The 2016 and 2018 elections are over, but looking ahead to the 2019-2020 election cycle, the debate over the fairness and accuracy of our electoral process has never been more contentious. Hacking, fake news, a "rigged system," voter ID challenges, Super PACs, and an Electoral College defying the popular vote count all lead to a common question and concern: Is this any way to run a democratic election? New to the Seventh Edition: New data and timely illustrations from the 2016 and 2018 elections, looking ahead to 2020 election. The growing importance of social media (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter) and its impact, good and bad, on recent campaigns. Foreign interference in the 2016 and 2018 national elections. The integrity of campaign communications-hacking, rumoring, instantaneous news, and the effect of fact-checking. Money: the role of Super PACs and billionaire donors; the impact of campaign spending on the candidates and on election outcomes. New connections between the "Did you know that" chapter introductions to the exercises at the end. More online references in the suggested readings.

The 2016 and 2018 elections are over, but looking ahead to the 2019-2020 election cycle, the debate over the fairness and accuracy of our electoral process has never been more contentious. Hacking, fake news, a "rigged system," voter ID challenges, Super PACs, and an Electoral College defying the popular vote count all lead to a common question and concern: Is this any way to run a democratic election? New to the Seventh Edition: New data and timely illustrations from the 2016 and 2018 elections, looking ahead to 2020 election. The growing importance of social media (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter) and its impact, good and bad, on recent campaigns. Foreign interference in the 2016 and 2018 national elections. The integrity of campaign communications-hacking, rumoring, instantaneous news, and the effect of fact-checking. Money: the role of Super PACs and billionaire donors; the impact of campaign spending on the candidates and on election outcomes. New connections between the "Did you know that" chapter introductions to the exercises at the end. More online references in the suggested readings.

If voters are to make intelligent judgments, they need information about the qualities of the candidates, the policies they propose, and the partisan labels they wear. Does our presidential electoral system encourage the most qualified candidates to run? Does it force them to discuss the most important issues, present feasible policy solutions, and talk candidly with the American people? Will the election results accurately reflect the opinions, interests, and needs of the population as a whole? This book addresses these questions in a straight-forward, jargon-free manner. It will provide you with a background on presidential elections and a guide to the 2020 election. The book contains case studies of campaign strategies, descriptive boxes on contemporary election issues, and easy to read tables and figures. In doing so, it illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of electoral democracy in the U.S.in general and presidential elections in particular. You'll also get insights on changes that have revolutionized contemporary electoral politics in the 21st. century: the flood of money, the ideological polarization of American parties, the digital revolution, foreign interference, and issues relating to the eligibility of voters, the conduct of elections, and the integrity of the voting process itself.

Voters need information about the qualities of candidates, the policies they propose and the partisan labels they wear. Does our Electoral College encourage the most qualified candidates to run? Does it force them to talk candidly with the American people? Will election results accurately reflect the needs of the population as a whole? Wayne's THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE 2020 answers these questions in a straightforward, jargon-free manner. Equipping you with a background on presidential elections and a guide to the 2020 election, it illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of our electoral democracy. It also offers insights on changes that have revolutionized contemporary electoral politics: the flood of money, the ideological polarization of American parties, the digital revolution, foreign interference, voter eligibility, the integrity of the voting process itself and much more.

CONFLICT AND CONSENSUS IN AMERICAN POLITICS uses its titled theme to underscore both the theory of American Politics as well as real life application of theory. The book's organizational framework, as well as features in each chapter, makes these connections clear to students of American Government and offer, therefore, an accurate and positive view of how and why politics and government in the U.S. work. Throughout this text, the topics of American Politics are viewed through the lens of theory and practice with the prism of conflict and consensus shading the discussions of policy issues and political consequences. Rich with pedagogy, and supported by an unsurpassed ancillary package for both instructor and student, CONFLICT AND CONSENSUS IN AMERICAN POLITICS offers a realistic introduction to politics by authors who bring distinctive expertise to bear on each topic.