Ackerman, Elliot, 116
Affordable Care Act, 65, 98–99, 177–178
African American voters, 137–138
Airport subsidies, 83
Allen, James, 87
Allen, Mike, 18
Amendment to balance budget, 117–124
American Action Network, 75
American Crossroads, 74
American Crossroads GPS, 74–75
American Enterprise Institute (AEI), 31–32
Anderson, John, 111
Anti-Federalists, 126
Asymmetric polarization, 51–58, 102–103, 130–132, 184–197
Australian voting model, 141–142
Bachmann, Michele, 62
Bair, Sheila, 97
Baker v. Carr, 146
Balanced budget, 19–23, 117–124
Balanced Budget Act of 1997, 121
Bartels, Larry, 190
Bennett, Robert, 65–66, 144, 186
Bernanke, Ben, 4
Berwick, Donald, 98–99
Biden, Joe, 14
Binder, Sarah, 109
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, 71, 161
Black, Charles, 32
Black, Hugo, 93
Blackstone Group, 180
Blanket primaries, 148
Boehner, John, 6, 8–15, 15–24, 38
Bork, Robert, 43
Brokaw, Tom, 181
Bryson, John, 85
constitutional amendment to balance, 117–124
Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1973, 5
Burke, Edmund, 126
Burnett, Erin, 75
Burr, Aaron, 86
Bush, George H. W., 37, 53, 95
deficit-reduction, 120–121
Bush, George W., 6, 28–29, 53, 56, 92–93, 98, 122, 142, 199
unitary executive theory, 173
Bush v. Gore, 72
Byrd, Robert, 168
Caddell, Patrick, 116
Camp, Dave, 28
Campaign finance. See Money in politics
emergency disaster-relief spending, 82
super PACs, 77
Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal, 73
Cavuto, Neil, 25
Center for Political Accountability, 157
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 97, 98–99
Gingrich replacement of, 37
Chenoweth, Helen, 40
Children’s Health Insurance Program, 121
Christian right, 52
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 68, 71–74, 152–153, 182
Civil War, 108
Clark, Dick, 32
Climate change, 183
Clinton, Bill, 7, 56, 114, 122, 173, 181
deficit-reduction, 120–121
Gingrich and, 39–42
impeachment of, 42
judicial appointments, 94
Closed primaries, 148
Clyburn, Jim, 14
CNN, 60–61
Coburn, Tom, 18
Cohn, Jonathan, 95–96
Collins, Susan, 170
Conable, Barber, 187
Conard, Edward, 77
Congress, 4–6, 14, 22, 24–25, 31, 33–36, 64–65. See also Reforming political institutions
backlash from pay raise, 37
creating shadow, 182–184
filibusters in 110th and 111th, 88
term limits, 124–127
Conservative Opportunity Society (COS), 34
Conservativism
on Fox News, 60–65
of Republican Party, 51–58
See also Republican Party
balanced budget amendment, 117–124
filibuster and, 86
reforming political institutions, 164–166
term limit amendment, 125, 126
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), 99–100
Contract with America, 41
Corrado, Anthony, 160
Corwin, Edward, 81
Coulter, Ann, 63
Craig, Larry, 85
Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act, 90
Crist, Charlie, 75
C-SPAN, 34–35
“Cut, Cap and Balance” bill, 6, 19–23, 118
CUTGO rule, 122
Daley, Bill, 20
Danforth, John, 185–186
Death panels, 178
Debt limit crisis of 2011, 3–8, 8–15, 15–25, 25–30
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC), 175–176
Deficit reduction, 3, 16, 29, 176–177
DeLay, Tom, 68
Democratic Party, 4, 23, 34, 44–51, 103, 131–133
Diamond, Peter, 99
Dirksen, Everett, 53
Disclosure laws, 152–157
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 99–100
Dolan, John Terry, 32
Dole, Bob, 53
Double-dip recession, 27
Druckenmiller, Stan, 8
Duncan, Arne, 174
Durenberger, David, 185
Duverger, Maurice, Duverger’s Law, 149
Edwards, Mickey, 142
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 53
Election-day registration (EDR), 136
Elections
2000, 50–51
2012, 198–200
See also Voters
Emergency disaster-relief spending, 82
Erickson, Erick, 63
Estrada, Miguel, 185
Ethics charges
against Gingrich, 41–42
against Wright, 36–37
Executive appointments. See Presidential nominations
Executive authority, 172–178
Farhi, Paul, 66–67
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 82–84
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 156–157
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), 97
Federal Election Commission (FEC), 71–74, 129, 152–156
Ferraro, Geraldine, 32–33
Filibusters
blocking executive and judicial appointments, 91–98
history and use of, 84–91
new nullification, 98–100
restoring majority rule in Senate, 166–172
Rule XXII, 84–91
voters and, 197
Foley, Tom, 125
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 175
Ford, Gerald, 53
Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, 91
Free speech, 73
Frenzel, Bill, 187
Friedman, Thomas, 112–113, 115
Frist, Bill, 92–93
Fund-raising. See Money in politics
Galston, William, 141
Gang of Seven, 38
Gates, Bill, 181
Gates, Robert, 181
Geller, Henry, 156
Geographical party realignment, 47–49
Gephardt, Richard, 7
Gephardt Rule, 7
Gerken, Heather, 138
Gerrymandering, 46, 79, 143–147
Gillespie, Ed, 74
Gingrich, Newt, 31, 58, 69, 124, 174
mark on American politics, 31–43
Goldwater, Barry, 47
GOP. See Republican Party
Government shutdown, 11–12, 17
Grayson, Alan, 62
Great Society, 52
Greenspan, Alan, 122
Hagel, Chuck, 53–54
Hasen, Richard, 73
Hatfield, Mark, 48
Hayward, Steven F., 188–189
Hayworth, J. D., 40
Health and Human Services, Department of 175
Health care reform act. See Affordable Care Act
Helms, Jesse, 87
Hillary: The Movie, 71
Holds and filibusters, 84–91
Holman, Craig, 154
House Majority PAC, 78
House of Representatives, 18–19
Gingrich’s effect on, 33–38
Young Guns, 8–15
Ideological polarization. See Partisanship
Ideological schism, 44–51
Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), 177–178
Independent presidential candidate, 111–117, 149–150
Independent redistricting commissions, 146
Inouye, Dan, 14
Instant runoff voting (IRV), 133, 150
Insurgency of Republican Party, 102–103, 184–197
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 74–75, 155–156
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 141
public shame, 181
Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, 27–28
Judicial appointments, 91–98
Kabaservice, Geoffrey, 52
Kaiser, Robert, 67–68
Kassebaum, Nancy, 187
Keenan, Barbara Milano, 92
Kennedy, Anthony, 73
Kerry, John, 28
Koch brothers, 80
Kuchel, Tom, 48
Kyl, Jon, 14
LaHood, Ray, 185
Landrieu, Mary, 192
Leadership PACs, 157–159
Lessig, Lawrence, 127
Levinthal, David, 75
Lew, Jack, 20
Lewinsky, Monica, 42
Lieberman, Joseph, 170
Limbaugh, Rush, 156
Lincoln, Blanche, 192
Lobbying, 128–129, 159–160. See also Money in politics
Lofgren, Mike, 54–55
Lott, Trent, 36
Lottery, 143
Mackenzie, G. Calvin, 94
Malbin, Michael, 160
Mandatory voting, 140–143
Marron, Donald, 118
Mayer, Jane, 79
Mayhew, David R., 108–111
McCain-Feingold Act. See Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
McConnell, Mitch, 17, 25–26, 152, 154, 193, 199
constitutional amendment to balance budget, 123
on Obama, 190
threats to presidential nominations, 166
McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 71
McIntyre, Tom, 32
Media, 22
coverage of the House, 34–35
focus on perk-laden Congress, 38
new media and new culture, 58–67
recreate public square, 181–182
reining in insurgents, 194–196
Medicare, 20–21, 28, 118–119, 121, 199
IPAB, 177–178
three-hour vote in 2003, 50
Merkley, Jeff, 167
Mica, John, 82–84
Midterm elections 1978, 10, 29–30, 32, 39–42, 51, 102, 192
Miller, Matt, 112–113, 115, 117
Minow, Newton, 156
Money in politics, 50, 67–80, 152–162
public financing of elections, 127–130
regulating, 70–71
Soft money, 70
Moody’s, 17
Moore, Michael, 63
Moynihan, Daniel Patrick, 102
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 87
Murkowski, Lisa, 144
Murphy, Patricia, 15
Murray, John, 77
Murray, Patty, 75
National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC), 32
National Defense Authorization Act, 184
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 97
Nelson, Ben, 192
Nethercutt, George, 125
Neumann, Mark, 40
New Deal, 47
New media and new culture, 58–67
New nullification, 98–100
Newscorp, 60
Newspapers, 61
Newton-Small, Jay, 20
Niskanen, William, 188
Nixon, Richard, 53
Nullification, 98–100
Nussle, Jim, 38
Obama, Barack, 3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15–24, 49, 53, 56, 66–67, 81, 90, 166, 174, 180–181
2012 election, 198–200
birth certificate debate, 61–62, 185
campaign finance, 161
as centrist, 114–115
election of, 51
filibusters and, 88
new nullification, 98–100
presidential leadership and campaign strategy, 191–193
presidential nominations, 92, 94–95, 98
Obama, Michelle, 180
Occupy Wall Street, 201
O’Connor, Sandra Day, 73
O’Neal, Mike, 180–181
O’Neill, Thomas P., 34–36
Open primaries, 147–149
Opensecrets.org, 158
Ortega, Daniel, 35
Parliamentary democracy, 39, 102, 163–164
Partisanship, 6, 18, 23–24, 29, 36, 136–137
asymmetric polarization, 51–58, 102
development of divide, 43–44
ideological schism, 44–51
redistricting reform, 143–147
shadow Congress, 182–184
Paul, Ron, 174
Pawlenty, Tim, 27
PAYGO rule, 121–122
Pensions, 64
Polarization. See Partisanship
Political institutions, reforming. See Reforming political institutions
Political parties, 107–117, 131–133, 154
leadership PACs, 157–159
Ponnuru, Ramesh, 188
Pope, Art, 79
Porter, John, 187
Portman, Rob, 28
Powell, Colin, 181
Presidential authority, 172–178
Presidential nominations, 166, 170–172
blocking with filibuster, 91–98
new nullification, 98–100
Presidential system, 163–164, 191–193
Primaries, 147–149
Proportional representation (PR), 150–151
Public financing of elections, 127–130
2012 election and, 199
third parties, 112–114
Public Policy Institute of California, 149
Public Printer of the United States, 166
Public shame, 180–181
Public square, 181–182
Reagan, Ronald, 34, 47, 53, 173
deficit-reduction, 120
Reforming political institutions
overview, 163–166
restoring majority rule in Senate, 166–172
shifting authority between branches, 172–178
Regulatory agencies, 174–175
Reid, Harry, 13, 15, 24, 78, 86, 100, 193
Republican Party, 4, 7–8, 8–15, 18, 21–25, 34, 44–51, 102–103, 131–133, 136–137, 184–197
1994 midterm elections, 39–41
2012 election and, 198–201
asymmetric polarization, 51–58
Republican Study Committee (RSC), 9, 57–58
Restore Our Future, 76–77
Rhodes, John, 53
Ring, Kevin, 68
Rivlin-Domenici commission, 28
Rockefeller, Jay, 83
Roe v. Wade, 47
Sanders, Bernie, 192
Sanford, Mark, 40
Scarborough, Joe, 40
Schoen, Douglas, 116
Schultz, George, 181
Schumer, Charles, 170
Schwarzman, Stephen, 180–181
Scott, Hugh, 53
Sebelius, Kathleen, 175
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 156
Senate, 16, 21–22, 23–24, 24–25, 54–55
executive and judicial appointments, 92–98
filibusters, 84–91
restoring majority rule in, 166–172
Shadegg, Joe, 40
Shadow Congress, 182–184
Shelby, Richard, 85
Simpson, Alan, 185–187
Simpson-Bowles Commission, 28, 176
Single transferable vote (STV), 150–151
Specter, Arlen, 144
SpeechNow v. Federal Election Commission, 76, 153
Spending, 11–12, 12–13, 16–17, 19–23, 27, 29
Stewart, Jimmy, 87
Stone, Roger, 32
Super committee. See Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
Supreme Court
Baker v. Carr, 146
blanket primaries, 148
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 68, 71–74, 152–153
judicial appointments, 93
McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 71
one person, one vote, 144
public financing of elections, 127–130
Roe v. Wade, 47
term limits for members of Congress, 125
Voting Rights Act of 1965, 138
growth and, 122–123
modernizing conservativism, 188–189
Obama and, 199
under Republicans, 53
Taxpayer Protection Pledge, 55–56
Tea Party Movement, 9–10, 66, 126, 201
Thierer, Adam, 59
Third parties, 111–117, 149–150
Top-two vote-getter (TTVG) primaries, 148–149
Transportation Security Administration, 97
Treasury, U.S. Department of, 5, 14, 96–97
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), 96
Tuesday voting, 139–140
Udall, Mark, 167
Udall, Tom, 167
Unitary executive theory, 173
U.S. Court of Appeals, 92
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 97
Viral e-mails, 63–67
Vogel, Ken, 75
Voter ID laws, 137–138
Voter registration, modernizing, 134–136
Voters, 29–30
converting votes into seats, 143–152
districting and party alignment, 49–50
expanding the vote, 133–139
ideological schism and, 46
power of citizenry, 189–191
suggestions for, 196–197
Voting Rights Act of 1965, 47, 138, 146
opt-in, 138
Wallace, George, 111
War of 1812, 108
Warren, Earl, 93
Warren, Elizabeth, 100
West, Allen, 181
Weyrich, Paul, 57
Wheat, Andrew, 77
Why Tuesday?, 139–140
Wilson, Joe, 62
Wilson, Woodrow, 87
Winfrey, Oprah, 181
Winner-take-all alternatives, 149–152
Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, 90
World War I, 87