A User's Guide to Democracy
How America Works
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
From Nick Capodice & Hannah McCarthy, the hosts of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Civics 101, and New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, A User's Guide to Democracy is a lively crash course in everything you should know about how the US government works.
Do you know what the Secretary of Defense does all day? Are you sure you know the difference between the House and the Senate? Have you been pretending you know what Federalism is for the last 20 years? Don’t worry--you’re not alone. The American government and its processes can be dizzyingly complex and obscure.
Until now.
Within this book are the keys to knowing what you’re talking about when you argue politics with the uncle you only see at Thanksgiving. It’s the book that sits on your desk for quick reference when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government, to what you can actually do to make your vote count, to how our founding documents affect our daily lives. Now is the time to finally understand who does what, how they do it, and the best way to get them to listen to you.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Capodice and McCarthy, cohosts of New Hampshire Public Radio's Civics 101, debut with a lucid guide to how the U.S. government functions. Aided by humorous illustrations from New Yorker cartoonist Toro, the authors describe the purpose and structure of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; explain how caucuses and primaries work; sketch the histories of the three-fifths compromise, the congressional filibuster, federalism, the New Deal, etc.; differentiate among the roles of federal, state, and local governments; and offer concise analyses of major Supreme Court decisions. They also walk readers through the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional amendments, and offer helpful lessons on citizen participation, including how to vote, lobby members of Congress, plan a protest, and run for office. Though Capodice and McCarthy tack to the left (they highlight how few African Americans have made it to the Senate, and note that laws barring convicted felons from voting result "in the disproportionate disenfranchisement of men of color"), they are careful to stay above the partisan fray. The result is an informative and appealing civics lesson for first-time voters and old hands alike.
