The Vanishing Voter

The Vanishing Voter
Author: Thomas E. Patterson
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2009-09-09
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0307548678

From the award-winning author of Out of Order—named the best political science book of the last decade by the American Political Science Association—comes this landmark book about why Americans don’t vote. Based on more than 80,000 interviews, The Vanishing Voter investigates why—despite a better educated citizenry, the end of racial barriers to voting, and simplified voter registration procedures—the percentage of voters has steadily decreased to the point that the United States now has nearly the lowest voting rate in the world. Patterson cites the blurring of differences between the political parties, the news media’s negative bias, and flaws in the election system to explain this disturbing trend while suggesting specific reforms intended to bring Americans back to the polls. Astute, far-reaching, and impeccably researched, The Vanishing Voter engages the very meaning of our relationship to our government.

Why Americans Still Don't Vote

Why Americans Still Don't Vote
Author: Frances Fox Piven
Publisher: Beacon Press
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2000-09-22
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780807004494

Americans take for granted that ours is the very model of a democracy. At the core of this belief is the assumption that the right to vote is firmly established. But in fact, the United States is the only major democratic nation in which the less well-off, the young, and minorities are substantially underrepresented in the electorate. Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward were key players in the long battle to reform voter registration laws that finally resulted in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (also known as the Motor Voter law). When Why Americans Don't Vote was first published in 1988, this battle was still raging, and their book was a fiery salvo. It demonstrated that the twentieth century had witnessed a concerted effort to restrict voting by immigrants and blacks through a combination of poll taxes, literacy tests, and unwieldy voter registration requirements. Why Americans Still Don't Vote brings the story up to the present. Analyzing the results of voter registration reform, and drawing compelling historical parallels, Piven and Cloward reveal why neither of the major parties has tried to appeal to the interests of the newly registered-and thus why Americans still don't vote.

The Disappearing American Voter

The Disappearing American Voter
Author: Ruy A. Teixeira
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2011-10-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780815723202

The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy. To millions around the world who have fought for that right, it is considered a privilege. Yet the magnitude of nonvoting in America is staggering. More than 91 million Americans did not vote in 1988, putting voter turnout at barely half of the voting-age population. This situation has stirred much comment and debate across the political spectrum, raising several questions: Why is voter turnout generally so low? Why has it declined steadily over the past three decades? Does low and declining turnout significantly bias the nature of contemporary U.S. politics? And what, if anything, can be done to increase voter participation? In this book, Ruy Teixeira addresses each of these question in detail in an effort to provide policymakers and the general public with a clearer view of the problem and possible solutions. The author's interpretations and recommendations are both provocative and firmly based on currently available data. Teixeira includes an assessment of current registration reform legislation and shows why a combination of registration reform and political reform is necessary to fully reverse the nonvoting trend and move to substantially higher turnout levels. He points out that while it is unlikely U.S. voter turnout will ever approach levels in Sweden, Australia, and Belgium—which are about 90 percent—with a thorough reform program, levels of around 70 percent, such as those in Japan and Canada, may be attainable.

Uncounted

Uncounted
Author: Gilda R. Daniels
Publisher: NYU Press
Total Pages: 271
Release: 2021-10-05
Genre: Law
ISBN: 147981198X

An answer to the assault on voting rights—crucial reading in light of the 2024 presidential election The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered one of the most effective pieces of legislation the United States has ever passed. It enfranchised hundreds of thousands of voters, particularly in the American South, and drew attention to the problem of voter suppression. Yet in recent years there has been a continuous assault on access to the ballot box in the form of stricter voter ID requirements, meritless claims of rigged elections, and baseless accusations of voter fraud. In the past these efforts were aimed at eliminating African American voters from the rolls, and today, new laws seek to eliminate voters of color, the poor, and the elderly, groups that historically vote for the Democratic Party. Uncounted examines the phenomenon of disenfranchisement through the lens of history, race, law, and the democratic process. Gilda R. Daniels, who served as Deputy Chief in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and has more than two decades of voting rights experience, argues that voter suppression works in cycles, constantly adapting and finding new ways to hinder access for an exponentially growing minority population. She warns that a premeditated strategy of restrictive laws and deceptive practices has taken root and is eroding the very basis of American democracy—the right to vote!

The Chronic Crisis of American Democracy

The Chronic Crisis of American Democracy
Author: Benjamin Studebaker
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2023-03-17
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3031282108

This book argues that American democracy is in crisis. The economic system is slowly subjecting Americans of nearly all income levels and backgrounds to enormous amounts of stress. The United States lacks the state capacity required to alleviate this stress, and politicians increasingly find that if they promise to solve economic problems, they are likely to disappoint voters. Instead, they encourage voters to blame each other. The crisis cannot be solved, the economy cannot be set right, and democracy cannot be saved. But American democracy cannot be killed, either. Americans can’t imagine any compelling alternative political systems. And so, American democracy continues on, in a deeply unsatisfying way. Americans invent ever-more elaborate coping mechanisms in a desperate bid to go on. But it becomes increasingly clear that the way is shut. The American political system was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it.

