Updated annually, this best-selling, debate-style reader examines the most timely, important, and provocative issues in American politics. You Decide! Current Debates in American Politics, 7th edition draws students into the key topics that have made headlines and affected our political system during 2009 and will continue to affect our daily lives in 2010.
Designed to get students engaged and thinking about our political system, the topics featured in You Decide! have been selected for their currency, importance, and interest. The pieces, arguing various sides of a given political issue, come from recent journals, congressional hearings, think tanks, and periodicals.
Table of Contents:
1. CONSTITUTON
DECIDING ON THE CONSTITUTION’S MEANING: RELY ON THE ORIGNAL AUTHORS OR INTERPRET IN LIGHT OF MODERN CIRCUMSTANCES : Deciding the Constitution’s Meaning: Rely on the Original Authors Advocate: Keith E. Whittington, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Princeton University.
Deciding the Meaning of The Constitution: Interpret in Light of Modern Circumstances Advocate: Erwin Chemerinsky, Alston & Bird Professor of Law and Political Science, Duke University
2. FEDERALISM
ENACTING A FEDERAL HATE CRIMES LAW:
UNWISE AND OVER-FEDERALIZATION OF LAW OR JUST AND APPROPRIATE?
Enacting a Federal Hate Crimes Law: Unwise, And Over-Federalization Of Law
Advocate: Brian W. Walsh, Senior Legal Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
Enacting a Federal Hate Crimes Law: Just and Appropriate
Advocate: Eric H. Holder, Jr., U.S. Attorney General
3. CIVIL LIBERTIES
THE PHRASE “UNDER GOD” IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE:
VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT OR ACCEPTABLE TRADITIONAL EXPRESSION
The Phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance: Violation of the First Amendment
Advocate: Douglas Laycock, Professor, School of Law, University of Texas; and Counsel of Record for 32 Christian and Jewish clergy filing an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court in Elk Gove School District v. Newdow
The Phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance: Acceptable Traditional Expression
Advocate: Jay Alan Sekulow, Chief Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice; and Counsel of Record for 76 members of Congress and the Committee to Protect the Pledge filing an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court in Elk Gove School District v. Newdow
4. CIVIL RIGHTS
Reparations for African Americans:
Overdue Justice or Illogical and Unconstitutional?
Reparations for African Americans: Overdue Justice
Advocate: Kibibi Tyehimba, Co-Chair, National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America
Reparations for African Americans: Illogical and Unconstitutional
Advocate: Roger Clegg, President And General Counsel, Center For Equal Opportunity
5. AMERICAN PEOPLE/POLITICAL CULTURE
THE CULTURAL ASSIMILATION OF IMMIGRANTS:
THE MELTING POT IS BROKEN OR BLENDING SATISFACTORILY?
The Cultural Assimilation Of Immigrants: The Melting Pot Is Broken
Advocate: John Fonte, Director, Center for American Common Culture, Hudson Institute
The Cultural Assimilation Of Immigrants: Blending Satisfactorily
Advocate: Gary Gerstle, James Stahlman Professor of History, Department of History, Vanderbilt University
6. PARTICIPATION
ALLOWING NONCITIZENS TO VOTE: EXPANDING DEMOCRACYOR UNDERMINING CITIZENSHIP? Allowing Noncitizens To Vote: Expanding Democracy Advocate: Ron Hayduk, Associate Professor of Political Science, Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY
Allowing Noncitizens To Vote: Undermining Citizenship
Advocate: Stanley Renshon, Professor of political science, City University of New York Graduate Center
7. MEDIA
THE FUTURE OF QUALITY JOURNALISM:
IMPERILED OR SECURE?
The Future of Quality Journalism: Imperiled
Advocate: David Simon, creator and executive producer of the HBO television series The Wire
The Future of Quality Journalism: Secure
Advocate: Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post
8. INTEREST GROUPS
THE OIL INDUSTRY AND ENERGY PRICES:
PROFITEERING OR RESPONDING TO MARKET FORCES?
