This book offers a closer examination of how Americans think and feel about their government. It deals with politics at the grass roots. The book addresses several of the most significant bases of social cleavage present in the US. It focuses on political decisionmakers and decisionmaking.

About the Book and Editor -- Change and the American Electorate -- Attitudes -- Looking at Leviathan: Dimensions of Opinion About Big Government -- The Angry Voter: Politics and Popular Discontent in the 1990s -- Economic Change and the Middle-Class Revolt Against the Democratic Party -- Involvement -- The Sixth American Party System: Electoral Change, 1952-1992 -- Public Judgment and Political Engagement in the 1992 Election -- Who's Talking? Who's Listening? The New Politics of Radio Talk Shows -- Citizens for Perot: Assessing Patterns of Alienation and Activism -- Groups -- The Gender Gap: A Manifestation of Women's Dissatisfaction with the American Polity? -- The Religious Vote in American Politics: Value Conflict, Continuity, and Change -- The Social Contract in Black and White: Racial Differences in Evaluations of Government -- Linkage -- The Electoral Connection: Images of U.S. Senators and Representatives -- From Ward Heelers to Public Relations Experts: The Parties' Response to Mass Politics -- Who's the Boss? Direct Democracy and Popular Control of Government -- Appendix: Wording of Survey Questions