Democracy's Moment: Reforming the American Political System for the 21st CenturyRonald Hayduck, Ronald Hayduk, Kevin Mattson The two-month long Election Day in Florida made one thing clear: We need to find ways to make the American political system more responsive to the demands of all citizens. This book provides a critical assessement of a broad range of electoral reforms proposed to enhance responsive government. The book aims not only to analyze the obstacles to full political participation, but to capitalize on the window of opportunity that election 2000 has provided to make our political system more truly democratic--to realize 'democracy's moment.' |
Contents
Remembering Florida for the Right Reasons | 3 |
History as Hope The Legacy of the Progressive Era and the Future of Political Reform in America | 15 |
Eliminating Barriers to Political Participation | 25 |
Tearing Down Walls | 27 |
The Weight of History Election Reform during the Progressive Era and Today | 29 |
More Choice Please Why US Ballot Access Laws Are Discriminatory and How Independent Parties and Candidates Challenge Them | 45 |
Freeing Politics from the Grip of Money The Limits of Campaign Finance Reform and the Need for a New Approach | 61 |
Engaging Citizens | 73 |
Making the System More Responsive | 141 |
Instant Runoff Voting and Full Representation Keys to Fulfilling Democracys Promise | 143 |
Putting Democracy Back into the Initiative and Referendum | 159 |
The Debate Gerrymander and Americas Electoral Industrial Complex | 171 |
The Electoral College Constitutional Debate Partisan Manipulation and Reform Possibilities | 189 |
Challenges and Prospects for Democratic Reform | 197 |
What Makes Reform So Difficult The Case of Americas Cities and the Problems of Elites | 199 |
Looking Backward While Looking Forward to Democracys Moment | 213 |
Building Citizens | 75 |
Democratic Theory and the Case for Public Deliberation | 77 |
Educating for Democracy | 91 |
Community as a Source for Democratic Politics | 109 |
Can the Internet Rescue Democracy? Toward an Online Commons | 121 |
Making the System More Responsive | 139 |
National and Regional Democracy Organizations | 219 |
| 241 | |
| 255 | |
About the Contributors | 265 |
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Common terms and phrases
activists African American Amendment American political argue ballot access ballot access laws ballot measures campaign finance reform Center challenges choice cities citizens civic civil rights coalition constitutional contributions corporate corruption create cumulative voting debate decision deliberative democracy reform democratic disenfranchised districts elec elected officials election reform Electoral College electoral votes Forbes full representation funding garden gerrymandering groups House incumbent independent candidates instant runoff instant runoff voting institutions Internet issues Jamin Raskin Kevin Mattson Latino legislation legislatures major parties Mark Schmitt minor-party movement Nader neighborhood organizations partisan percent petition Phone political parties political system politicians polls president presidential election primary problems Progressive Progressive Era Project public deliberation Republican requires Ronald Hayduk Senate social soft money Steven Hill Street NW teachers third-party tion two-party system U.S. Supreme Court urban voter registration voting rights Washington York