US Politics Today

The third edition of US Politics Today provides a concise, up-to-date and accessible introduction to US government and politics. It offers a survey of core institutions such as the presidency, Congress and the US Supreme Court, assesses the electoral system and considers the part played by organized interests and political parties. The book includes coverage of the 2008 presidential election, the Obama administration's record in office, and the Republican gains in the 2010 mid-term elections. It incorporates the passage of landmark legislation such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as well as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the other measures adopted in the wake of the global economic crisis.


This third edition of US Politics Today also introduces some of the most important debates and arguments within American political science. These include theories of voting behavior, different approaches to presidential power, competing perspectives on the changing nature of the political parties, and contrasting representations of the lobbying process. At the same time, the book offers a basis for further study by considering methodological issues. It looks at the development of US political studies in Europe and examines the differences between the approaches adopted in Europe and those pursued in the United States itself.


This book is aimed at undergraduate and A-level students but it will also provide a helpful general introduction to US politics for the general reader.