The Oil Industry and Energy Prices: Profiteering
Advocates: Tyson Slocum, Director, Public Citizen’s Energy Program
The Oil Industry and Energy Prices: Responding to Market Forces
Advocate: John Felmy, Chief Economist, American Petroleum Institute
9. POLITICAL PARTIES
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE OF PARTY POLITICS:
DOMINANT DEMOCRATS OR RESURGENT REPUBLICANS?
The Foreseeable Future Of Party Politics: Dominant Democrats
Advocates: David W. Brady, Professor of political science,; Douglas Rivers, Professor of political science; and Laurel Harbridge, graduate student in political science, all at Stanford University
The Foreseeable Future Of Party Politics: Resurgent Republicans
Advocate: Jay Cost, political analyst and blogger, Real Clear Politics
10. VOTING/CAMPAIGNS/ELECTIONS
ELECTING THE PRESIDENT ADOPT THE NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE PLAN OR PRESERVE ECECTORAL COLLEGE?
Electing The President: Adopt the National Popular Vote Plan
Advocate: National Popular Vote, an advocacy organization.
Electing The President: Preserve the Electoral College
Advocate: John Samples, Director, Center for Representative Government, Cato Institute.
11. CONGRESS
CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS: PROMOTING CHOICE OR RESTRICTING CHOICE? Congressional Term Limits: Promoting Choice Advocate: Paul Jacob, Executive Director, U.S. Term Limits
Congressional Term Limits: Restricting Choice Advocate: John R. Hibbing, Professor of Political Science, University of Nebraska
12. PRESIDENCY
THE WAR POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT:
CURB OR LEAVE AS IS?
The War Powers of the President: Curb
Advocate: Jules Lobel, Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh
The War Powers of the President: Leave As Is
Advocate: Stephen G. Rademaker, Senior Counsel, BGR Holding and former Associate White House Counsel to President George H.W. Bush
13. BUREAUCRACY
POLICY POSITIONS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES:
REFLECT THE PRESIDENT’S POSITION OR BE DETERMINED INDEPENDENTLY?
Policy Positions of Federal Agencies: Reflect The President’s Position
Advocate: James L. Gattuso, Senior Research Fellow in Regulatory Policy, Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, the Heritage Foundation
Policy Positions of Federal Agencies: Be Determined Interdependently
Advocate: Peter L. Strauss, Betts Professor of Law. Columbia University Law School
14. JUDICIARY
THE BASIS OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR’S VIEWS ON THE SUPREME COURT:
FIDELITY TO THE LAW OR IDENTIFY POLITICS?
The Basis of Sonia Sotomayor’s Views on the Supreme Court: Fidelity to the Law
Advocate: Patrick Leahy, United States Senator from Vermont (D)
The Basis OF Sonia Sotomayor’s Views on the Supreme Court: Identity Politics
Advocate:Linda Chavez, and I am chairman and founder of the Center for Equal OpportunityJonathan H. Adler,.
15. STATEAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ALLOWING STATES TO COLLECT SALES TAXES ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD OR A THREAT TO ELECTRONIC COMMERCE?
Allowing States To Collect Sales Taxes On Interstate Commerce: Leveling The Playing Field
Advocate: Steven Rauschenberger, Past President, National Conference of State Legislatures
Allowing States To Collect Sales Taxes On Interstate Commerce: A Threat To Electronic Commerce
Advocate: George S. Isaacson, Tax Counsel for the Direct Marketing Association
16. CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY
THE DEATH PENALTY: FATALLY FLAWED OR DEFENSIBLE? The Death Penalty: Fatally Flawed
Advocate: Stephen B. Bright. Director, Southern Center for Human Rights, Atlanta, Georgia; Visiting Lecturer in Law, Harvard and Yale Law Schools
The Death Penalty: Defensible Advocate: John McAdams, Professor of Political Science, Marquette University
17. EDUCATION POLICY
ASSIGNING STUDENTS TO SCHOOLS BASED ON RACE:
JUSTIFIED OR UNACCEPTABLE?
