Politics by other means : the declining importance of elections in America
From Library Journal "Is Government Dead?" read the headline on the October 23, 1989 issue of Time , which featured a portrait of George Washington with a tear rolling down his cheek. This book is an academic exploration of the same issue. The authors conclude that the decline of American political parties encourages a stalemate between the legislative and executive branches increasingly occupied by opposite parties, with elitist struggles substituted for electoral politics. Although the authors present a readable description of the stalemate, they offer little hope for relief. A narrow scope that primarily is limited to the past two decades and a focus on institutions rather than individuals seems to determine their gloomy outcome. A broader historical view with some attention to electoral cycles might have led to other conclusions. - William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. Product Description Argues that committees, courts, and the media have taken over many of the functions of elections