NOTE: You are purchasing a standalone product; MyPoliSciLab does not come packaged with this content. If you would like to purchase both the physical text and MyPoliSciLab, search for ISBN-10: 0134113888 / ISBN-13: 9780134113883. That package includes ISBN-10: 0133905047 / ISBN-13: 9780133905045 and ISBN-10: 0133930645 / ISBN-13: 9780133930641.

MyPoliSciLab should only be purchased when required by an instructor.

For courses in American Government

Learn how American politics affect public policy
Government in America explores our government’s impact on the daily lives of Americans by focusing on public policy. Authors George Edwards and Martin Wattenberg provide a framework for students to understand the difficult questions that decision makers of both political parties are facing: How should we govern? And, what should government do? In order to boost student engagement with key concepts, the 2014 Elections and Updates Edition incorporates coverage of contemporary issues that dominate today’s headlines, as well as the most up-to-date data.

Also available with MyPoliSciLab^®
MyPoliSciLab for the American Government course extends learning online, engaging students and improving results. Media resources with assignments bring concepts to life, and offer students opportunities to practice applying what they’ve learned. And the Writing Space helps educators develop and assess concept mastery and critical thinking through writing, quickly and easily. Please note: this version of MyPoliSciLab does not include an eText.

Government in America, 2014 Elections and Updates Edition is also available via REVEL™, an immersive learning experience designed for the way today's students read, think, and learn.

George C. Edwards III is University Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University and the Jordan Chair in Presidential Studies. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Oxford. When he determined that he was unlikely to become shortstop for the New York Yankees, he turned to political science. Today, he is one of the country’s leading scholars of the presidency and has written or edited 26 books on American politics.

Martin P. Wattenberg teaches courses on American politics at the University of California, Irvine. His first regular paying job was with the Washington Redskins, from which he moved on to receive a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Is Voting for Young People?, which examines the role of young people in elections today. His research also encompasses how elections in the United States compare to those in other established democracies.

PART I: CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS
1. Introducing Government in America
2. The Constitution
3. Federalism  
4. Civil Liberties and Public Policy
5. Civil Rights and Public Policy  

PART II: PEOPLE AND POLITICS
6. Public Opinion and Political Action
7. The Mass Media and the Political Agenda
8. Political Parties
9. Campaigns and Voting Behavior
10. Interest Groups

PART III: THE POLICYMAKERS
11. Congress
12. The Presidency
13. The Budget: The Politics of Taxing and Spending
14. The Federal Bureaucracy
15. The Federal Courts

PART IV: POLICIES
16. Economic and Social Welfare Policymaking
17. Policymaking for Health Care, the Environment, and Energy
18. National Security Policymaking