American Democracy in Crisis

This book analyzes the roots of widespread disenchantment with American government. While blame often falls on the individuals in office, they are not operating in isolation. Rather they are working within a system designed by the Framers with one goal in mind, protectionism. Although the Framers got much right, their commitment to protection of liberty led them to design a system replete with divisions of power. Whatever its merits at the founding, the government today is frequently described as dysfunctional and far too often unresponsive to the majority, unaccountable, and unable to deliver for its people. For those disillusioned with the current state of government and committed to effectuating meaningful change, this book advocates in favor of a fundamental reassessment of the system's primary objectives, followed by deliberation as to how it should be restructured accordingly. It not only presents specific reform proposals, but it ends with a stark warning: until and unless we embrace reasoned structural reform, we cannot be surprised if at some point the people become so frustrated that they either disengage, fight back, or seek solace in autocratic alternatives.

This new edition includes audiobook files created by a state of the art text-to-speech tool at the chapter level.

Revised edition reflects on the 2020 election and January 6 Capitol riots Looks past partisan politics to explain voter frustration and anger at the American system Offers reform proposals to restructure the government, and in the process make it more accountable and effective

Autorentext

Jeanne Sheehan Zaino is Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Iona University, political contributor with Bloomberg News, and Senior Democracy Fellow with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.

Inhalt

1: Government, Power, and Liberty: Commitment I.- 2: A Republic: Commitment II.- 3: Liberty Above All: Dispersion of Power or ' Trias Politica' : Commitment III.- 4: When Power and Liberty Collide: The Problem Rears Its Head Early.- 5: Overcoming the Dispersion of Power: Parties, a Necessary Evil.- 6: Trying to Make Madisonian Government Deliver: Jeffersonian Model.- 7: Best-Laid Plans: The Tensions Persist and Intensify.- 8: Is Violence the only Way to Achieve Real Change? The Framework Proposed by the Founders.- 9: A Brief History of Structural Reforms: Long on Proposals, Short on Achievement.- 10: Return to First Solutions or Extra-Constitutional Means of Achieving Structural Reform.