I. THE SETTING OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. 1. Constitutional Government. Constitutional Democracy: The Rule of Law. John Locke, Second Treatise, Of Civil Government. Framing the Constitution: Elitist or Democratic Process? John P. Roche, The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action. Charles A. Beard, Framing the Constitution. Limitation of Governmental Power and of Majority Rule. James Madison, Federalist 47, 48, 51. Interpreting the Constitution. Laurence H. Tribe and Michael C. Dorf, How Not to Read the Constitution. 2. Federalism. Constitutional Background: National Versus State Power. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 16, 17. James Madison, Federalist 39. James Bryce, The Merits of the Federal System. The Supremacy of National Law. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). National Power over the States: A Recurring Constitutional Debate. United States vs. Lopez. A Perspective on Federalism: Present and Future. Morton Grodzins, The Federal System. 3. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. The Nationalization of the Bill of Rights. Gideon v.Wainwright (1963). Freedom of Speech and Press. John Stuart Mill, Liberty of Thought and Discussion. Freedom of Expression: Regulating the Internet. Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union. Equal Protection of the Laws: School Desegregation. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954). The Judicial Sources of Major Political Controversies Over Civil Liberties and Rights. The establishment Clause and the Issue of School Prayer. Engel v. Vitale (1962). The Free Exercise of Religion. City of Boerne v. Flores. The Right to Abortion. Roe v. Wade (1973). Affirmative Action. Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena. Equal Protection, Voting Rights, and Racial Gerrymandering. Shaw v. Reno. Abrams v. Johnson. II. POLITICAL PARTIES, ELECTORAL BEHAVIOR, AND INTEREST GROUPS. 4. Political Parties and the Electorate. Constitutional Background. James Madison, Federalist 10. E.E. Schattschneider, Party Government. The Party Model of Government. Toward a More Responsible Two-Party System. Martin P. Wattenberg, Perspectives on American Political Parties. Political Parties in Divided Government. David R. Mayhew, Divided We Govern. Functions and Types of Elections. V.O. Key, Jr., A Theory of Critical Elections. Party Decline and Electoral Decay. Benjamin Ginsberg and Martin Shefter, Politics By Other Means. Voting Behavior: Rational or Irrational? Bernard R. Berelson, Paul F. Lazarsfeld, and William N. McPhee, Democratic Practice and Democratic Theory. Political Campaigns and the Electorate. V.O. Key, Jr., The Responsible Electorate. 5. Interest Groups. The Nature and Functions of Interest Groups. David B. Truman, The Governmental Process. Theodore J. Lowi, The End of Liberalism: The Indictment. V.O. Key, Jr., Pressure Groups. Pressure Group Politics. Waltar Isaacson, Running with the PACs. Money, PACs, and Elections. Larry J. Sabato, The Misplaced Obsession with PACs. Regulating Political Campaigns. Buckley v. Valeo. Larry J. Sabato and Glenn R. Simpson, Campaign Finance Reform. 3. NATIONAL GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS. 6. The Presidency. Constitutional Background: Single versus Plural Executive. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 7. The Nature of the Presidency: Power and Persuasion. Clinton Rossiter, The Presidency, - Focus of Leadership. Richard E. Neustadt, Presidential Power. Presidential Politics. Presidential Character and Style. James David Barber, The Presidential Character. The President and the Media. George E. Reedy, The Press and the President. Presidential Power in Foreign and Domestic Affairs. Aaron Wildavsky, The Two Presidencies. Presidential Leadership and Political Parties. Sidney M. Milkis, The Presidency and Political Parties. Presidential Politics and Responsibility. Richard J. Ellis, Presidential Lightning Rods: The Politics of Blame Avoidance. 7. The Bureaucracy. Constitutional Background. Peter Woll, Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power. The Political Roots and Consequences of Bureaucracy. James Q. Wilson, The Rise of the Bureaucratic State. 8. Congress. Constitutional Background: Representation of Popular, Group, and National Interests. James Madison, Federalist 53, 56, 57, 58, 62, 63. Congress and the Washington Political Establishment. Committee Chairmen as Political Entrepreneurs. Lawrence C. Dodd, Congress and the Quest for Power. Congress and the Electoral Connection. Edmund Burke, Speech to the Electors of Bristol. Richard F. Fenno, Jr., If, as Ralph Nader Says, Congress is "The Broken Branch," How Come We Love Our Congressmen So Much? Nelson W. Polsby, Congress-Bashing for Beginners. David Mayhew, Congress: The Electoral Connection. Future Congressional Politics. Walter J. Oleszek, The New Era of Congressional Policy Making. 9. The Judiciary. Constitutional Background: Judicial Independence and Judicial Review. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 78. Marbury v. Madison (1803). Powers and Limitations of the Supreme Court. John P. Roche, Judicial Self-Restraint. Judicial Decision Making. William J. Brennan, Jr., How the Supreme Court Arrives at Decisions. Interpreting the Constitution. The Contemporary Debate over Constitutional Interpretation. Justice Sandra Day O''Connor, Constitutional Liberty and the Right to Abortion. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, Liberty, Privacy, and the Right to Abortion. Justice Antonin Scalia, Liberty and Abortion: A Strict Constructionist''s View. Appendix 1: The Declaration of Independence. Appendix 2: The Constitution of the United States.