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Books:

Green, John C. and Rick Farmer, eds. The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties. Current edition.

Cigler, Allan J., and Burdett A. Loomis, eds. Interest Group Politics. Current edition. -OR- Paul S. Herrnson, Ronald G. Shaiko, and Clyde Wilcox, eds. The Interest Group Connection: Electioneering, Lobbying, and Policymaking in Washington. Current edition.

Grade Breakdown:

Midterm Exam	20% + 5%  OR
Final Exam	20% + 5%
Presentation	15%
Recommendation Paper 1	15% + 5%  OR
Recommendation Paper 2	15% + 5%
Participation	5%
TOTAL	100%

POLITICAL PARTIES

Introduction to American Political Parties
        -What are political parties and are they relevant?
        -The role of parties in American politics: then and now

The Two-Party System: Room for More?
        -Anthony Downs and how American politics strengthens the existence of two powerful parties
        -Third party also-rans in U.S. history
        -Will the time ever be right again for a viable third party?

Party Structure: The Tri-pod Decayed
        1.) The Party in the Electorate
                -The decline of party identification among voters
                -The art of ticket-splitting
                -Activists: above all loyal to party
        2.) The Party in Government
                -Party frameworks in Congress, the executive, etc.
                -The resurgence of party voting in Congress
        3.) The Party Organization
                -The corporate side of parties: the RNC and the DNC
                -State and local organizations: waxing or waning?

The Campaign Trail and Its Trials
        -Parties in an era of candidate-centered campaigns
        -The campaign finance puzzle: where parties fit in

The Future of Political Parties in America
        -Party resurgence, or is party the problem?
        -Party realignment under way?

INTEREST GROUPS

Introduction to Interest Groups
        -What are interest groups and why have they garnered so much (negative) attention?
        -The role of interest groups in American politics

The Group Origin Debate
        -Group theory: a wonderful relic
        -Mancur Olson's "logic of collective action"
        -Refinements and challenges to the "logic"

Interest Group Strategies and Tactics
        1.) Direct Lobbying--the Slick Insiders
                -The value of personal contact in a complex political system
                -"Hired guns" and the packaging of lobbying strategies
                -Lobbying do's and don'ts for the Gucci set
        2.) Indirect Lobbying--the Grassroots
                -The people speak, or do they?
                -Litigation: worth the expense?
        3.) Money Matters: PACs and Other Suspects
                -FECA '74 and the rise of PACs
                -the BCRA and its emerging loopholes

The Changing Interest Group Universe
        -Attempts to regulate interest group activity: will there be a Jack Abramoff effect?
        -Some recent trends: greater democracy?

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