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Politics in the USA M.J.C. Vile’s classic introductory text, Politics in the USA, has now been thor- oughly revised and updated to take account of the considerable developments in American politics over the last ten years. The book provides students with an essential background to the history and development of the American political system as well as an explana- tion of its key structures, processes and institutions. The book establishes a framework within which to understand the intricacies of politics in the world’s most powerful nation. This new edition provides students with: • a chapter on US foreign policy including the significant developments under Clinton and George W. Bush, including the Iraq War; • an analysis of Bush’s presidency and the rise of neoconservatism; • the discussion of controversial issues such as abortion, immigration, the death penalty, Hurricane Katrina, and Guantánamo Bay and civil rights; • suggestions for further reading and relevant websites for each chapter. This is the most up-to-date and readable textbook on American politics. As such, it will be of interest to all students of politics and international relations. M.J.C. Vile is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Kent. Politics in the USA Sixth edition M.J.C. Vile First published 1970 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2007. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © 2007 M.J.C. Vile All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Vile, M.J.C. Politics in the USA / by M.J.C. Vile – 6th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. United States – Politics and government. I. Title. JK271.V55 2007 320.973–dc22 2006025475 ISBN 0–203–43704–7 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 10: 0-415-41419-9 (hbk) ISBN 10: 0-415-41418-0 (pbk) ISBN 10: 0-203-43704-7 (ebk) ISBN 13: 978-0-415-41419-7 (hbk) ISBN 13: 978-0-415-41418-0 (pbk) ISBN 13: 978-0-203-43704-9 (ebk) For Nancy Contents List of illustrations ix 1 A government of limited powers 1 2 The nature of American politics 18 3 The two-party system 45 4 Politics and elections 74 5 Pressure politics 103 6 Congressional politics 120 7 Presidential politics 148 8 The media and politics 182 9 Politics and the administration 194 10 Politics and the judiciary 209 11 The making of American domestic policy 234 12 The making of American foreign policy 259 Postscript: American politics in the twenty-first century 282 Appendix 1 286 Appendix 2 303 Index 309 List of illustrations Figures 4.1 The electoral process 76 10.1 The judicial system of the USA 223 Maps 1.1 The progress of settlement 9 1.2 The establishment of the American states 12 2.1 The election of 1896 23 2.2 The election of 1960 25 2.3 The election of 2000 26 Tables 2.1 The 2004 presidential election 29 2.2 Percentage of votes cast for the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, 1936–2004 31 2.3 Voter turnout: presidential elections 38 A1 Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the United States 303 A2 Chief Justices of the United States Supreme Court 305 A3 Presidential elections: the Popular Vote and Electoral College votes, 1932–2004 306 A4 Composition of Congress, 1933–2005 307