Federalists
To clarify: the Federalists were a popular party that existed from the late 18th to early 19th century. They controlled the federal gov't until 1801. Their main ideology was the notion that a stronger, bigger federal gov't was needed - as the name implies. They were dissolved in the 1820s as the party died out.
The emergence in the last 20 years of a gay and lesbian community which is also politically conscious and willing to organize to elect sympathetic public officials may give sex the permanence of race and religion.
When do we think this will materialize, that is to say, when will sex have the 'permanence' of race/religion? I think we are already a significant amount of the way there - the movement is large, strong and does not show signs of slowing down.
voter-proofing
I like this term
Would term limits in fact diminish the number of careerists and produce legislators who were more national-minded and disinterested?
I'm not sure how I feel about this .. I think, yes, but we also need SOME form of term limits because it's not good to have the same person hold a seat for 60 years.
periods of divided government have often been extremely productive in legislative terms
Interesting - would think the opposite.
The power of the American Association of Retired Persons, the National Rifle Association, the banking industry, and the various veterans' lobbies is well known
In my opinion, it is too much - too much dirty money in government.
The influence -- and the possibility -- of primaries is pervasive
This is a defining characteristic for us, we monitor them like crazy.
It goes without saying that their effect is to add a further dimension of uncertainty and unpredictability to the world of American elective politicians
And that it certainly does.
an institution peculiar to the United States
I was actually unaware of this - interesting to read that it is true.
Now they talk about almost nothing but the latest opinion polls
Interesting to read this - times are a'changing.
In having two-year terms the United States stands alone.
What a shocker, the US being weird and different??
U.S. elected officials in many cases have very short terms of office and face the prospect of being defeated in primary elections and have to run for office more as individuals than as standard-bearers for their party and have continually to raise large sums of money in order to finance their own election campaigns.
A lot of stuff to balance - especially with as short of terms as we have, which is noted a few paragraphs down. It is a constant, never-ending game of campaigning while also doing the job.
their conduct in office is more continuously governed by electoral considerations
Was interesting to read in the textbook how this changes and is defined by the particular role of elected officials (e.g. President vs. senators vs. local gov't officials taking feedback into consideration in different ways)
But they are all conscious of it, in the same way that they are conscious of Mobil, McDonald's, Larry King Live, Oprah Winfrey, the Dallas Cowboys, the Ford Motor Company, and all the other symbols and institutions that make up the rich tapestry of American life.
Politics as an essential component of American life, as it should be. We are cognizant of it at virtually all times
America is about the holding of elections
Very true, and increasingly so in today's world
If a teacher breaks oneof the connections in a course, inevitably anotheris broken. When two out of three key connections are broken, the course itself is “broken.” This is why it is so important to create an integrated design.
I found this interesting - I've never thought of teaching in a way remotely similar to this, but it's very true