We Get What We Vote For... Or Do We?: The Impact of Elections on Governing

Competitive elections are vital to any democracy. American elections and public policy making demonstrate many positive qualities, but, at the same time, are beset with serious problems. As the essays in this collection make clear, we sometimes get what we vote for, but often we do not. Scheele and his contributors first examine the mechanics of American elections, including candidates' political communication, the impact of television, advertising, and polling on elections, the growing problem of campaign finance, and the new roles of political parties in elections. They then turn to the effect of elections on specific policies, including gender issues, social welfare, and Supreme Court policy making. In the concluding section, the volume reexamines election theories and practices, including the myth of electoral mandates, the adoption of proportional representation, the possibility that American elections are actually working well, the proposition that American politics is becoming so fragmented that critical realignments may no longer occur, and, conversely, that America is taking on some of the characteristics of parliamentary government.

Table of Contents:
Introduction by Paul E. Scheele How American Elections Work: Candidates' Political Communication Political Accountability in a Post-Party Era: An Examination of Candidate and Specialized Platforms in 1992 and 1994 by Joseph Cammarano Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in 1988: Its Significance for George Bush's Presidency by Jean-Philippe Faletta Clarity or Ambiguity: What Should We Expect from Candidates in American Politics? by William Pink Image of Democracy: The Role of Television, Advetising and Polling: The Television's Effect on the American Political System by Marc A. Triebwasser A "Different Voice"? Gender and Political Advertising by June Sager Speakman Who Are "We" and What Do "We" Want? Representations of the Public in Election News by Stephanie Greco Larson Campaign Finance: Is the System Broke? Public Funding and Political Campaigns in New York City: The Limits of Reform by Jeffrey Kraus Money, Elections, and Public Policy in New York Politics by Jeffrey Stonecash Best Chance since Watergate? Campaign Finance Reform in the 105th Congress by Monica Bauer The Role of Parties in Elections: The Values of Political Party Activists: Ideology, Elections, and Governing by Richard P. Barberio National Party Committees 2nd Presidential Campaigns by Samuel Hoff The Impact of Elections on Specific Policies Sex, Race, Religion, and Partisan Realignment by Jo Freeman What Do Women Get for Their Vote? by Erika E. Pilver No Race to the Bottom: The 1993 National Voter Registration Act and the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act by Jean Wahl Harris The Never Ending Story of Welfare Reform by Rodd Freitag The Electoral Connection: Public Influence on Policy Output of the United States Supreme Court by Mark Kemper Rethinking Election Theories and Practices The Mandate by Michael E. Lynch Sr. Alternative Electoral Systems: An Answer to Our Governing Crisis by Dennis M. Anderson The American Electoral System at Century's End: Not Broken, But in Need of Prudent Repair by Everett Carll Ladd Realignments, the Atomization of Politics, and What We Don't Get from Elections by Daniel M. Shea Parliamentary Government in the United States? by Gerald M. Pomper For Further Reading Index

About the Author :
PAUL E. SCHEELE is Professor Emeritus, Political Science, at SUNY at Oneonta./e Along with his 33-year career in teaching, Professor Scheele served in the U.S. Bureau of the Budget, assisted with Al Gore's first run for the U.S. Senate, and worked as a congressional staffer.