The Two-Party Trap
Recipe for Dysfunction in American Politics
Published on 30. August 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
277 pages
978-1-4766-8945-6 (ISBN)
Description
The United States has become increasingly polarized, although the concept of a two-party system is not new. This book traces the major parties' utter dominance--of the highest elected positions all the way down to "nonpartisan" political offices across the U.S.--from the founding of the Constitution through the 2020 presidential election. Even before the founding of the "modern" Republican Party in 1854 and the next 168-year era of Democratic-GOP dominance, the early decades of American nationhood were ruled in a similar manner by the two major parties of the day. This book is a comprehensive, fast-paced analysis of how the two-party system has grown to be such an affront to the ideals of the Founding Fathers and of the numerous Americans today who appear to accept it as a fact of life.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Illustrations
14 photos
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
383 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4766-8945-6 (9781476689456)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Steven Verrier has previously written works of short drama, fiction, and nonfiction published in the United States, Canada, and Japan. He lives in Bonney Lake, Washington.
Content
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: How Did It Come to This?
¿1.¿Bouncing on the Rails
¿2.¿The Gingrich Effect
¿3.¿"Independents" and "Democracy"
¿4.¿The Electoral College
¿5.¿Microcosm of the Nation: Spotlight on Washington State (Part 1)
¿6.¿Microcosm of the Nation: Spotlight on Washington State (Part 2)
¿7.¿A Brief Historical Survey of the U.S. Congress
¿8.¿States, Municipalities, and Counties
¿9.¿Lay of the Land, 2018 (Alabama-Montana)
10.¿Lay of the Land, 2018 (Nebraska-Wyoming and DC)
11.¿Coming Out of the 2018 Midterms (Pacific Coast, Western Interior, Midwest, and Southwest)
12.¿Coming Out of the 2018 Midterms (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, and Southeast)
13.¿Playing a Field of Two
14.¿Stacking the Deck
15.¿Missed Opportunity: The Kavanaugh Hearing
16.¿Three Walls
17.¿Spinning the Mueller Report
18.¿Justin Amash: A Bold Statement
19.¿July-September 2019: Embarrassing Developments
20.¿Impeachment and Acquittal: A Foregone Conclusion
21.¿Covid-19: Division Trumps Unity
22.¿Law and Disorder
23.¿Flipping (and Flopping) the High Court
24.¿The Year 2020 In Review: A Step Back
25.¿A Sad Ending
Epilogue: Let It Go
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Introduction: How Did It Come to This?
¿1.¿Bouncing on the Rails
¿2.¿The Gingrich Effect
¿3.¿"Independents" and "Democracy"
¿4.¿The Electoral College
¿5.¿Microcosm of the Nation: Spotlight on Washington State (Part 1)
¿6.¿Microcosm of the Nation: Spotlight on Washington State (Part 2)
¿7.¿A Brief Historical Survey of the U.S. Congress
¿8.¿States, Municipalities, and Counties
¿9.¿Lay of the Land, 2018 (Alabama-Montana)
10.¿Lay of the Land, 2018 (Nebraska-Wyoming and DC)
11.¿Coming Out of the 2018 Midterms (Pacific Coast, Western Interior, Midwest, and Southwest)
12.¿Coming Out of the 2018 Midterms (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, and Southeast)
13.¿Playing a Field of Two
14.¿Stacking the Deck
15.¿Missed Opportunity: The Kavanaugh Hearing
16.¿Three Walls
17.¿Spinning the Mueller Report
18.¿Justin Amash: A Bold Statement
19.¿July-September 2019: Embarrassing Developments
20.¿Impeachment and Acquittal: A Foregone Conclusion
21.¿Covid-19: Division Trumps Unity
22.¿Law and Disorder
23.¿Flipping (and Flopping) the High Court
24.¿The Year 2020 In Review: A Step Back
25.¿A Sad Ending
Epilogue: Let It Go
Bibliography
Index