Download or read book Is This Any Way To Run A Democratic Election?, 3rd Edition written by Stephen J Wayne and published by CQ Press. This book was released on 2007-02-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Americans tout the benefits and ideals of their democratic political system. So why is there such persistent criticism of the election process? Detractors claim that American elections are completely driven by money or controlled by special interests, that incumbents have too much of an advantage, that the news media are too interested in scandal, and that in today's partisan world, the winners will not compromise on policy issues. If these critics are right, then what exactly is wrong with the process and how should it be fixed? Stephen Wayne answers these tough questions, exploring both critical and controversial issues, looking at American democracy in both theory and practice. The third edition is a thorough update, covering such topics as voter turnout problems, voting fraud and irregularities, new legislation designed to reform the campaign finance system, the front-loading of the nomination process, and the use of the Internet by candidates. In addition, each chapter concludes with a critical thinking section that features discussion questions, topics for debate, research-oriented exercises, and suggested online resources. - Publisher.