Taking a public policy approach to government in the United States, this text book covers five main areas. These are: constitutional foundations, patterns of political behavior, political institutions, public policy outputs, and state and local government. Emphasis is given to the nature of democracy and the scope of government. Specific issues like taxation, regulations, campaign finance, and health care are also discussed. An appendix includes the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers Number 10 and Number 51 , tables on parties and key officials, and a glossary. An accompanying CD-ROM contains the full text of the book, as well as audio and video clips, web links, activities, practice tests, and primary sources. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less