1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS

FIGURE 1.1 THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE


The proposed “bridge to nowhere” is often held up as the most egregious example of wasteful government spending. Though the

bridge was not built (this is a digitized image), many critics of the project were outraged that Congress considered funding the bridge

in light of more pressing needs, such as rebuilding the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.


Two important government functions are to “provide for the common defense” and “insure domestic tranquility.” The military and local

police are two of the most obvious ways in which the government plays those roles.


A lighthouse is a classic example of a public good—a service or product that could not be produced by private markets because once

the good is provided, anyone can benefi t from it without paying. Supplying public goods is one way that the government provides for

the public welfare.


The idea that “politics is everywhere” is most evident when government policies infl uence highly personal decisions, such as thoseabout marriage, divorce, and abortion. Gay marriage has been controversial, and many states have passed laws and constitutionalamendments defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. In 2004 the city of San Francisco defi ed California’s ban onsame sex marriages, issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.


While the price of gasoline is largely beyond government control, policies can have some impact on the price. A foreign policy that

Creates instability in oil-producing regions can cause gas prices to rise, while domestic policies encouraging more exploration and oil

production may stabilize oil and gas prices.


Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) became the new Speaker of the House in January 2007, after Democrats took control of the U.S. House of

Representatives for the fi rst time in twelve years. Having Democrats in charge of both the House and Senate made President Bush’s

last two years in offi ce much more diffi cult for him.


The composition of the Supreme Court can have an important impact on the outcome of closely divided cases. This was certainly

true of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which the Court upheld after Samuel Alito replaced Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.


California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, shown here on the night of his solid reelection victory in 2006, cannot run for president

because he is not a natural born U.S. citizen. Such rules may restrict the range of political choices.


Public opinion on abortion is deeply divided. People who believe that “abortion kills” are not going to be swayed by arguments to

“keep your laws off my body,” and vice versa. Consequently, some issues such as abortion are not very amenable to political

compromise.


The importance of cultural values in politics shows in the infl uence of Americans with strong religious beliefs. Former Senate

Majority

Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), appeared via teleconference at a Christian rally called Justice Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky, urging

churchgoers to support President Bush in his fi ght with congressional Democrats over judicial nominees.


Civil and voting rights policies contributed to the realignment of the South in the second half of the twentieth century, as more whitesbegan supporting the Republican Party, and the Democratic Party came to be seen as the champion of minority rights. Here, AfricanAmerican voters head to the polls in South Carolina after a Supreme Court ruling determined they had previously been illegallydeprived of the right to vote.


Debate continues between the advocates of the American cultural “melting pot” and those favoring a multicultural perspective on

ethnic heritage. Should our diverse cultures be assimilated into a single, uniquely American identity? Does our diversity make us

stronger, or do our differences push us apart?


FIGURE 1.2 PURPLE AMERICA: THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION


1. UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS

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