Assigning Students to Schools Based on Race: Justified
Advocate: National Education Association, et al.
Assigning Students to Schools Based on Race: Unacceptable
Advocate: Asian American Legal Foundation
18. ANTITERRORISM POLICY
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ANTI-TERRORISM POLICY:
ENDANGERING AMERICA OR PROTECTING AMERICAN LIVES AND PRINCIPLES?
President Obama’s Anti-Terrorism Policy: Endangering America
Advocate: Richard B. Cheney, former Vice President of the United States
President Obama’s Anti-Terrorism Policy: Protecting American Lives and Principles
Advocate: Barack Obama, President of the United States
EXTENDED TABLE OF CONTENTS:
WEB ISSUES The following topics are available on the Web at:
http://www.ablongman.com/YouDecide/
19 HEALTH CARE POLICY
A SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM OF HEALTH CARE:
PREFERRED PRESCRIPTION OR UNACCEPTABLE SIDE EFFECTS
A Single Payer System of Health Care Reform: Preferred Prescription
Advocate: Marcia Angell, M.D., Senior Lecturer in Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
A Single Payer System of Health Care Reform: Unacceptable Side Effects
Advocate: David Gratzer, MD, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
20 ENERGY POLICY
INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF NUCLEAR POWER
SENSIBLE SOLUTION OR UNNECESSARY DANGER?
Increase the Supply of Nuclear Power: Sensible Solution
Advocate: Alex Flint, Senior Vice President, Governmental Affairs, Nuclear Energy Institute
Increase the Supply of Nuclear Power: Unnecessary Danger
Advocate: Sharon A. Squassoni Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
21. BUDGETARY POLICY
A LINE-ITEM VETO FOR THE PRESIDENT:
PRUDENT WAY TO RESTRAIN SPENDING OR UNWISE GRANT OF POWER?
A Line-Item Veto for the President: Prudent Way to Restrain Spending
Advocate: Paul Ryan, U.S. Representative (R-WI)
A Line-Item Veto for the President:Unwise Grant of Power?
Advocate: Cristina Martin Firvida, Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center
22. SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY POVERTY IN AMERICA: BAD AND GETTING WORSE OR NOT BAD AND GETTING BETTER? Poverty in America: Getting Worse Advocate: John Podesta, President, Center for American Progress
Poverty in America: Getting Better
Advocate: Robert Rector, Senior Policy Analyst, The Heritage Foundation
23. GAY RIGHTS POLICY
AMENDING THE CONSTITUION TO BAR GAY MARRIAGE:
NECESSARY AND PROPER OR UNNECESSARY AND IMPROPER?
Amending the Constitution to Bar Gay Marriage: Necessary and Proper
Advocate: Christopher Wolfe, Professor, Department of Political Science, Marquette University
Amending the Constitution to Bar Gay Marriage: Unnecessary and Improper
Advocate: Sheila Jackson-Lee, U.S. Representative (D-TX)
24. WOMEN’S RIGHTS POLICY
ACHIEVING GENDER PAY EQUITY:
TOUGHER LAWS NEEDED OR CURRENT LAW SATISFACTORY?
Achieving Gender Pay Equity: Tougher Laws Needed
Advocate: Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President, National Women’s Law Center
Achieving Gender Pay Equity: Current Law Satisfactory
Advocate: Barbara Berish Brown, Chair, Washington, D.C. office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky &Walker and Vice-Chair, Labor & Employment Law Section, American Bar Association
25. NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY
U.S.TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN:
WITHDRAW QUICKLY OR STAY THE COURSE?
U.S. Troops in Afghanistan: Withdraw Quickly
Advocate: Sameer Dossani, Director, 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice
U.S.Troops in Afghanistan: Stay the Course
Advocate: Admiral Michael G. Mullen, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff
