“…For at least the past sixty years, the justices have made sure that their decisions do not stray too far from public opinion. Friedman’s pathbreaking account of the relationship between popular opinion and the Supreme Court—from the Declaration of Independence to the end of the Rehnquist Court in 2005—details how the American people came to accept their most controversial institution and, in so doing, shaped the meaning of the Constitution…”

Tabla de Contenidos: “…Students and the System -- Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement -- Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins -- Chapter 3: American Federalism -- Individual Agency and Action -- Chapter 4: Civil Liberties -- Chapter 5: Civil Rights -- Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion -- Chapter 7: Voting and Elections -- Toward Collective Action: Mediating Institutions -- Chapter 8: The Media -- Chapter 9: Political Parties -- Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying -- Delivering Collective Action: Formal Institutions -- Chapter 11: Congress -- Chapter 12: The Presidency -- Chapter 13: The Courts -- Chapter 14: State and Local Government -- The Outputs of Government -- Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy -- Chapter 16: Domestic Policy -- Chapter 17: Foreign Policy…”

“…Hall explores how media technologies, practices, and formats shape political decision making; how political forces influence media institutions; and how public opinion and media audiences are formed. …”