US politics today introduces the key features of contemporary American politics but also considers the strengths and weaknesses of a system that is now faced by serious divisions and gripped by tensions. The Trump presidency has placed a question mark against policies and institutions that were once seen as unassailable.

List of tablesPreface1 The US Constitution 2 The US Congress3 The Presidency and the Executive Branch4 The US Supreme Court5 US democracy and participation: elections 6 Political participation: parties and interests 7 Putting US politics in context: theories and comparisons

This fully revised fourth edition of Edward Ashbee’s indispensable introduction brings it firmly up-to-date. Offering a concise and accessible overview of the basic defining features of contemporary American politics, it also considers the strengths and weaknesses of a system that is now under serious strain.Ideal for students, teaching staff and the general reader, the book outlines the ways in which the Constitution shapes the politics of today; surveys the role of the presidency, Congress and the federal courts; and examines processes of political participation through elections, organized interests and parties. It pays particular attention to Barack Obama and Donald Trump’s years in office and the ways in which recent developments over the last decades have reshaped the US political landscape. US politics today also seeks to place American politics within a comparative context and considers key theoretical perspectives, looking at the tension between individuals and institutions and the cultural and religious hinterland to political developments.