor
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
SprĂĽk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter