Table of Contents
List of Figures, Tables, and BoxesPreface
PART I. THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT1. VOTERSWhy People Don’t VoteWhy People Do Vote: A Theory of Social ConnectednessParty Identification as Social IdentityParties as Aggregates of Loyal VotersIdeologies, Issues, and National Conditions in the Minds of VotersChanges in Party Identification: Social Habit versus Contemporary EvaluationA Central Strategic Problem: The Attentiveness of Voters2. GROUPSThe Presidential Vote as an Aggregation of Interest GroupsVariations among Interest Groups“Special” Interests, Campaign Spending, and Public Interest GroupsPolitical Parties as OrganizationsThird Parties3. RULES AND RESOURCESRules: The Electoral CollegeThinking About ResourcesResources: MoneyResources: Control over InformationIncumbency as a Resource: The PresidencyIncumbency as a Liability: The Vice PresidencyThe Balance of ResourcesPART II. SEQUENCES4. THE NOMINATION PROCESSBefore the Voting Begins: The “Invisible Primary”The Early States
What Do These Historical Vignettes Teach?Super Tuesday and Later PrimariesState and Territorial CaucusesDelegate AllocationSuperdelegates
An Ever-Changing Nomination ProcessThe National Party Conventions
The Convention as AdvertisingThe Vice Presidential NomineeThe Future of National Conventions5. THE CAMPAIGNThe Well-Traveled CandidatesPersuading VotersWinning the Media GameCampaign ProfessionalsTelevised DebatesGetting Out the VoteCampaign BlundersForecasting the OutcomeCounting the VotePART III. ISSUES6. APPRAISALSReform upon ReformThe Political Theory of Policy GovernmentReform by Means of Participatory DemocracySome Specific ReformsParty Platforms and Party Differences7. AMERICAN PARTIES AND DEMOCRACYElections and Public PolicyParties of Advocacy versus Parties of IntermediationAPPENDIXESA. Vote by Groups in Presidential Elections, 1984–2020B. Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections, by Population Characteristics, 1984–2020C. Selections from the Democratic and Republican Party Platforms, 2020
Notes
Index