Our Unfinished March

Our Unfinished March
Author: Eric Holder
Publisher: One World
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2023-06-06
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0593445767

A brutal, bloody, and at times hopeful history of the vote; a primer on the opponents fighting to take it away; and a playbook for how we can save our democracy before it’s too late—from the former U.S. Attorney General on the front lines of this fight Voting is our most important right as Americans—“the right that protects all the others,” as Lyndon Johnson famously said when he signed the Voting Rights Act—but it’s also the one most violently contested throughout U.S. history. Since the gutting of the act in the landmark Shelby County v. Holder case in 2013, many states have passed laws restricting the vote. After the 2020 election, President Trump’s effort to overturn the vote has evolved into a slow-motion coup, with many Republicans launching an all-out assault on our democracy. The vote seems to be in unprecedented peril. But the peril is not at all unprecedented. America is a fragile democracy, Eric Holder argues, whose citizens have only had unfettered access to the ballot since the 1960s. He takes readers through three dramatic stories of how the vote was won: first by white men, through violence and insurrection; then by white women, through protests and mass imprisonments; and finally by African Americans, in the face of lynchings and terrorism. Next, he dives into how the vote has been stripped away since Shelby—a case in which Holder was one of the parties. He ends with visionary chapters on how we can reverse this tide of voter suppression and become a true democracy where every voice is heard and every vote is counted. Full of surprising history, intensive analysis, and actionable plans for the future, this is a powerful primer on our most urgent political struggle from one of the country's leading advocates.

American Democracy in Crisis

American Democracy in Crisis
Author: Naomi Rockler
Publisher: Referencepoint Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024
Genre: Communication in politics
ISBN: 9781678207229

The January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol was a crisis point for American democracy, but the crisis is not over. American democracy is threatened by deep political polarization, the spread of misinformation, voter suppression, and extremist violence. As young Americans inherit this country, they may be in a position to help repair democracy.

10 Steps to Repair American Democracy

10 Steps to Repair American Democracy
Author: Steven Hill
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2006
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780976062158

Unresponsive government. Uninspiring candidates. Mindless political debate. Suspicious voting equipment. American representative democracy is suffering through its worst crisis in many years, and while many Americans recognize it, they just don't know what to do about it. In "A More Perfect Union," Steven Hill offers specific solutions for election reform. Arguing that much of what ails American politics is rooted in antiquated 18th-century practices, Hill makes a stirring call for national elections standards, nonpartisan election officials, an Election Day holiday, and other repairs to the nuts and bolts of the voting process. Further, he calls for the end of winner-take-all elections, adoption of proportional representation, reform of presidential elections, fairer representation in the U.S. Senate, universal voter registration, public financing of elections, and free air time for candidates. An inspiring blueprint for repairing and reinvigorating American politics, Hill's simple yet effective proposals strengthen not just the electoral system, but the republic itself.

Democracy in Crisis

Democracy in Crisis
Author: Eva B Jose
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024-05-07
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

In "DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS: The Right-Wing's Challenge to the Popular Vote and the Battle to Save Our Nation," acclaimed political analyst and author Eva B. Jose delivers a gripping exploration of the threats facing modern American democracy. This seminal work delves into the intricate and often disturbing ways in which right-wing factions within the United States have attempted to subvert the popular vote and undermine democratic norms. Through meticulous research and vivid accounts, Eva weaves a narrative that is both educational and profoundly alarming. The book unpacks a series of pivotal events and strategies, from gerrymandering and voter suppression tactics to the spread of disinformation through digital media. "DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS" offers an incisive look at the motivations and methods of those who seek to skew the democratic process. Eva not only charts the rise of these anti-democratic trends but also shines a light on the grassroots movements and legislative battles aiming to preserve the foundational principles of equality and fairness in the electoral system. With expert commentary and compelling real-life stories, this book is a crucial read for anyone concerned about the future of democracy in America. It provides a clear-eyed assessment of the challenges and champions the ongoing fight to ensure that every vote counts and every voice is heard. Five (5) Reasons to Buy This Book: 1. Understand the Current Landscape: Grasp the complex dynamics that are currently influencing American politics. This book provides a clear, detailed explanation of how right-wing movements have impacted the democratic process, helping readers understand the stakes and the players. 2. Empowerment Through Knowledge: Equip yourself with the knowledge to engage in informed discussions and debates. Knowing the facts and the history behind today's headlines is the first step towards making a difference. 3. Support Democracy: Each purchase is a step towards advocating for democratic integrity. This book not only informs but also donates a portion of the proceeds to organizations fighting for voting rights. 4. Expert Insights: Gain insights from a leading political analyst who has spent years studying democratic institutions and political behaviors. Eva B. Jose's expertise offers a deep dive into the mechanisms of political manipulation and the strategies to counteract them. 5. Inspiration for Action: Feel inspired by the stories of individuals and groups standing up for democracy. This book doesn't just describe problems; it highlights real examples of courage and persistence in the face of adversity. Don't just witness history-be a part of shaping it. "DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS" is more than a book; it's a call to defend the democratic values that define us as a nation. Stand up for what you believe in, arm yourself with knowledge, and join the fight to preserve our democracy. Order your copy today and become a champion for the future of America!