Democracy in America?: What Has Gone Wrong and What We Can Do About It

In Democracy in America? veteran political observers Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens marshal an unprecedented array of evidence to show that while other countries have responded to a rapidly changing economy by helping people who’ve been left behind, the United States has failed to do so.  Instead, we have actually exacerbated inequality, enriching corporations and the wealthy while leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves. With increased democratic participation as their guide, Page and Gilens lay out a set of proposals that would boost citizen participation, curb the power of money, and democratize the House and Senate. America faces daunting problems—stagnant wages, high health care costs, neglected schools, deteriorating public services. But the situation is far from hopeless. The only certainty is that inaction is not an option.   What’s the solution? More democracy. By doing so, we can reduce polarization and gridlock, address pressing challenges, and enact policies that truly reflect the interests of average Americans.   This book presents a damning indictment. Yet the government consistently ignores the needs of its citizens, paying attention instead to donors and organized interests. To repair our democracy, Page and Gilens argue, we must change the way we choose candidates and conduct our elections, reform our governing institutions, and curb the power of money in politics. Real is

"There is an urgency to the project of repairing America’s democracy. This book is the most important contribution so far. Powerful, comprehensive and original, it gives every American hope and a map--which is all this democracy has ever needed."