A Divided Union

Praise for A Divided Union Over the past several decades, the institutions and norms that our political system had come to depend on have deteriorated as hyper-partisanship has taken an even greater hold. It is vital that Congress - and indeed, the American electorate - rededicates itself to comity and compromise before these necessary principles are lost forever. A Divided Union investigates the deep-rooted causes of our political dysfunction, and proposes solutions that all students of American politics should heed. -- Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME) The strength of the American character has long derived from our ability to forge consensus and rise to the challenges before us. Yet the growing divide between the parties has hastened the deterioration of our political discourse, as well as prevented us from addressing the vast number of urgent issues we face as a country. It is my hope that the root causes addressed in A Divided Union reignite a much-need discussion on the state of our politics, and that our elected leaders soon rise to the occasion this moment demands. -- Former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) This is an immensely readable book that is familiar with the scholarly literature yet doesn't get bogged down in academic debate that would be superfluous in a reader for undergraduates. The chapter on the impact of the media on Congress is the best short treatment of the subject I've seen. In sum, this is one of those rare textbooks that would actually be fun to read. -- Ross Baker, Rutgers University